It sounds simple, but achieving the perfect balance between modern and vintage decor is by no means trivial. That's why intOndo thought to collect the 10 golden rules for creating a room that is not only well-decorated but also personal and functional.

1. Proportion

It may seem obvious, but the basis of a successful interior is always a furniture selection based on proportions. What matters is not only the size of the pieces of furniture you want to include, but more importantly that of the space for which they are intended. For those who have the opportunity to create a space from scratch, we recommend designing rooms around existing furniture, whether new or vintage. While for those who start from pre-existing rooms the choice of the size of the furniture will make the big difference: a spacious room can accommodate a large vintage piece of furniture; while for a small room it is better to choose something more modern and linear.

2. Colors and contrasts

The mood of a room changes depending on the colors and their combinations. When we want to find the right balance between modern style and antique furniture, we need to focus on contrasts. A neutral tone on the walls can serve as a backdrop for any style of furniture, but it works bost as a contrasts to strong materials such as that of an antique briarwood cabinet or a Baroque gilded frame. If, on the other hand, we favor colorful backgrounds then a vintage cabinet painted in light colors might be the best choice.

3. Use and personalization

If you have an antique piece of furniture, it is most likely a family item, or a piece you have chosen for its unique history. To adapt it to your life and make it fit into a modern setting, we recommend looking at it outside of its original "role": a pair of industrial benches can for example be transformed into nightstands, or an antique marble pestle can make a great storage unit.

4. Fabrics

Among the elements that make it possible to personalize an antique or medern object, fabrics play a prominent role. A good upholsterer can cover a Deco armchair with a fabric that fits the mood of a room, or a comfortable modern sofa can gain a lot of originality with the simple addition of a few colorful or printed cushions.

5. Great Masters

There are some iconic pieces that never go out of style: just look at intOndo's designer section to find a wide selection of twentieth-century design pieces that are still reissued and repurposed in today's showrooms. But we're sure that a large, well-framed painting can be the perfect complement to a very minimalist furnished room.

6. Decor beyond decor

Never limit yourself to the original function when it comes to decor. How many of today's most fashionable rooms versatilely sport the patterns of Chinese porcelain, Oriental rugs, or shiny silver candlesticks? Unlike what the word decor suggests, these elements are not just decorative, but the real glue between modern design and antiquity.

7. Rugs

Reliving the roaring years of the past in a modern setting is as easy as selecting a beautiful, colorful wool rug from the 1970s. Cozy and colorful, rugs are among the most popular stratagems used to match modern design with secondhand furnishings. From striking ethnic motifs to the geometric patterns of Nordic design, keep an eye out for our selection that includes examples in every color and size!

8. Focus areas

When choosing to mix modern furniture with antique pieces, it is better to choose a few select items rather than crowding a room with everything we have in stock: "Less is more" as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe used to say. That is why it is better to work around a few of the well-focused areas to achieve the perfect balance. The dining area for example particularly lends itself to the mix of modern table and historic or second-hand designer chairs.

9. Storytelling

The story of each object and the choice to place it in one's home is as much a part of the project as the object itself. For a few special objects, it is therefore worth leaving out the reportage effect and the approval of others in favor of what makes us feel most at home.

10. Balance

To achieve the perfect match, make sure that vintage and contemporary elements complement each other rather than compete within the same environment. This is the real secret to creating a harmonious and visually appealing modern interior.