What Makes Modern Vintage
If you have not encountered the term modern vintage, you must have been living in a cage or in your parent’s basement for that matter. This phrase is everywhere and it seems to have turned into a legitimate design fad.
As oxymoronic as it may sound, combining two contrasting words-modern which easily reminds us of Lady Gaga’s outfit and vintage which somehow conjures images related to the renaissance era like porcelain chamber pots and what not-modern vintage is being taken seriously by all sorts of designers. From interior decorators to fashion mavens to graphic designers, by the looks of it, modern vintage has inspired a loyal following.
Now what exactly does a modern vintage design mean? For starters, here are a few of its core principles.
1. The art of customization
Modern vintage makes the old look new. How it’s done? Basically, by acting like a certified surgeon and nip-and-tucking your way to something fresh and edgy. Fancy a Victorian design icon but think it is too passé? Then take out your scissors, your paints, or your cement, or whatever does it for you, and introduce your own spin to it.
2. Think out-of-the-box
Vintage can never transition into modern vintage if it stays, well, old and decrepit. With this said, it is crucial for a wannabe modern vintage guru to have the keenest eyes, and to be able to see new and practical uses to an otherwise old and obsolete implement, icon, design, or what-not. As they say, one man’s trash, or vintage junk, is another man’s modern vintage treasure.
3. Accessorize
All things modern can be accentuated with vintage flourishes, and vice versa. Modern vintage is all about mix and match, taking from the best eras of design and creating one aesthetically pleasing time warp.
4. Do it with class
Even the most modern of designs can show off modern vintage aesthetics by using one or two classic pieces. An outer-space inspired living room? Why not introduce a Victorian chandelier? Polishing up a webpage that takes its cue from Picasso? You might want to spice it up with old Victorian fonts.
5. Balance is key
Modern vintage, in its most ideal, should incorporate equal amounts of modern and vintage inspirations. When one is more imposing than the other, your design can either turn into a period drama or a sci-fi rip-off.
6. Know eclectic
Eclectic does not mean matching ugly things with pretty stuff. Within this context, eclectic means design pieces or temperaments from varying periods. Take something from the 90s, the 50s, and all the way to Jesus Christ’s time. Just do it well, of course.
7. Mind the opposites
This is another way to summon that eclectic modern vintage vibe. Use opposite design icons, implements, and accents, and see the difference that differences make.
8. Harmony
This may sound counterintuitive, given the past cited principles, but an informed designer knows how to mix-and-match without turning his or her design into a Walmart display. The bottomline is to achieve contrast while still ensuring visual harmony. How? Use connecting or fluid lines, or colors from the same palette.
Author Bio : “Laura Brentley is a marketing expert and web design enthusiast. She had been working in the printing industry for several years.”, Visit her website at card printing.
