Vintage furniture is not only timeless and beautiful, but it’s also better for the environment. Choosing vintage and retro pieces will reduce the amount of consumer waste dedicated to buying new items only to be used for a short time, as well as keep perfectly good and oftentimes well-built furniture out of landfills.

If you recall our article on modular furniture, then you may remember the shocking municipal solid waste statistic from the EPA explaining that approximately 9,870 tons of furniture and furnishings were discarded in 2009 alone. This figure accounts for not only primary use, but of secondary, or second hand use, as well.

In other words, look for solid vintage pieces that have a lot of life left rather than cheaply made new items and you will be well on your way to owning an heirloom that you won’t want to throw out with Tuesday’s trash. Before we get to the good stuff, take a look ar our vintage furniture buying tips below:

• Try to buy only solid wood pieces, or items with (very little) salvageable veneer that can be painted or filled and restored.
• Look for drawers that have dovetail joinery – this resembles a puzzle piece that fits together really well.
• Look for brand stamps or stickers inside dresser drawers or underneath chair seats and Google the manufacturer – this can tell you a lot about the piece before buying.
• If it looks dilapidated and you don’t have any restoration or upholstery skills, then it’s probably best to keep on moving – you want the structure, frame, or “bones,” like a house, to be solid.
• There are vintage and retro retailers that will inflate prices. If you think it’s overpriced, after doing your research, then you can either discuss negotiating with the seller or simply cut your losses and move on – cash is a great bargaining tool.
• Try to avoid fakes and knock-offs. Herman Miller has been producing Eames chairs since the 1950s, however, the older the year and the better the condition is what determines its rarity and worth.
• If it has bugs or bug droppings proceed with caution or not at all, especially with upholstered items.
• Find vintage furniture at garage and yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, auctions, antique stores, Craigslist, Etsy, eBay, and one of my favorites, estate sales.

Now that you’ve gotten some practical information under your belt for your next vintage furniture shopping trip, let’s have a little fun and take a look at some pieces for every room in the house.

Bedroom

Every bed could use a headboard to frame your linens and delineate your space nicely. Fretwork is a design feature that’s extremely popular in the interior design world, as well as in the vintage furniture realm, so we’ve chosen this king size Hollywood Regency style piece to accentuate your master suite.

Living Room

It’s nice to complete the living room with a conversation-oriented furniture layout, which is why we’ve suggested this pair of Cane Back Barrel Chairs. Pop these across from your sofa after repainting a reupholstering these beauties and you will have a great place to sit and chat with guests.

Dining Room

When entertaining guests it’s nice to have a serving area, like a buffet or sideboard in the dining room. Today, however, it’s perfectly acceptable and encouraged to mix and match your furniture, so why not opt for something fun and fresh like the upcycled Bassett 1970s vintage dresser-turned-credenza (or entertainment center, or whatever you wish) pictured above.

Kitchen

Eat-in kitchens are so charming and a small, round dining table can be the perfect complement to a breakfast nook, which is why we’ve chosen the solid teak Danish and Mid-Century inspired 1960s table by Sun Furniture. This would look great with a couple of chairs – and the best part is they don’t have to be an exact match for the table.

Office

Glam up your office with a vintage furniture find like the beautiful French Provincial Queen Anne desk with gold dipped legs. This would look stunning in a feminine space with a modern Lucite chair and a bold little accent pillow containing pops of color like pink, aqua, and orange.

Bathroom

Bring vintage vibes into your bathroom with a cool cabinet similar to the aqua blue metal filing cabinet from the 1940s/1950s pictured above. It has a pull-down glass display that would look so sweet filled with nicely folded hand towels or decorative items and a bottom space that could conceal toilet paper.

Let us know what you think about our vintage furniture finds on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Mid Century Desk via Shutterstock

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Pantone’s top two colors of the year are widely known by now, but you may be surprised to learn that the color forecasting phenoms also happen to have a list out with eight other beautiful hues. Therefore, in order to pay homage to the trending tints, we’ve gathered ten spring home décor ideas that are inspired by the top ten colors for 2016.

1. Buttercup

This sunny shade of yellow is bright, cheerful, and happy – it’s also perfect for the home. Buttercup can work well with a variety of tastes and styles. For instance, pairing this with gray, black, and white will convey a more modern feel, while pairing with blues and greens can create a look that’s more whimsical and charming. The Handmade Woven African Hamper in Yellow Herringbone from Connected Artisans is a really beautiful basket that would work well in either setting.

2. Fiesta

You’ll definitely turn up the heat in this fiery red shade that’s really quite similar to the color of a chili pepper. For a contemporary look in the home, a la Mondrian, team this hot hue with the other primary colors, blue and yellow. And if you’d rather have something a little more subtle, then work Fiesta in by pairing it with other earth tones, like browns, tans, and beiges – it will appear warm and inviting, rather than shocking. The Poinciana punched metal Dimitri drum stool pictured above from World Market is a great little multipurpose piece for indoors or out.

