Old enamelware is versatile, colorful, and simple. This post will teach you 7 ways to use antique and vintage enamelware!
If you are looking to create a Farmhouse style in your home, look no further than enamelware. This old cookware lives and breathes all elements of a farmhouse home and is a staple in a farmhouse kitchen. Enamelware can be used in many different ways in today’s more modern homes and this post will show you 7 ways to use antique and vintage enamelware.
What Is Enamelware?
It is prized cookware that started in Germany in the 1760’s. Enamelware is a beloved item to collect because it is practical, functional, and charming.
Enamelware became popular in the 19th century when manufacturers started to coat pots and pans with lighter steel enamel rather than cast iron. You will find that it is typically white on the inside and colored on the outside.
What To Look For In Enamelware
Some of the more popular pieces of enamelware include coffeepots, mugs and ladles. Enamelware comes in solid colors like blue or green but you can also find it in a marbled pattern or solid with a colored rim. In some cases you will see floral patterns or pictures on the outside.
Generally, you will be able to tell the age of the piece by its heft. Pieces from the beginning of the 20th century are noticeably heavier than those made after World War 2. The sound of the metal can also give you a clue. If you tap the bottom of an enamelware mug or plate and it sounds tinny, it was probably produced around the 1970’s.
Using Vintage Enamelware
Enamelware can be used in many ways in your home. Here are 7 ways to use antique and vintage enamelware.
- As a Vase. Old coffeepots or pitchers make really pretty vases for fresh flowers on a tabletop or a bathroom counter.
- Kitchen Decor. An arrangement of small enamelware cups are cute to hang on hooks in an arrangement near your kitchen.
- Serving Display. You can line a tray or larger bowl with a tea towel and put bread or pastries in it.
- As a Grouping. If you start a collection or already have a collection of a specific style of enamelware, you can display them together on a shelf. To add dimension and texture, try incorporating faux greenery like eucalyptus or olive branches in or around the collection.
- Outdoor Decor. Using enamelware as part of a front porch display is so pretty and can be used all year! Try lining a large enamel bowl or pitcher with landscape fabric for drainage and potting ferns or simple flowers in them.
- Kitchen Staples. Large enamelware kettles brew excellent cowboy coffee.
- Cute Storage. Small handled cups are cute and easy storage in a bathroom to hold items such as hair clips, Q-tips, or pony tail binders!
Enamelware is timeless and will add joy and beauty to your home in whichever way you choose to use it.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite type of enamelware is and how you display it in your home!
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