Stiudo apartments. Need ideas on how to vintage-fy.

[MissNathalieVintage]

Hello everyone. I've been reading the forum for a number of years now. This is my very first lounge post. Y'all have such great ideas which I have successfully used. I've been reading GoodHousingkeeping and Ladies Home Journal 1940's magazines. And noticed the decorating tips on how to decorate a room for the war bride. These women who were newly married or did not have any children. Would rent rooms in other towns/cities to be close to where their husband(s) were stationed or for war jobs. These rooms look very much like studio apartments.
Any decorating ideas would help greatly.

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

For starters, if you have or can get one, a Murphy bed.

Second, is it just you living there? I only ask because this is a decor that you can go full on frills if you like.

Third, are you more interested in post-war decor, or would something like Hollywood Regency fit your mood and budget?

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

Oh, yes I would really like to frilly it up. Post war is the style I am looking for. I thought about getting a hidden bed. I find I am quite comfortable with my twin size bed. My apartment looks almost like the Dolan's apartment in the movie Poor Little Rich Girl Starring Alice Faye and Shirley Temple.

 

[Shangas]

These women who were newly married or did not have any children. Would rent rooms in other towns/cities to be close to where their husband(s)

"Husbands"? How many men do these girls generally date at one time?

I think it's an admirable idea. Just keep in mind that during the postwar years, the mantra was very much "Make Do and Mend".

I'm not sure how much that applies to the USA (I believe it did to a certain extent), but in the UK, rationing and wartime conditions dragged for YEARS after the war ended. It didn't finally end until I think, 1953.

 

[HadleyH]

You say you like 1940s decoration, here is one idea of a 1940s one room apartment .... you can decorate as you like of course, this is just a suggestion. Hope this helps!

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

Haven't seen "Poor Little Rich Girl". color me ashamed :eusa_doh:

But in the words of one women's magazine of the day: "G.I. Jane will retool with ruffles" I will not be snarky about that, but only cause I like ruffles.

At any rate, without knowing your layout/needs- a few suggestions.

A vanity. Image googling for 20s-40s vanities will give you some ideas. If your budget is minimal, find one of those kidney shaped glass top over fiberboard tables. You can make a skirt for it in a fabric you like. And you can hide things under the skirt. Not that I would EVER suggest shoving things out of sight. . You might also want to search Craigslist and estate sales. Your avatar says you're in the Chicago area, so you might find something really nice. BTW. Etsy has tons of beautiful vanity accessories to choose from- some pretty cheap.

It's more of a summer treatment, but matchstick blinds work well. Depending on your window's exposure, they might work. But if you have a problem with drafts, I'd go with something heavy enough to give some insulation. If you feel real ambitious, try making a padded valence with coordinating drapes. The biggest problem I have with drapes, is I always like the priciest fabric. And curtains take up plenty of fabric. But you can make a swag or valence out of the "good stuff', and then make the curtains out of a coordinating, cheaper fabric. My grandmother told me, and I agree, that having plenty of fabric in the curtains, even if the fabric is cheap, looks more plush than expensive but rationed material.

I'm not completey sure, but I think both chenielle and satin would work for your bedspread. The bedroom I saw in "The Best Years of Our Lives" looked like it had a satin bedspread. It was also a four poster with a canopy of ruffles, which is a bit much even for me. Although Dana Andrews was in it, which kind of mitigated the estrogen overdose.

Maybe bling it up with a mirrored end table or two?

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Finished rooms

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

BTW. A few extraneous comments.

www.retrorenovation.com is a great resource. If it turns into a rabbit hole for you, I'll accept the blame!

Vanity tables. I love them to pieces. But I've had a couple of problems. If you have a shortage of space, you can put your mirror on the wall. And I really do need the space for my cosmetics and perfume. BUT... if like me, you're terribly near-sighted- you can't see yourself in the mirror on the wall! So, put your vanity table in a corner, and put the mirror on the side next to your chair. That way you can turn and get as close to the mirror as you need. Which in my case means my nose is against the glass.

LASIK, you will be mine.

 

[Tomasso]

a Murphy bed.

A wonderful suggestion.

 

[Miss sofia]

Some great suggestions. I second the vanity table idea. I have limited space and have one with a fabric skirt. with space underneath for storing (read that as chucking, i'm not too ashamed), shoes and what have you. A day-bed is also a good idea, as it can double up as an extra bed, sofa, extra storage area. (If you are lucky enough to find one where the mattress lifts off and has storage underneath). Also look out for chairs that have storage underneath the cushion, also small lloyd loom linen baskets or similar, which are great for storage or use as occassional or bed-side tables.

I think also trying to put up as many mirrors as is humanely possible to reflect light and make the space look bigger is always a winner. You can pick up nice thirties and forties mirrors reasonably in thrift or charity shops.

