September 07, 2013

Turn your room into a nostalgic paradise

Turn your room into a nostalgic paradise

Retro glam is fully back in vogue, which is great for those of us who love the stylings, colours and materials of yesteryear. It also means that prices have been going up and often you find yourself searching through vintage stores with absolutely rip off prices. But there are ways to get the nostalgic feel for your bedroom, without breaking the bank or falling prey to dealers who have hiked their prices up.  

The first thing to do is to decide on your colour scheme - are you after soft Victoriana or 50s retro colours? Once that’s decided consider how you can strip and paint your walls yourself.

Wallpaper is a great option and there are many out there these days that have great vintage prints and aren’t too expensive. As with most things, searching online is good for the staples. 

Moving on to furniture - look at what you already have first. Can any of it be up-cycled or altered in some way to fit your new bedroom look? Sometimes the most boring looking pine can be sanded, painted and be transformed into furniture fit for your vintage look. 

If you have nothing suitable or you just want to get all new (well, vintage new!) stuff then your best bet is to get out there and get looking. Most towns and cities have amazing places selling off the furniture from house clearances. Check with your local recycling centre or municipal tip as there is likely to be one nearby. These places are absolute treasure troves and you can find amazing furniture being sold far more cheaply than in antique and vintage stores. 

However, these are also worth a trip, as are charity shops. Bigger ones often have furniture that could work for you at a fraction of the cost of buying from dealers and vintage ‘experts’. Remember that being priced higher does not make it better, you are looking for stuff that you can use in a creative way to make your room look the best it can. 

One thing it’s best to buy new is a bed, however. Unless you can find and afford an actual vintage bedframe, your best bet is to get online and source a retro style bedtstead. Online sellers like bedstaruk are worth checking out for vintage style bed frames, whether you’re looking for a metal framed bedstead like this or any number of other kinds, including leather for that 60's vibe. 

 If you have found an actual vintage bedframe that you love, check it’s in good working order and always, always buy a brand new mattress. Vintage mattresses are not a thing. You don’t know who has been sweating onto them and it’s unlikely that they will be comfortable, so have a look at great mattresses to find a quality but well priced mattress to go with your fab bed.

  When all the furniture is in place you’re just looking at accessorising. Again, your best bet is getting online for bargains, checking out Freecycle for treasures, keeping an eye on eBay and actively visiting second hand shops of all kinds. This may all sound like a lot of effort but nothing beats the feeling of finding the perfect piece of furniture at the perfect price - it’s a very rewarding way to shop and redecorate. 

 

Finally, sit back, relax and gaze around at your vintage inspired joy of a bedroom! Sweet dreams.