The Art of Mixing Old and New in Your Home

No home should be composed of entirely vintage pieces or entirely new ones. Rather, there is an art to effectively blending old and new items to create a home that tells a story. At the same time, the home doesn’t read as too dated or too modern. When it comes to mixing modern and vintage furniture reference resources abound.

Wondering where to begin as you outfit your own space with a mix of secondhand and contemporary finds? Here, Rachel Leonard Kennedy, an author, image consultant, and thrifting and hosting expert, shares her tips for how to achieve this balance like a total pro. 

Whether you are mixing vintage decor with modern furniture or simply looking to spruce up your interior decorating style with a few small vintage finds, these tips will help you succeed.

Expert Tips for Blending Vintage and Modern Decor

When it comes to figuring out how to style vintage pieces while creating a cohesive home design by mixing furniture from different eras, Rache suggests three key home design tips.

Pay Attention to Finishes

In order to ensure that your vintage pieces complement your modern ones (especially when decorating with secondhand finds), you will want to look for items that share similar tones and wood finishes. 

On that note, don’t be afraid to make a few DIY tweaks if needed, Kennedy notes. For example, if you’re trying to style a modern coffee table with a passed down armchair that you inherited from a relative, feel free to grab a paintbrush. 

“Make them cohesive by painting the wooden legs the same shade of paint or wood stain,” she suggests. “Part of mixing modern and vintage is not being afraid to make small changes to help all the pieces feel harmonious in the same space.” 

Using Complementary Shades in Home Decor

In addition to pairing like with like when it comes to wood tones, Kennedy offers another tip for making pieces from different eras appear more unified. 

“Choose a consistent color palette to run through the entire room, and start with a neutral base,” she suggests. 

She notes that a neutral base can be beneficial because it will always serve as a blank canvas of sorts; if you wish to redecorate down the line, this base will complement any color palette you choose. 

“Smaller items are easier and less expensive to switch out and play with or layer over time, and fun colors can really pop even more against a slightly neutral background,” Kennedy adds. 

Playing with Contrast in Home Design

While establishing cohesivity is key, a bit of contrast is an essential component of any well-designed room, and Kennedy encourages people to mix things up a little, too. 

Style Unexpected Materials Together

She highlights three different ways to do so, the first being to style unexpected materials together. “Pair a sleek glass table with distressed wood chairs,” Kennedy suggests. 

Mix & Match Shapes

Another tactic is to mix and match shapes. “Combine clean line furniture, such as mid-century modern, with ornate silhouettes—maybe a painting with a detailed and show-stopping frame,” Kennedy offers. 

Play with Texture

Her last suggestion is to play with texture. “Pair a velvet throw pillow on a leather couch next to an aged wood side table and top off with a matte ceramic lamp,” she offers, noting that this is most effective if you stick with items that share a color palette. 

If you’ve been itching to weave vintage and new pieces into your home, consider this your sign to stop hesitating and just do it—by following these pro tips, your space will appear collected and elevated in no time. 

Learning how to create a balanced home by artfully blending old and new decor is a powerful way to create a home that is uniquely yours. By paying attention to finishes, using complementary shades, and playing with contrast through unexpected materials, shapes, and textures, you can transform your space into a curated masterpiece. Follow these expert tips from Rachel Leonard Kennedy, and you'll be well on your way to creating a home that feels both collected and elevated.

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

August 8, 2025     Updated 11:08 AM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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