3. Green Flash

Incorporate your green through natural elements, like indoor herb gardens, potted plants, wreaths, and other botanicals. This way you’ll be adding a much needed and on trend pop of color to your interior in a practical way that might even improve your indoor air quality. The adorable Potted Cypress in Burlap plants from Viva Terra boast a beautiful shade of green that will blend perfectly in almost every environment.

4. Iced Coffee

No, we’re not talking about the drink, but this silky brown color can still serve as a reminder of just how beautiful natural fabrics in the home can really be. Neutral tones and earthy textures are a must-have when you’re trying to achieve warm, inviting environment based on natural materials. Mix these Hemp Curtains from World Market with either bronze or black accents along with other hues you might find in nature, like sage or pink.

5. Lilac Gray

Whether it’s warm or cool, gray is such a great versatile color that really has the ability to assume the theme or overall style of the interior. Take the Driftwood Wreath from Viva Terra, for example. Sometimes gray is thought of as a predominantly modern color, but we can see from the above image that it would also work well in a coastal themed environment.

6. Limpet Shell

When it comes to home décor ideas, aqua blue accents are so popular. And as beautiful as the crisp and refreshing color can be, this handmade, fair trade Capiz Chandelier Light from Connected Artisans far surpasses our expectations. This would look darling as bedside lighting suspended over both nightstands, or as an accent light in a home office.

7. Peach Echo

This year, the warm and friendly peach is the new coral. A little more subdued, but equally as flattering – whether in the home or on your body – this color is easy on the eyes and looks great when used in eclectic settings. The Loloi Handwoven Easy Geo Throw Pillow from Viva Terra has a nice modern geometric pattern going that would look great tossed on both ends of a nice comfy couch.

8. Rose Quartz

From the sporadic soft home accent to being surrounded by all four walls, prepare to see this dusty pink color everywhere. Not only is it beautiful but it also lends a sweet feminine touch without feeling like you need to put up a Justin Bieber poster next to your Pepto Bismol colored lamps. The rose quartz colored Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses from Uncommon Goods will definitely make you feel like an adult, plus they’re a great conversation starter for your next get together.

9. Serenity

Who doesn’t want to feel a little more serene? We think that’s the idea when it comes to this pale version of baby blue, and now when you sit down to dinner you can feel a little more at peace when eating off of the Dakota Porcelain Collection in Mist from Bambeco. These dishes are nontoxic and are crafted using reclaimed water, recycled scrap metal, and are fired in a natural gas kiln.

10. Snorkel Blue

We love to have a little color under foot, especially when it’s soft and sustainable. This oceanic hue is one of the boldest on our list, but it’s also a great accent when paired with the crispness of white and the warmth of wood. The recycled cotton Ripple Blue Skies Rug from Bambeco is not only a lovely example of snorkel blue, but’s also all natural, nontoxic, and crafted from recycled cotton.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our spring home décor ideas using Pantone’s top ten colors of the year. Let us know which color is your favorite on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Woman with Color Swatches via Shutterstock

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Try these simple bedroom decorating ideas to create your private oasis!

For many of us, our bedroom spaces are sacred places. If your bedroom could use a little freshening, read on for some easy bedroom decorating ideas to make your bedroom your own private retreat!

No Headboard, No Problem

Create a cool, calm and serene space from which to arise every morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world (or at least your corner of it). No headboard is required though.

• Create the illusion of a headboard by painting a mural of a “faux-board”, like as seen in this project.
• Affix repurposed shutters or wooden doors to the wall to give the effect of a headboard. Estate, yard, and thrift sales are the best places to look for shutters and doors.

A Private Affair

You may also want to consider adding a bit of privacy to your boudoir. All the better for binge watching Netflix in bed all day.

• Drape gauzy curtains from a hula hoop hung from the ceiling around your bed that you can open and close as you see fit.
• DIY a folding privacy screen from bi-fold doors that you can decorate to match your decor.

Writing on the Walls

Among bedroom decorating ideas, what you do with your walls is a pretty important decision.

• To give you the illusion of an airier space, only the paint the walls 3/4ths of the way up with your color. Then paint the ceiling and the rest of the wall white. This will make your ceiling appear taller.
• Add special text to your walls. You can paint walls with chalkboard paint, use text stencils and/or paint your favorite poem, song lyrics or book passages on your walls.

Hide It All Away

When deciding on what bedroom decorating ideas to focus on, one key idea is to keep clutter at bay by dealing with clutter before it happens. That means storage is king.

• Create under the bed storage by repurposing drawers from old dressers. Just beware the cats may like them too!
• It’s hard to relax with all those unsightly tech cables hanging off your bedside table. DIY your nightstand to hide those cords away by drilling a hole in the top and back for the cords to poke through. Or for extra points, turn an old book into a clever docking station.

