How to add “Je Ne Sais Quoi” to your home

by Sky Lark House | Nov 10, 2020 | Decorating, Farmhouse Finds, Farmhouse Furniture | 0 comments

Buying vintage and antique items makes you a better interior designer. Wait. Don’t leave yet. Hear me out.

Vintage and antique items are authentic, time worn pieces with character. These traits cannot really be replicated in a factory that mass produces items. (Technically these traits can be replicated, but it always look so contrived to my eye when I see something falsely aged.) Further, vintage and antique items are usually better quality than recently manufactured items.

Furniture is made of solid wood.
Ceramic details are often hand painted.
Hardware (knobs, handles, pulls) are more solid and heavier weight.
Drawers have dove tail or pin and cove joinery.
Mirrors have thicker glass.
Silver plated items last for years.
Signs were hand painted.

This list could continue . . .

However, my absolute favorite thing about vintage and antique items is that what you buy is unique or in very limited quantity. It is highly unlikely that someone else you know has the exact same item in their home. These items reflect you and your style. They also give your home character that can’t be replicated. In short, these items are unique to you, your style and convey that sense of “je ne sais quoi”.

If you read any blog posts or see any social media posts by these fairly well known designers:

Shades of Blue Interiors

Thistlewood Farms

Haystack Mercantile

You will notice that they all incorporate vintage and antique items into their home interiors.

Here are some photos that I found on Pinterest to illustrate what I am trying to convey.

Photo Credit -Anna Price, Sky Lark House