Vintage Summer Roundup

Last Updated on November 17, 2023 by Rachel Granholm

Today I’m sharing a delightful vintage summer roundup!

Summer is such a freeing season for me. The warm weather and long days encourage me to slow down and savor each minute. Summer allows me to live without abandon, where I feel like I can really ‘play’ without any hindering responsibilities. However, with August already halfway over, we are rounding the corner into September.

This week I wanted take a minute to look back on some of my favorite summer ideas and inspiration. You will find loads of summer encouragement here today, which you can put in your archives for next year. It includes four posts that I wrote over the summer and then four other summer posts from some of my blogging friends. Join me on this vintage summer roundup!

A Vintage Summer Roundup

If you have been around for awhile, you know my deep love for thrifting. I can’t really put into words the joy that going to the thrift store brings me! Shopping at the thrift store for seasonal decor is so rewarding because you are able to find pieces that no one else has to decorate your home.

Thrifted Decor For Summer

My thrifted decor for summer haul was no exception and I’m still enjoying those finds as we speak! This haul includes a beautiful basket and a transferware vase. This post walks you through how much I paid for each item and how I styled them in my home.

I have shared many thrifting tips here on the blog, but my all time favorite tip that I tell others all the time is to go often. Even carving out 20 minutes each week to take a spin through a thrift store will get your creativity going and allow you to take some time just for you.

The amount of money that I have saved by purchasing decor second hand has to be in the thousands at this point. It truly is life changing once you start thrifting. You learn so much about yourself as well as your decor style along the way.

Vintage Coastal Home Decor Ideas

This post I wrote about decorating in a vintage coastal theme was a first for me! Without making my home look like I live at the ocean, I used simple decor pieces to create a feeling of the ocean.

By using decor that you already have on hand in colors such as teal, aqua, white, or light green, you can easily and affordably outfit your home in a coastal theme.

Trying new things can sometimes feel overwhelming. But, once I started playing around with this new to me decor style, I had so much fun! There are no rules when it comes to decorating your home. I find that by choosing an inspiration piece, it helps me to have an anchor for the rest of the display and then I can base the rest of the decor around it.

Simple Summer Decorating

At the beginning of the summer I shared a small home tour all about simple summer decorating. Decorating your home, for any season or occasion, does not need to be fussy or expensive. You can take everyday items from around your home and add simple flowers or stems to them, giving them a completely different look.

Decorating in a simple way creates a cozy, uncluttered home that stands the test of time. You don’t need all of the things that stores or advertisements tell you that you do. The beauty about using vintage decor in your decorating is that it is timeless. It is the most versatile and humble decor that you can find.

Patriotic Decorating With Vintage Enamelware

This patriotic display with vintage enamelware is one of my favorite displays that I’ve ever created. I have never been one to decorate for patriotic holidays because I’ve always thought that the red, white, and blue colors were too loud, obnoxious almost. But. I decided to try it this year by incorporating the color yellow into the mix and I loved it. The simple use of greenery paired with the yellow really toned down the ‘loud’ colors.

There are many layers and textures in this vignette that help to create depth. I was thrilled to be able to use many of my favorite vintage pieces such as pieces from my enamelware collection, vintage linens, and milk glass. When you use things that you love throughout your home, you create a special haven that is unique to you. That’s what is so special about vintage decor and keeps me coming back to it time and time again.

Summer Posts From My Friends

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Plant Stand

This fun summer project is from my friend Meagan at Decorative Inspirations! Meagan loves thrifting just as much as I do. She found this vintage mid-century plant stand for only $8.99 and brought it home to give it a new life.

Photo courtesy of decorativeinspirations.com

Meagan is a lover of plants as well as vintage decor. This plant stand is a versatile piece that can hold both of those things, so it’s a win-win for her! The shape of it is super unique and is a substantial size, making it a perfect piece to use to fill in those odd corners of your home. Head over to her blog to see the whole process of transforming this old stand!

Collecting Vintage Enamelware

My friend Anna from Sky Lark House created a super cool summer collectibles series on her blog which I LOVE. We share a very similar vintage decor style and each post in this series made me giddy. One of my favorites that she wrote about in the summer series was collecting vintage enamelware. I mean…just look at that flour bin! It even has the scoop attached.

Photo courtesy of skylarkhouse.com

Anna operates an antique booth in her home state of New York and is extremely knowledgeable about many vintage items, helping you to date certain items or how much a piece is worth. She shares beautiful examples of vintage enamelware and where you can find something similar. I encourage you to go check out the rest of this post on her blog as well as the others in her summer collectible series!

Simple Summer Luau Dinner Party

Jen from Midwest Life and Style is the queen of tablescapes. Earlier this summer, she created this amazing luau-themed table for a dinner party. My love for Hawaii runs deep and this beautiful table tugged at my heart strings. I love how each item that she used is super affordable and can be found at most thrift stores.

Photo courtesy of midwestlifeandstyle.com

The colors and textures that Jen chose to use for her tablescape are incredible. Those glasses with the wicker accent on them are completely amazing and she used a pineapple as a vase…I mean, come on. Jen is unbelievably talented and her creativity blows me away. I highly recommend you go check out the rest of this post to read more of her styling tips. This tropical table is the epitome of summer!

Vintage Summer Decor With Cabin Style

The last but certainly not least summer idea is this rustic cabin display from Lora B at Create and Ponder. I had the opportunity to meet Lora for coffee a few weeks ago because we don’t live that far from each other. You guys, she is just the kindest person with a gigantic wealth of knowledge of the blogging world. If you are newer to blogging, I highly suggest following along with her and learning her ways! Anyways, Lora created many displays around her home this summer all around a vintage cabin theme.

Photo courtesy of lorabloomquist.com

Cabin life is a big deal here in the land of 10,000 lakes and Lora captured everything about it. From the old oars to the vintage minnow buckets to the inner tubes, this is the essence of Northern Minnesota in the summer. Her creativity and unique styling is something that I adore about Lora. The way in which she layers decor and ties everything together in such a cohesive way is so inspiring. Head over to her blog and check out more photos from this post as well as hundreds of other amazing vintage home ideas.

Closing Tidbits

I hope you found joy in this vintage summer roundup! I have so many wonderful and talented friends. I’m so thankful I was able to share some of their creativity with you. Take these ideas and put them in your back pocket for next year. It really has been a fantastic summer, full of life and pure fun. Be encouraged to reflect, choosing to carry the spirit of summer with you into the new season.

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Last, I have a fun announcement! I have teamed up with two of my good blogging buddies, Meagan from Decorative Inspirations and Anna from Sky Lark House, to start our own link party! This will be an uplifting place for other bloggers to post links to their blogs and to grow a supportive community. The first link party will be going live on Tuesday September 6th at 9:00 AM. Stay tuned for more information!

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