Furnishing in vintage / retro style: colourful lamps, furniture & carpets

Vintage is the combination of different styles, which still looks coherent despite many colors and shapes. Old pieces of furniture from the 20th century are particularly in demand. However, the older the cooler and more iconic. They give every room that special touch and look exclusive. The special thing about vintage style is that it can easily be mixed with other furnishing styles. Vintage is even considered the forerunner of Shabby Chic, which means that a new type of interior design can be derived from the vintage style.

Here are examples of how to combine vintage with another style:

• Vintage x Skandi style
• Vintage x Boho Style
• Vintage x Retro
• Vintage x country style

Are you interested in furniture & interior design? Then take a look at our guide for furniture brands & interior design!

Color Choices & Wall Colors: Colorful, wild & design without borders

With vintage style, there are no real colour families that have to be adhered to or observed. Here, we don’t look at pantone colours to see which colour the furniture should have, but rather the individual piece of furniture is in the foreground. Each decade has its own trend colours and specific shapes, from which you can tell approximately which year the furniture comes from. With bright and flashy colors, one usually starts from the 70s to the 90s, from the 2000s, the choice of colors became more dignified and modernity came to the fore. Vintage pieces are usually brought into a room as an eye-catcher, because each vintage piece is individual and unique, especially by design and the degree of wear.

Individuality: furniture from several decades – unique pieces & highlights

Every vintage piece has its own effect. Behind every piece of vintage furniture is its own individual story. For this reason, each piece is something very special and unique. The more vintage furniture you include in your interior design, the more exciting it becomes. You are a little bit on the trail of time and could almost title it a museum walk if you knew the history of each furnishing component. The peculiarity is that although some furniture was made in series at the time, they have all been owned in different ways and each piece has its own signs of wear and tear.

Flea markets: Vintage Shopping – Treasure hunt for lamps, porcelain & Co.

Nothing to do on Sunday? Then why not stroll through a flea market? At a flea market, if you have the eye and the patience for it, you can find cool clothes as well as real treasures for your interior. Besides no name brands you can also find designer classics. Since several years there are extra vintage flea markets where you can find a whole range of different vintage pieces. These vintage flea markets are next to antique dealers your first port of call if you are looking for matching and unique vintage pieces. Unfortunately, there are no flea markets in Corona times, so now what? For this reason, many have made it their business to sell their vintage pieces online. So that at the moment you can easily shop for fancy vintage furniture online.

Since vintage furniture is so popular, some furniture manufacturers trim their furniture to vintage. However, according to the definition, this is not original vintage furniture, but furniture in the so-called “Shabby Chic”.

DIY / Do it yourself: Retro furnishing with recycling and upcycling

Often, individual vintage components are also combined with new ones. So quasi: from old to new. You buy individual parts and combine them with new ones, so that an exciting and unique piece of furniture is created. DIY is very important when you talk about vintage. You bought an old cabinet because it seems more robust than some new cabinets, but you don’t like the wood? Then you can work on the wood with simple instructions from the Internet or simply paint it with a suitable wood paint. This way you have an old piece with history upgraded and individually adapted to your interior – this is how real furniture lovers are created.

Vintage furniture: time travel with wallpaper, armchair & cabinet

Furniture from the 20th century, especially from the 20s to the 70s, stands for craftsmanship and therefore also for quality. For this reason, many fall back on vintage furniture. At that time, there was no machine assembly line production, but it was still created by hand. Furthermore, mostly high-quality and robust materials were used, which contribute to the stability of the furniture,

Eye-catching vintage style armchairs: sitting on retro fabrics such as velvet or corduroy

When people talk about vintage armchairs, they immediately think of an armchair with a deep seat, wood, chord and a cool upholstery in an eye-catching color or print. Vintage furniture does stand out for its wear and tear, but an upholstery with wear marks does not fall under a nice vintage piece. Unless it is an old leather chair, where wear marks cannot be avoided. Wear and tear on wood, however, is not a bad thing, as it does not affect the comfort of the seat.

Cult sideboard made of wood: cherry wood, oak wood & Co.

As you can see in the first picture, vintage sideboards are real eye-catchers. They radiate quality and cult factor. Since they are mostly made of wood, they also bring besides the style, warmth into a room. You can trim the sideboard with trendy decoration to modern or let it shine with a few retro accessories – there are no limits to creativity in the implementation of vintage.

Ornate lamps as eye-catchers

Vintage style lamps are particularly trendy in interior design. They give every room that certain something. Old lamps pay off mostly by your squiggles, which can be used especially in the country house style or even in the Skandi style. Mostly vintage lamps are in gold (the trend at the moment), made of wood or have a cool lampshade. Through the individuality, a lamp, which is usually only a means to an end, becomes the it-piece of a room.

