By Karen Kirk
August 2024
It’s sad to say but summer is coming to an end and if you’re like me, I’m sure you’re spending as many precious hours outdoors as possible playing, entertaining and dinning with family and friends. When the time comes to move indoors, I love to make the summer-to-fall transition by bringing some of my favourite plants into the kitchen and dressing my dining table to recreate the nostalgic summer garden look I enjoyed all summer long.
As a lover of all things past, I’m always on the hunt for affordable authentic vintage or vintage-style home and garden decor to use for my indoor and outdoor living spaces. Starting with my mom when I was a teen, my favourite weekend hobby has been frequenting auction sales, flea markets, thrift shops and antique markets hunting for great vintage finds with my friends. I love to set pretty tables inside and out with vintage tabletop accessories from my collections. Garden-inspired table linens, drink, bar, and dinnerware will add a unique, nostalgic look to every-day and special-occasion tables in any season.
Here are some favourite vintage-inspired tabletop items to look for when shopping at home decor shops or vintage markets. They’ll help recapture the memories of a lovely summer spent in the garden with family and friends.
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Thermador was the first to market with many of the appliances and technologies we know today. Established in 1916, as Thermador is entering its second century of innovation and performance Thermador is no stranger to vintage style. The 1950s was a time for change and as the post-war economy improved, people became fascinated with the “kitchen of the future” and began to gain the confidence to spend on indulgences including innovative appliances for the home.
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I love how 2024 design trends are adopting the vintage colour palette inspired by Thermador’s 1950 kitchen advertisement above. Stretch the season and set a colourful summer-inspired table year-round with Williams Sonoma’s embossed vintage garden-inspired glazed earthenware Bordallo Pinheiro Flora dinner set.
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This iconic vintage-style stainless-steel flatware features white handles with distinctive triple rivet detail and Jean Dubost Laguiole's maker's mark with stamped hallmark bee.
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You can find vintage table linens that have softened with age and are easy to care for at flea markets and auctions for reasonable prices. They’re a lovely way to add charm and time-worn style to your indoor or outdoor dining table when set it with dinnerware in white or bold colours for any occasion year round.
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5. Just like the glassware I’ve collected over the years, I was thrilled to find William Sonoma’s lead-free hand-cut Etched Glass Collection that’s dishwasher-safe and durable enough for everyday use.
