vintage home decor

Not only is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby a modern American classic, I tend to think of it as a staple of my generation – or slightly before my generation, considering that it was published a few years before I was even born. However, I still see young people clutching copies of the book on the subway or reading in the park, which never fails to amaze me.

So you can imagine my surprise when I realized that Leonardo DiCaprio Gatsby in the contemporary remake set to debut this Christmas. The film’s directed by Baz Luhrmann (the director who also worked with DiCaprio on that bizarre update of Romeo and Juliet, and based on the trailer, he seems to be making a big spectacle of the glitz and glam of the Roaring 20s.

The elaborate set pieces had me thinking about how much I miss the home decor styles of my childhood, so I’ve been thinking about purchasing a few housewarming gifts to bring Gatsby’s vintage sophistication into my own humble abode. Here are some tips and tricks to consider if you would like to do the same in your home.

Spectacular Chandelier

In my mind, nothing says 1920 luxury living like a beautiful vintage chandelier covered with beads, crystals and jewels to make the light sparkle and shine. While I can’t exactly afford such an indulgence in my own home, I can certainly do the next best thing. WomansDay.com clued me into hanging a vintage fixture and then incorporating beads and hanging prisms in place of priceless valuables that Gatsby himself would have appreciated.

Bedroom Luxury

wedding throwAs for the bedroom, it takes a little more know how to truly mimic the aesthetic style of the Roaring 20s. I thought it would be ostentatious to try to perfectly mirror the over-the-top Gatsby decor in every room of my house, so I opted for something more understated in my bedroom. HGTV suggests a wrought-iron bed frame paired with an antique armoire with visible signs of aging (much like my own) such as scuff marks and peeling paint. I included a couple of personalized throws to round out the design.

Vintage Artwork

While furnishings are a great place to start with a 20s-style home, I’m of the opinion that you need artistic accents to really sell the aesthetic. I was greatly impressed by some of the decorative selections outlined in an article in Southern Living about a vintage Tennessee bungalow. In place of typical paintings, the owner used framed blueprints, an old military portrait from the 1700s and a blown-up picture of an old addressed envelope to give the home a feeling of aged appeal. I’m not sure if I’ll copy these exact selections in my house, but I like the out-of-the-box thinking illustrated here.

Interested in living the life of luxury just like Jay Gatsby? Trying to upgrade your home’s vintage decor in case Leo DiCaprio ever decides to stop by? Comment on our Facebook or Twitter pages about how you would go about bringing the Roaring 20s into your humble abode.