Retro/Vintage Refrigerator: A lasting trend

Vintage refrigerators are totally on trend, but not just since yesterday, but for a long period of time. When you think of a vintage looking refrigerator, you imagine a refrigerator in eye-catching colors that will enhance any kitchen. Vintage refrigerators are definitely considered modern and not “stale”, so many manufacturers specialize in making vintage refrigerators, making the vintage refrigerator a retro refrigerator. However, new fridges are much more expensive than fridges you would buy from a vintage flea market, however, with a new vintage fridge you are guaranteed that it will work perfectly.

Decades at a glance: 50s, 60s, 70s style

Each decade has its own colours and shapes, shaped by historical events, from which you can later tell which decade the piece of furniture comes from. It is exciting to see how the shapes and colours have developed over the years. The 50’s to 70’s are considered the years in which cult and therefore retro came into being. Do you feel like taking a little trip back in time to the homes of the 50s to 70s? Then read on.

50s furnishings: kidney tables, cocktail chairs & bag lamps

The pageantry of the 1920s was over. The 1950s are considered the post-war period of the 2nd World War. This post-war period can also be reflected in the interior design. Mostly small apartments had to be furnished, because many things were destroyed by the war. In addition, much emphasis was placed on craftsmanship, as the industry had to recover from World War 2. For this reason, robust materials were used, which were handcrafted into furniture. Particular emphasis was placed on the usefulness of the furniture, as it was not allowed to take up too much space, but should still have plenty of storage space. Through patterned, colorful wallpaper was then brought a little life into the drab furnishings.

Egon Eiermann initiated the first series production of furniture in Germany. His popular classics include, for example: tubular steel chair “SE 68”, wicker chair “E 10”, wooden folding chair “SE 18”, or the table frame “Eiermann 1”.

However, these pieces of furniture that shaped the 50s are seen as true classics:

• “Lounge Chair” by Charles and Ray Eames, a combination of leather and wood
• Kidney Tables
• Bag Lamps
• Tulip Lamp

60s furnishings: striking colours & clear shapes

The 1960s were marked by the unimaginable: Germany was divided into two parts, North and West, by the construction of the Wall. In addition to the construction of the wall, but also the Beatles and the raw Stones were on the rise, which shaped the mentality of the people from then on. Due to the establishment of rock, more and more eye-catching colors were used. There was more and more emphasis on interior design, because people could afford it again. In addition, from the 1960s onwards, a new piece of furniture also moved into every living room: The television. Because of this, people spent much more time in their own homes and the comfort in their own homes became more and more important. Orange, brown and olive tones characterized the 60s and became a must in every interior. Among the absolute classics of the 60s are:

• The Panton Chair
• The Ball Chair
• The beanbag “Sacco

70s furnishings: love, peace, bright colours and “weird” furniture

The 70s were marked by the hippies, Saturday Night Fevers and the peace movement: Love, Peace and Freedom. In the 70s flower power was brought into the living room – the shriller, the better. From colorful wallpaper and shrill colors to fancy carpets, more was simply more in the 70s. Inspired by the first moon landing of Apollo 11, many designers relied on spacey and futuristic shapes that gave the home a very special touch.

Since there was a lot going on in interior design in the 70s, you should only go for single eye-catchers in your own decor – unless you want your home to look like old family photo albums.

Famous & Popular Designers of the 50’s-70’s: Top List

The decades were shaped by designers who discovered and implemented new trends. Many of the top interior designers of that time still exist today or are still on everyone’s lips when you think about that time:

• Charles and Ray Eames (Lounge Chair)
• Vitra Founders: Willi and Erika Fehlbaum
• George Nelson
• Verner Panton (Panton Chair)

Combining retro and vintage: Ideas & Tips

If you are brave and like it particularly cult, you can opt for a mixture of retro and vintage. Here you combine eye-catching vintage furniture and accessories with each other, so that a colorful mixture of colors, shapes and patterns is created. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing is for sure: if you want to stand out from the crowd with your interior design, this is the way to do it.

That’s what retro furnishings are all about:

• Carpet or dark wooden floor
• Wall color in orange, red or yellow in combination with a pattern wallpaper
• Furniture, with striking colors and patterns (important, the pattern must not be the same as the wallpaper).
• Decoration in bright colors and with patterns
• Use of a lot of wood

Retro…what is it actually? Features, furniture & meaning

In order to know how to properly combine retro and vintage, you first need to understand what exactly is the difference between the two styles.