Finishing Touches

Sometimes it is the little things that set the tone for your quiet space.

• Print out your favorite Instagram pics and create a heart wall mural like this one.
• DIY a glittery faux feather garland to add serenity to your space.

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Image of cozy bed via Shutterstock

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The secret about the toxicity of wall paint is out, but select interior coating specialists have risen to the challenge by offering healthier paint for the home. Couple these eco-friendly low VOC interior paint brands with the fall 2015 color trends from Pantone and you’ve got a slew of stylish, bold, and surprisingly livable hues that might even be worthy of a second season.

With acetone, turpentine, ethylene glycol, and heavy doses of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) lurking in your paint, it’s no wonder why the indoor air quality of our homes is compromised. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, volatile organic compounds, commonly found in paint, “irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, and can cause headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.” The majority of these chemicals are released when the paint is wet and drying, but can continue to off-gas long after the pigments are dry.

On the bright side, it is possible to have the best of both worlds – kick ass colors and a medium that won’t leave you gasping for air.

Now that autumn is upon us, let’s check out Pantone’s latest color palette for fall 2015 and how they translate into hues for the home from a few of the best eco-friendly paint brands on the market. Marsala, the familiar Italian red wine sauce, is Pantone’s color of the year. In addition to this burgundy shade, are several other warm and playful colors such as Dried Herb, Biscay Bay, and Cashmere Rose. With a nod to the hippie days of yore, these colors are right in line with this year’s bohemian-chic trend.

Check out the suggestions below and see if this year’s eco-friendly paint and color trends are enough to bring out the weekend-warrior in you!

Quiet Home Paints

According to the manufacturer’s website, Quiet Home Paints are completely solvent and toxin free, as this line of paint was originally designed with children in mind. The only ingredients found in the paints are water, natural and non-toxic manufactured binders, non-toxic pigments, natural mineral fillers such as limestone and clays, non-toxic thickeners such as wood cellulose, food grade non-toxic white pigment, levelers, and waxes.

Quiet Home Paints are offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and come in a shell, satin, velvet, or chalkboard finish. One gallon will run you anywhere from $72 up to $103 and will cover approximately 560 sq. ft. per coat.

Although Quiet Home Paints are natural and non-toxic, they still come in all of the latest colors. Use these muted primary tones in all the grown-up areas of your home. Accent walls with a mostly neutral backdrop is a safe bet, but even if you opt for something bolder by appointing a different room with one of each color, their shared intensity and tone almost guarantees that they will look great together from any vantage.

These would work especially well in the kitchen, living room, and foyer of an open floor plan with high ceilings. A contemporary loft or rustic setting should serve as an excellent backdrop.

Natura by Benjamin Moore

This interior paint doesn’t promise to eliminate all chemicals, but it does offer customers the opportunity, convenience, and health benefits of purchasing zero VOC and zero emissions paint with more colors than you will ever know what to do with. According to the Benjamin Moore website, Natura is water-based for easy cleanup, virtually odorless, quick drying, certified allergy and asthma friendly, self-priming on most surfaces, and carries Benjamin Moore’s Green Promise designation.

Natura is offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and comes in a flat, eggshell, or semi-gloss finish. One gallon will cost about $50 and will cover approximately 375-425 sq. ft. per coat.

As if it isn’t hard enough to choose a wall color, Benjamin Moore swoops in to offer customers thousands of different options. The advantage is that this overabundance of swatches makes it super easy to find a comparable match for each of the colors from Pantone’s palette.

From nursery to college dorm, these versatile colors have the ability to grow with your child through the years, but are sophisticated enough for adults, too. Gray is thought to promote creativity, so get those juices flowing by using this palette in your home office – add a pop of pink with a painted desk and a a splash of navy with a couple of painted cane back barrel chairs for an ultra-chic look.

YOLO Colorhouse Paint

Founded by artists in 2005, this paint brand was designed to be safer for its users and the environment. By offering low odor paints with superior coverage, zero volatile organic compounds, no reproductive toxins, no chemical solvents, and no toxic fumes, they are, like the website suggests, committed to creating healthier paint and better color with artist-crafted palettes.

Colorhouse is offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and comes in a flat, eggshell, or semi-gloss finish. Primer and chalkboard paint is available, too. One gallon will cost about $40 from Amazon.com and will cover approximately 350-400 sq. ft. per coat.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful, hand-picked color selection with a healthy twist, then you’ll definitely want to check out YOLO Colorhouse’s website. Staying in line with the sophisticated palette are the three selections below. At first glance they may seem bold, but used strategically, this earthy group is sure to bring warmth to any space.

