I am confident in my ability to decorate and accessorize with vintage. But, picking out artwork – it’s so out of my comfort zone.
It can be intimidating selecting a piece of art for your room. I think more people look at the art in your home as a direct representation of your personality and style – vs. the stuff you just set on shelves and tabletops. And, when you have an eclectic aesthetic that you struggle to define (like me) you lose confidence in making the right choice. The right statement. The right design. GAH!
I also feel like picking out artwork is so grown up. Don’t you think? I mean, I’m almost 40 and I should be able to confidently choose a quality piece of art for my home – without regret, right?
So I finally did it. And, I love it. No regrets here.
Let me show you how I created a fun vignette in my living room with some vintage style art from Minted.com.
** I have always admired the beautiful art pieces and invitations on Minted.com, so when they asked me to partner with them on an art piece, I was elated! As always, all opinions are mine alone. See my full disclosure policy here. Some links in this post are also affiliate links.**
See the photo below for how this little space in our living room looked before. This old house has large, wide windows on nearly every wall. I’m grateful for all the daylight, but I struggle hanging decor up because there isn’t a lot of prime wall space for pictures, gallery walls or shelves. In my spring home tour, you can see the area in our living room where our couch is located. I added a few shelves and some wall decor there but hadn’t filled this space yet.
The sewing machine was actually my great grandmother’s and then my grandma’s. For much of my childhood, this sewing machine was in my parent’s house and my dad refinished it. Eventually, it ended up in my house. It’s so beautifully redone and I love the family history of this vintage Singer. But, I had a hard time finding a place for it. It ultimately landed here and I was surprised to find that it was a perfect fit!
In keeping with my pink rug, I wanted to create a bit of fun and quirkiness in this corner space of our living room. It was important that whatever art I selected wouldn’t abandon my vintage eclectic style in the rest of the space… I mean, I already have a brightly colored old map hanging above the TV (to the right of this space) and retro finds on the shelves (to the left of this space).
Since I love including vintage and retro pieces in my home decor it often means I have groups of smaller items. And this can turn into a cluttered mess real quick. I know this, and still, it happens in my house. If you saw my Instagram stories, you felt my struggle and also gave me some helpful suggestions! I was going to purchase two pieces of art and add a few vintage finds on this wall. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was cluttering up this wall.
I have learned that fewer, bigger pieces lead to less visual clutter. So instead I decided on one large piece of art.
I LOVED this print from the moment I saw it… and my husband did too. It is an old hotel in Las Vegas (aff link: Holiday Motel) – one of our favorite places to visit and also where Corey and I honeymooned. I thought it had that quirky, vintage vibe I was looking for with the right amount of color.
First things first. That lamp was not a good fit. So, I headed to Target and decided on (aff link) this one instead. I loved how the brass accents in the lamp brought out some of the brass painted textures in the iron base of the sewing machine.
Adding the vintage cameras just seemed to make sense – and helped add to the vintage travel mood. The one on the right – also my grandma’s old camera! We recently found that old-timey painted souvenir sign at an antique store and I love how it befits this vintage hotel print.
I have 9-foot ceilings so deciding how high to hang things on the wall is something I often wrestle with. According to this article from Elle Decor, art should be hung no higher than 8-16 inches above the height of your furniture. Maybe you already knew this??? According to them, it helps create a unified look. I had to adjust this piece a few times until I felt that it wasn’t hung too high on the wall nor was it so low that the lamp covered up too much of the art.
Browsing Minted.com was loads of fun. Here are a few suggestions… Adding a white border to your print makes it seem more adult-like. That sounds weird, doesn’t it? What I mean is, that it doesn’t make your art prints (especially photography) feel like you are hanging a poster in your college apartment. The extra white border adds a little sophistication. I also love trying each piece with different frames and sizes on their website. It’s really helpful for visualizing it in your space before you purchase it.
So, if you want to incorporate some vintage style art prints in your home, here are my top pics for vintage style art at Minted.com… I’m also sharing why I like them with room ideas – so take a look!
Vintage Style Art
These are affiliate links to my favorite vintage-inspired art at Minted.com. Click on the artwork to visit their online shop.
VINTAGE HOLLYWOOD AND VINE NO.6
What I love about it: Well, this first caught my eye because of the bold pink hues mixed with old gold. My husband and I also spent many years helping to restore our little community’s 1940s Art Deco theater so I am automatically attracted to old Hollywood style and vintage theaters. I also like how this shot is very symmetrical and has nice site lines – if you’re into that sort of thing. Where I would hang it: I think this art would look great in a media room or an ultra-glam bedroom. |
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What I love about it: Oh my, the bright, bold color of this print has me wanting to jump in the pool! It is a simple print with just the right amount of retro inspiration. Where I would hang it: This would be super cute in a bathroom. |
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What I love about it: I’m kind obsessed with vintage campers. I’m not outdoorsy in the slightest, but I’m dying to own one that I can refurbish and use as guest quarters at my house. This print is both quaint and dreamy, especially in black and white. Where I would hang it: Anywhere… this print is versatile and would look nice in a bedroom, bathroom or living area. Very rustic and chic. |
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MID-CENTURY MOMENTS
What I love about it: Clearly, I love vintage cameras and display many of them in my home. I love that this art is nearly (but not quite) black and white. Subtle coloring makes it feel more dimensional and crisp. Where I would hang it: A home office would be a great place for this print – or a gallery wall or simply tucked in between some decor on a shelf. |
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AMERICA
What I love about it: I almost selected this print for our living room, but I wanted a little bolder color for our wall. I feel like I’ve seen this exact building before. Really, this image could be any building in our quaint little Indiana community. Just as its name suggests, it’s simply America. Where I would hang it: Well, my living room for starters. This is also a versatile print that could be in a wall gallery, home office, bedroom, or mudroom. |
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EAT What I love about it: I LOVE typography art. I also love the green/yellow combo and the marquee-style lettering of this print. There are tons of alternatives to choose from at Minted.com if you love typography too. Where I would hang it: My retro kitchen area would be a cute place. Obviously, any kitchen or dining space would be a great place for this print.
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Most of all, I hope these vintage style prints have inspired you and given you the confidence to select art for your own home. Or, maybe you’re an art-picking pro and you have some advice for me? I’d love for you to share it in the comments below.
Once again, thanks for stopping by for a visit.
*This post contains some affiliate links to make shopping easier for you. Robb Restyle may receive a commission, but you won’t pay a penny more. I only share links to products I love. Thanks for supporting our flea market addiction. Click here to view our disclosure policy.*