After the house inspection (for house option #1) today, Phil and I were hit hard with the realization that home owning will bring about a dramatic shift in the way we think about “keeping house.” A phrase that used to alude to furniture selection, floor coverings, dishware, and other fun accessories has now turned into a savings-eating monster that reminds us of looming repair projects in our very near future. So yeah. The budget shift from decorating to damage repair has happened.

Now that’s not to say we still can’t have a little fun in decorating our new house! We’ll be working with drastically different architecture- going from white arched, cathedral ceilings over warm, wooden floors and a giant Tudor-style fireplace to mid-century terrazzo floors, minimal brick walls with built in fireplaces and appliances, and sleek wooden accents. I’m admittedly overwhelmed with the change, so I’ve been studying the decorating styles of beautiful homes from around the same era, mulling over ways we can incorporate our current furnishings with the new space. So, how about another round of Inspired By Vintage Homes? This time I’m studying warm color pallettes. I hope these homes inspire you too! All images are linked to original Flickr sources.

It’s pretty easy to get stuck in a rut when choosing colors for your home and wardrobe. Some people have stylists to select colors for them, or designers who limit the options. Even as a designer, I fall into the same color combinations over and over again.

As much as some people cringe at vintage decor and recall the stuffy homes of their fashionably challenged grandparents, I find that I’m constantly drawn to the vintage aesthetic. There’s so much inspiration to be found from vintage decor, so I thought it would be fun to apply some color theory to the images I’ve been gazing upon recently.

1.  R E F R E S H I N G L Y    R E D
Such a funky and feminine grouping of colors in this space! It could be a bit much and too gaudy for my taste, but I think the large presence of light grey and splashes of black give it much needed balance. I would love to try this scheme in my own wardrobe.

2.  M E L L O W E D   O U T
I love the restrained shade of blue used in this bathroom. It seems more warm and cozy than blues usually do. Paired with a rusty orange and buttery yellow, it’s the perfect color scheme to cuddle up in. I think I would most love these colors used in a bedroom or a two-dimensional design project.

3.  W A R M   A N D   P O L I S H E D
Sometimes I can get a little too carried away with warm colors. This space is full of them, with the only cool hue found in house plants. I don’t usually count houseplants as part of a color scheme, but I really think it helps balance out this room. Add in the large presence of neutrals, and the room seems just cool enough to be cool.

4.  S U N N Y   A N D   C L E A N
This room has such a great amount of yellow. Because the yellow is found in the color of the wood paneling, it doesn’t seem too overbearing. When applying this color scheme to a design project, I would probably use a natural image, like a paper texture or wood images instead of a flat splash of color. Throw in some cooler colors, and it works quite nicely!

5.  A U   N A T U R A L E
Pulling colors from desert landscapes, I think this scheme is fresh, without sacrificing warmth. I love the pop of orange-red with a minimalistic style. This is a scheme I probably wouldn’t use in my own home- it’s a bit too retrained. But I think this would work great in part of a design project.

6.  C O Z Y   B O H E M I A N
So much bright color! I want to crawl inside and stay for a while. Pink is naturally a very calming color, but this bright and reddish hue has a lot more energy. I think the bright, warm colors in combination with the natural hues of the wooden elements work together to create a very funky and energetic vibe. I’d love to incorporate more of these colors in my own home.

Images: 1 2 3 4 5 6