Retro furniture is not as trendy as vintage furniture at the moment, as the focus is currently on nude colours and the use of wood in interior design. In Latin, retro means “backwards”, so retro is basically everything that was once hip: “thinking backwards”. Anything where our parents or grandparents say: that’s exactly what I used to wear, or: that’s exactly the sofa we had in our apartment back then. So it’s a throwback to the old days and a revitalization of past trends. Retro goods, however, are not old goods, but new ones. So an old armchair from 1960 is not retro, but vintage. However, if you buy an armchair that is reminiscent of a trend from back then, it is now called retro because you are reviving an old trend. So retro furniture is not found in flea markets, but to buy retro furniture you have to go to a furniture store or shop online.

“The trend toward retro or the classics certainly has something to do with the fact that consumers find it easier to fall back on the familiar than to embrace the new,” says Richard Lampert (design publisher)

Understanding Vintage: Design & Furniture from a bygone era – Charm & History

The term vintage this time does not come from the Latin but from the English and means: venerable, old, exquisite or even excellent. The translation alludes to the fact that vintage refers to old goods that are in good condition, but also show wear and tear. Vintage goods are those that were manufactured between the 1920s and 1970s. However, this period is debatable, many now see goods from the 80s or 90s also as vintage goods.

So the distinction between retro and vintage is easier than you think. Vintage refers exclusively to old goods, which through new use appear again in their former glory, and retro allows old trends to be revived with the help of new goods. So vintage is the precursor to retro. Everything that is called vintage could also be called retro, as far as the goods were produced in modern times oriented to vintage design.

Anne-Marie Morscheck – “I am a merciless optimist”.

FIV: For now we would like to talk about you as a personality. How would you describe yourself? What is your best and worst quality?

I am, I think, a person who can be very dedicated to a cause. When I believe in something, I stick to it – even if it seems hopeless. Apparently, I’m a relentless optimist… I think that’s one of my best qualities. What’s not so nice: I am at war with the clock i.e. I don’t have a good sense of time. For me one hour is an eternity in which I can do hundreds of things. Of course that doesn’t work out and that’s why I often get bogged down or plan things that never come to fruition because the time just isn’t there.

FIV: What makes you happy or what can make you happy?

Being in nature, lying on a lush green meadow and just looking at the sky or sitting in the dunes and looking at the sea makes me happy. I also like to cook and eat. The smell of a cheesecake in the oven- yes that makes me happy too.

FIV: What could you never do without in your everyday life?

My husband and my dog. And lattes in the morning…

Simple styling: Anne-Marie likes it uncomplicated

FIV: Now we come to the topic of “styling”. What are your “fashion favorites” that you never want to miss in your wardrobe?

Time and time again, as a fashion designer, I am confronted with how I dress myself. I have to be honest, I don’t follow any particular style or look. I think I’m just over-informed as a designer who deals with fashion day in and day out, and that’s why I don’t follow every fashion. I love uncomplicated fashion with a special “aha” effect. I like to wear short dresses, because I am quite tall. I have a few pieces of the brand COS in my closet, which I like to wear again and again. But my jogging pants are also indispensable, in which I make myself comfortable in my spare time.

FIV: Who or what inspires you in your look?

I love patterns – preferably small tie dots, polka dots, floral prints e.g. from Marimekko. I get inspired by all kinds of things, movies, the street, magazines but also the internet. I love Pinterest for example and can spend hours on it. I dress depending on my mood, sometimes it should be a little more casual with jeans and T-shirt, other times then just a little fancier.

FIV: Was fashion already an issue in your childhood? In what way?

I was born in 1970 and I got to know bell-bottoms and fur vests at a very early age. I don’t remember so fondly the scratchy tights and knee socks that always slipped down.

Already as a child I drew a lot, made handicrafts and handicrafts. I sewed clothes for my dolls and Barbie dolls out of fabric and wool scraps. My grandma and great aunt were both dressmakers. I often sat in my aunt’s studio and looked at fabric books and fashion figures.

FIV: Which fashion era is your favorite and why?

I love the style of the 50s. I like the colours, the pastel shades – vanilla yellow, pistachio, raspberry… I think the furniture from that time is beautiful. It was all very delicate but still very clean and unfussy. I also find the graphics and patterns interesting. The fashion was very feminine and with the X-silhouette it emphasized the figure of the woman perfectly. It was a very positive time – of course still strongly influenced by social conventions, especially for women – but the war was over, prosperity grew and people were happy to have survived.

Classic entry: Anne-Marie about her fashion design career

FIV: Now we come to your work as a designer:
Has the fashion industry changed in your eyes in the last few years? In what way?

Yes, of course I recognize changes – although I do not produce industrially.
I see two different currents. One is the fast fashion H&M, Primark, Zara etc.. The industry throws unlimited goods on the market. It is no longer about fashion but only about mass. I am very critical of this development, because it wastes enormous resources and harms the environment in the long term, in addition to slave-like working conditions.

