How To Blend Upcycled Wood Furniture Into A Modern Home Style

Vintage is never going out of style. There is such a love for antique furniture that people will distress new wooden pieces to capture the aged look. However, if you have a modern interior design aesthetic, it might be challenging to incorporate vintage wood furniture into your home. The two styles can clash if not done right. But where there's a will, there's a way. We spoke to interior designer and founder of her namesake studio, Erika Dale, in an exclusive House Digest interview for expert tips on incorporating vintage wood furniture into your modern-style home. She explained that with the right pieces and intentional styling, the antique look will blend right in, regardless of your home's aesthetic.

"Generally, I think the key is being discerning about the type of piece you are bringing in and the elements you surround it with," Dale said. You can modernize vintage wood pieces so they complement and elevate your space. There are several creative ways to style your antique home decor and usher the retro pieces into a new era.

"The biggest advantage of blending upcycled wood furniture into your home is to add a bit of unexpected vintage personality to take your design to the next level," Erika Dale exclusively told House Digest. "By varying the type of furnishings you have in your space, it will make it less predictable and more exciting." The contrast adds a layer of depth to your design. It's especially great if you favor a dynamic look but don't care for too much color or pattern. Further, since wood is an organic material, it naturally blends well with other raw elements like glass, stone, metal, and linen. With upcycled wood furniture, you get a one-of-a-kind piece that increases your home's character.

"However, if you simply plop one piece of vintage furniture in the middle of an otherwise contemporary space, you run the risk of it looking out of place," Dale explained. While an antique dining room table, writing desk, or apothecary dresser will look absolutely stunning, it shouldn't be the only aged furnishing in the room. "It is essential to pepper in a few more pops of vintage charm to tie everything together and make the space feel cohesive," she added. Distressed mirrors, ornate candle holders, rustic wall art, and retro lamps are a few decor options that complement your upcycled wood furniture and unify the vintage pieces within a modern space. You want to create a tasteful blend of old and new furniture so everything works together.

Even though any upcycled wood furniture can be worked into a contemporary look, some vintage pieces complement certain interior design styles better than others. "If you have a home in the very trendy new or modern traditional style, adding ornate or antique pieces with vintage appeal is very flexible and easy to incorporate," Erika Dale exclusively told House Digest. Think of grand display cabinets or wooden trunks. These furnishings will blend well with the updated historic feel that this aesthetic is known for.

"If you have more of a modern farmhouse vibe, look for pieces in reclaimed wood finishes to add to the organic, aged feel," Dale suggested. Upcycled wood furniture already has the rustic look that farmhouse designs lean towards, so it's a perfect match. You can also give your wooden surfaces a vintage finish in minutes to fake an aged look and distress new pieces to tie in your reclaimed wood furniture.

Dale adds, "If you have a more clean, contemporary vibe, stick with more streamlined, straight-lined furniture such as mid-century or Parsons style pieces." Clean-cut wood is timeless and will complement any modern, minimalist design. Whichever upcycled wood furniture you bring into your space, just remember to give it to an old friend to match, and it will feel right at home.