Keep in mind that you’re never restricted to just paint – use Glass .04 on the walls of your living room and then incorporate Dream .06 and Clay .07 through reupholstered vintage treasures, rugs, and other accessories. If bold styling is more your thing, then Dream .06 would be a great master bedroom wall color with Glass .04 in the master bathroom. Be sure to incorporate orange, herb, and teal accents throughout both spaces for a balanced look and feel.

Interior decorating doesn’t have to be hazardous to your health. After reviewing the low VOC interior paint brands and color trends from Pantone for fall 2015, it’s safe to say that these non-toxic gems shouldn’t be restricted to just one season. But if you’re the type that prefers to change your wall color as often as you change your clothes, then these should keep you busy for at least the next few months. Happy painting!

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Paint Swatch Image via Shutterstock

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Add layers to your home for comfort and style.

You’ve heard of layering in fashion, but what is layering in decor? The concept is pretty much the same-layering colors, pattern and texture to add visual interest and comfort. Much like you would layer with a sweater, patterned tights or with a bright-colored scarf for added warmth or add some pizzazz, you can create layers in your living spaces in the same way. Read on to learn how to layer.

Adding layers in your home can work to make rooms comfier and warmer, but the practice can also create added depth and dimension or can even help to camouflage those areas that need it.

Layering in home decor isn’t complicated. It’s as simple as adding color, texture, pattern via pillows, throws, rugs, curtains and more. The key is balance–just as with layering in fashion. Too much layering can look sloppy or cluttered and can actually end up working against your desired effect.

The best way to learn is from others who have done it. Here are some great how-to resources, tips and ideas on how to layer in your home.

Learn How to Layer

• Mixing color and pattern.
• The art of layering.
• How to decorate in layers.
• Lessons in layers.
• Layering with rugs.
• Layering color in your home.
• How to decorate with layers.

Great Layering Pieces to Add to Your Home

Throws

Image: Anthropologie

This Mexican Wedding Throw adds lovely texture. Throw it on the sofa or bed with mix and match textures for the layered throw look.

Mirrors

Image: West Elm

Add a floor mirror to an entryway or a living room for layering ease. Alternatively, display a collection of mirrors on a mantle.

Rugs

Image: Crate & Barrel

A strong patterned rug over a distinct hardwood floor is very striking. Another trick is to layer a neutral rug under a patterned one.

Windows

Image: Restoration Hardware

One simple way to add texture to windows is with textured linen sheers.

Pillows

Image: Ikea

Mix and match pillows of different colors, textures and patterns to add layering interest and comfort to your room.

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Top Image: West Elm

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Effortless room decor ideas to spruce up your home for the holidays.

When you have company coming during the holidays, feelings of excitement and panic simultaneously strike – especially if it’s been a while since you’ve spruced up your humble abode. I mean, if you’ve got family and friends coming who you haven’t seen in a few years and your home looks exactly the same, it’s time to kick things up a notch. Or seven.

The good news is, you can do a lot with a little. There are plenty of room decor ideas that will make your home look completely different without draining your bank account in the process. Best of all, the changes themselves only take minutes at a time.

Here are 14 effortlessly chic room decor ideas to spruce up your home in no time:

1. Take all of your accessories out of the room you’re revamping and put them in a box. Use a critical eye and only put the ones back that will have the most impact.
2. Focus on the details: Unique picture frames, coasters, mementos, candles – anything that will make your room pop.
3. Update your lampshades with ones that are interesting shapes or bold colors.
4. Depending on the weather in your area, take a walk and pick up some seasonal accents for your home – pinecones, pebbles, shells – and incorporate them into your room decor ideas.
5. Line your windowsills with plants. Paint the pots to coordinate with your room’s color scheme.
6. Replace the drawer and cabinet pulls in your kitchen, bathroom and on your furniture with some unique vintage finds.
7. Take all of the furniture and accessories out of the room and revamp your space with a clean slate. You never know what room decor ideas will strike as you’re staring at that empty room’s potential.
8. Invest in area rugs. They don’t have to be anything fancy – in fact, the more vintage, the better. They’re an inexpensive way to make a bold statement in any room, and they have a knack for making the furniture surrounding them look new again.
9. Take all of your paintings and pictures down and move them to different walls – or rooms.
10. Paint your front door a cheerful, welcoming color. If you’re an apartment dweller, hanging a festive wreath can be just as warm and inviting.
11. Twinkle lights are an inexpensive way to add cozy ambiance to any room, not to mention they’re the perfect way to spread some Christmas cheer.
12. Replace your shower curtain and curtain hooks for an instant bathroom refresh.
13. Change up your snapshots and showcase them in lively frames to create oodles of conversation-starters once your company arrives.
14. You can never go wrong with pillows. They’re one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to add texture and pattern to a room while making it look like an entirely new space.

Which room decor ideas help you prepare for company?

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Image: Ann Mov

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