Fortunately, we are more enlightened today than we were 20 years ago. The many negative headlines are making consumers rethink, and for me that is a second current. People no longer want fast and cheap but crave values and consistency. So there is a huge second hand and recycling/upcycling trend. Eco fashion is also a response to this and finally the nostalgia waves, whose fashion I represent.

FIV: You already have experience in the business: What advice would you give to aspiring designers for their career start?

Perseverance, capital, family and friends who are behind you, the willingness to work very very hard, being able to withstand the uncertainty of never knowing what your bank balance will be at the end of the month, a willingness to take risks and organisational skills.

FIV: When and how did you start your career as a designer? Did you have a classical education or how did you get into the fashion business?

I learned everything “from scratch”. After graduating from high school, I went into apprenticeship and completed my apprenticeship in a very good craft business. I studied in Düsseldorf at the AMD and then set up my own business.

FIV: What do you like most about your job as a designer?

Oh my, where do I begin? The feeling of putting something you have in your head on paper and at the end it’s in front of you and you can touch it, even wear it. This process of creating is very satisfying and everything that goes with it, the fabrics, the colors, the techniques. I have been in this profession for so long now and I am always learning and seeing new things. It’s so exciting to go through life and take in everything around you, to be inspired. I have to do with beautiful things and can even make other people happy with it – what more can you expect from a profession?

FIV: How would you describe the fashion of your different labels “Atelier DSigns” and “Fräulein Valentine by Atelier DSigns”?

Under the label Atelier DSigns I design and create contemporary and feminine fashion inspired by special materials and textures and unusual cuts. Among other things, unique pieces are also created, e.g. wedding dresses.

Fräulein Valentine by Atelier DSigns stands for my love of the 50s. Here you can find petticoat dresses in many different variations, blouses, skirts, pants, coats and figure-hugging costumes, which I tailor to the customer’s body. Often these two styles mix with each other and the result is an individual, nostalgic look with contemporary elements.

FIV: Your label “Fräulein Valentine” is very interesting and special. How did you come to design 50s and 60s fashion under the label “Fräulein Valentine”? What inspired you to do so?

As mentioned above, I am fascinated and touched by the zeitgeist of the 50s. I was looking for a product that can be offered on the internet without the customer having to come to my studio and then I developed a cut that is feasible only by the measurements that the customers send me. The petticoat dresses are really a dream for every woman and almost for every figure. Even women who normally would never wear a dress love my dresses.

FIV: You also design wedding dresses. How can we imagine that? So what is the process like when a bride-to-be comes into your studio and wants to order a dress from you? How long does it take to design a wedding dress?

Most brides-to-be already have a specific idea of their dream dress. They have already had an odyssey through the various bridal fashion shops and found nothing there. Then they come to me and together we work out their own individual dress. I draw the design and we look for the appropriate fabrics and laces. No matter what we do, the consultation and the bride’s individual needs are immensely important to me and provide valuable information as to how the design will then look. Maybe the client wants to get married outdoors, does she have children or maybe she is still breastfeeding, does she have a certain colour theme for her wedding or a special love for a country, maybe she doesn’t like to show her arms but still dreams of a corsage dress, etc.

After detailed consultation, measurements are taken and I create the pattern, then the dress is cut and sewn in a cheap cotton fabric. This dress is just to visualize the design and check the fit. The dress is tried on and pinned. Any alterations are then transferred back to the pattern and only then is the original fabric cut. Even for the next fitting, the dress is not yet finished, but changes can still be made. Step by step, the dream dress for the unique day in the life of a bride is created.

Maybe you can imagine how much work goes into it, depending on the design it takes several weeks to finish the dress.

FIV: Where do you present your fashion and where can one buy your collections?

I show my fashion in my own shop in Düsseldorf. In addition, I also have an online shop, which you can reach via my homepage.

FIV: What has been the best experience in your job so far?

I have been self-employed for so many years now and have had so many wonderful experiences that I can’t even say that there is “the” most beautiful experience. From my time at fashion school, the many fashion shows that make your endorphins soar, to the opening of my studio and the many, many customers whose beaming faces I can look at again and again, I still look forward to the beautiful moments that may come.

FIV: What are your plans for your professional future? Is there anything special coming up soon?

I would like to be able to continue doing what I do, as long as I stay healthy. I plan to expand the bridal sector even more and be more present at trade shows and 50’s events. Soon I may be on TV and on a fine platform like Fashion Interview….

Thank you for the interview dear Anne-Marie!

Further information about fashion designer Anne-Marie Morschek from Düsseldorf

Anne-Marie Morscheck Fashion Designer
DSigns& Miss Valentine
Friedenstrasse 66
40219 Düsseldorf

www.lookatdsigns.de