Vintage Fall Decor Ideas to Add Charm and Character to Your Home

If you’re looking for fall decor ideas to add charm and character to your home, mixing vintage pieces throughout your spaces is a perfect way to do it. Come along for some autumn decor inspiration as I show you how to create a warm and inviting fall vibe with those thrifted vintage treasures you’ve found throughout the years.

When you have a beach cottage built in 1920, filling it with vintage-style decor makes sense no matter the season.

I’ve been collecting many antique and vintage pieces, small and large, throughout the last twelve years that we’ve owned our home. When we moved in, I had little, just an antique table that my mom gave me and a hope chest from my childhood, along with a few smaller pieces here and there.

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Understanding Vintage Home Decor

What Makes Something Vintage?

The criteria for classifying an item as a “vintage piece” can vary depending on the type of item and the industry in which it is being assessed. However, some general guidelines are often used to determine whether an item is considered vintage:

Where to Find Vintage Decor

Vintage home decor items can be found in various places, both online and in physical stores. Here are some common places to search for vintage home decor:

Does It Have to Be Real Vintage?

Whether a home decor item has to be “real vintage” depends on your personal preferences and the specific look and feel you want to achieve in your home. “Real vintage” typically refers to items that are genuinely old and from a past era, meeting the criteria of age, style, and authenticity typically associated with vintage pieces.

However, there are alternatives to real vintage items that can help you achieve a vintage or retro look in your home decor:

Vintage Decor Ideas for Fall

Here are some vintage home decor ideas around our cottage this fall…

Vintage Scales

I have a compulsion when it comes to vintage scale decor.

Every time I see a vintage scale in an antique or thrift shop, I want to buy it. It doesn’t matter that I already have at least 10 different scales in my home.

This antique hanging scale pictured above was love at first sight when I found it in an antique mall in Port Orchard, WA.

Vintage and antique kitchen scales make it easy to display fall home decor, such as pumpkins and fruit. They’re perfect for any fall kitchen vignette.

I love how easy it is to change the decor from season to season with an entirely new look.

Vintage Suitcases

Suitcases are great for stacking and adding height to any fall vignette. I also love using a stack of them as a fun end table.

Vintage Copper

Copper is one of my favorite vintage fall decor ideas and always makes such a beautiful focal point. These vintage pieces add warmth and patina and complement the warm autumn colors.

Vintage thrifted copper finds are easy to find at any local antique shop. I usually find a good deal on canisters, pitchers, teakettles, and containers.

Here are some pieces I found at the Bremerton Vintage Flea Market. I found some amazing thrifted copper finds that day.

This is the prettiest copper container I spotted a few years ago. Smaller glass jars filled with dried hydrangeas fit perfectly inside.

Vintage Wicker Baskets

Baskets are a wonderful starting point when creating an autumn vignette or styling a shelf. If I see a wicker picnic basket in decent condition in a shop, I will probably take it home with me.

Wicker picnic baskets look beautiful in any vintage cottage or farmhouse decor.

A wicker basket is so versatile and looks great in any season.

Vintage Galvanized Containers

Old rusty galvanized containers are the best way to show off your fall floral arrangements.

You can see how just a simple vintage centerpiece, with this galvanized bucket as the focal point, helps to make the most stunning table.

Each year I dry my hydrangeas in vintage galvanized flea market finds. Antique mason jars are a great way to keep the flowers standing straight up.

Vintage Crocks

Crocks are another great vintage item to show off natural elements such as fresh fall flowers and branches.

Even adding simple greenery to a crock makes a beautiful statement for fall.

Vintage Books

No matter how you stack them up, antique and vintage books are a great foundation for any fall home decor vignette.

Old books add height and are a great way to display fall decor, such as pumpkins.

Vintage Ironstone

Pumpkins, fruit, and vegetables look fabulous in the fall when placed in an old, antique, or vintage ironstone piece.

What I love about using ironstone for my fall decor is that it’s such a simple touch that it doesn’t take a lot to make a big statement.

Vintage Glass Bottles

I love the look of amber bottles mixed in with clear bottles. What I love most about these vintage jars for decor is how the different shapes create so much interest.

Green glass jars also look great for the fall season.

Vintage Chicken Feeder

If you decorate in a rustic style, a vintage chicken feeder is perfect for displaying beautiful flowers, branches, pine cones, and fall pumpkins.

I love this piece because changing the decor from season to season is so easy.

Vintage Bowls and Trays

Wooden and metal thrifted vintage trays or bowls will show off seasonal fruit or fall pumpkins.

I found this heavy and chunky dough bowl in a store in Poulsbo. The salesperson said that the owner found it in France.

Whether you choose a spot on the coffee table or a side table, you can always find the perfect place for a vintage tray or bowl for fall. There’s just something so warm and cozy about mixing vintage pieces with your fall decor.

Final Thoughts for Choosing Vintage to Decorate Your Home for Fall

If you want a warm and cozy vibe this season, try using some of these fall vintage decor ideas in your home. It’s an easy and budget-friendly way to decorate for autumn.

If you have any questions or additional suggestions, please share them in the comments below. And be sure to share this blog post link with anyone who may find these fall decor tips useful.

Until next time,

Happy Vintage Fall Decorating!

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Jennifer | Cottage on Bunker Hill