Here’s some inspiration for how to decorate your home in a sustainable way, while still creating that 50s-inspired look you want. Thinking about sustainability when designing your home is becoming more and more popular each year, and vintage-inspired looks offer so many opportunities to reuse items and keep them out of landfills.
In this space, check out the custom bar, the collage art by Danielle Sweetnam, the shelving system, and the unique furniture to feel inspired. Midcentury or 50s-inspired looks continue to be popular into 2022, and this space demonstrates how you can pull this sustainable and budget-friendly look off in your own home.
Zachary Kahler, owner of Alexander & Rose, joins me to talk about this space that was created for the Vignettes Design Series Festival. He describes all the details that went into creating a midcentury, vintage-inspired feel. Find out more about this creation here.
Photo credits: Ashley Hansen.
Midcentury or 50s-inspired design has been popular for a few years now, and it’s no wonder. The style incorporates a lot of clean lines and a lot of opportunity to reuse vintage items. It also brings a lot of colour and natural materials into the home! If a 50s-inspired home is the look you want, here are a few tips that can help you achieve it.
Check out reused building materials instead of brand new
The best way to be sustainable when renovating or redesigning your home is to reuse, reuse, reuse. And if you’re going for a vintage look, it’s even better, since you might be able to reuse pieces that were originally created in the style you are going for.
You might be surprised at what you can reuse. For example, in Edmonton we have a store called the Architectural Clearinghouse, and it sells salvaged building materials including flooring, doors, sinks, lighting and countertops. It is worth checking it out to see what kind of materials you can reuse in your design. There are also many store options for buying used furniture or appliances.
If you have some great pieces or building materials in mind, you might want to check with your contractor about the best ways to use these in your new space.
Add personal details
One big benefit of going with a vintage style is that you can incorporate personal touches from your own family. For example, in this space Zachary included a piece of art created from a fifties’ photograph of his grandmother. You or members of your family may have items that can be reused and showcased in your new space. You’ll be happy to breathe new life into these items, and show them off in a way that they deserve to be shown.
Think about custom pieces
50s-inspired home design has a few distinctive elements. For example, in this space, Zachary and his team created a custom bar with a recognizably midcentury pattern incorporated into the design.
If you want to bring some of these recognizable design elements into your own home, you can think about creating one or two special custom pieces. This could be custom furniture, but it could also include built-in shelving or windows that really echo that midcentury style.
Sustainability means reusing what you can, but it also includes investing in quality pieces that fit your needs exactly. Compromising on an element of your home may lead to you replacing it later, so if it’s possible it’s better to make sure you get it right the first time. Adding custom elements is one way to get the home that you actually dream about.
If you’re curious about some of the custom homes that Contact Renovations has worked on, check out our page here.
So there you have it—some inspiration on how to bring that sustainable, 50s-inspired look into your home. Maybe after reading this you still want a little professional advice and guidance. This is where reaching out to experts with experience in creating vintage-inspired spaces can be a big help. Reach out to me, or Zachary if you have any questions!
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At Contact Renovations and Custom Homes, our client-first philosophy has made us a top Edmonton Design Build Contractor for over ten years. We pride ourselves on high quality renovations that speaks for itself.
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