I love the suggestion about the curtains, i do agree with having as much fabric as possible. to make the curtains look luxurious and feel substantial. I also suggest lots of cushions, for cosiness and glamour, especially on the bed or day bed if you have one. A nice rug is always a necessity, i personally think a persian rug, (tatty as you like) or similar really looks great, but again i have seen some nice, vintage floral rugs go for next to nothing and you can pick out colours to match the decor, or vice versa and really pull the whole room together.

Old suitcases are great for storage too, you could stack them too and use them as bedside tables if you have too, plus an old wooden trunk would make an excellent coffee table, plus more storage space. Not necessarily very vintage, but it's a thought. I have loads of them and i find them invaluable.

 

[swinggal]

For me, it would all be Art Deco styling. I like the simplicity and streamlining of the 20s and 30s and my house is full of old Deco pieces. Wooster's apartment (from the series 'Jeeves and Wooster') is my ideal, except I would use some light duck-egg greens in walls etc. It's actually not unlike my place at the moment except I have lots of old Art Deco posters framed on the walls....then then again...it's not a studio apartment...but you the elements are still there and easy to use.

 

[swinggal]

BTW, this is an awesome idea for storage, with a nice vintage feel...with the added bonus of being a mirror My friend actually has the tall floor mirror version. gets all the stuff off the top of your dresser to keep it uncluttered and is a really great way to organise and store things! My necklaces are forever getting tangled, so this is ideal.

 

[Cicero]

You say you like 1940s decoration, here is one idea of a 1940s one room apartment .... you can decorate as you like of course, this is just a suggestion. Hope this helps!

I like this style a lot.
If i only had the money!

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

What a great choice HadleyH Iadore the color blue. Such great ideas.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

Trying to post photos and can not seem to find the correct directions. How do I go about posting photos?

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

Here you go:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?60680-How-to-post-photos-here&p=1361091#post1361091

I host my images at Photobucket, which is very easy to use. Can't speak for any other service.

BTW Hadley, I ADORE that blue room. It wouldn't be easy, but that look could be done on something resembling a normal budget. But you have to be able to handle basic sewing and upholstery skills. Some of that furniture looks like it just has the fabric glued or tacked on.

 

[HadleyH]

I like this style a lot.
If i only had the money!

Yes, that is a nice 1940s style! The only expense would be a few nice lamps and chairs and nice fabric for upholstery ... the rest of the touches can be more affordable!

BTW Hadley, I ADORE that blue room. It wouldn't be easy, but that look could be done on something resembling a normal budget. But you have to be able to handle basic sewing and upholstery skills. Some of that furniture looks like it just has the fabric glued or tacked on.

Thank you! I don't know anything about sewing.... so that is out of the question [huh] but I'm sure one could replicate something similar within one's budget!

What a great choice HadleyH Iadore the color blue. Such great ideas.

MissNathalieVintage it's my pleasure! I thought that for a studio apartment, which is only tiny, one room and a little kitchen in a corner and bathroom, that looked very nice for such a small space. I like that basic idea of distribution of furniture .... In my opinion it's practical, it gives warmth and comfort and a touch of elegance as well!

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

Wonderful! I'd forgotten I had a photobucket account. Here is the floor plan of my studio apartment.
http://m253.photobucket.com/albums/...s/?action=view&current=IMG-20111215-00173.jpg
I saw in the Vermont Country store catalogue they had padded seat cushions and matching backs that tie to the chairs.
My biggest problem is storage. I have a VHS wall coupled with LPs and a had to get white plastic book shelf. I also have a few organised piles of things here and there, too.

 

[Connery]

Wonderful! I'd forgotten I had a photobucket account. Here is the floor plan of my studio apartment.
http://m253.photobucket.com/albums/...s/?action=view&current=IMG-20111215-00173.jpg
I saw in the Vermont Country store catalogue they had padded seat cushions and matching backs that tie to the chairs.
My biggest problem is storage. I have a VHS wall coupled with LPs and a had to get white plastic book shelf. I also have a few organised piles of things here and there, too.

This may help with ideas for the kitchen. My favorite room.

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

That's an adorable kitchen, I want that mini-stove something awful!

If you're going to redo your nest, pick one spot to start on- like the kitchen. Unless you have a really big budget, trying to do everything at once is unrealistic. Pick a "theme" for one area- and then expand.

Using Hadley's REALLY gorgeous room as an example, look at what you can do without breaking the bank. Those chairs are gorgeous, but unless you can do it yourself, upholstery is a big ticket item. So... look for slipcovers in a fabric you like. I wish I could tell you that upholstery is easy to do- but it isn't. I had my grandmother to show me the basics- and when I tried to teach some friends they were overwhelmed. Go with pre-made. That carpet looks suspiciously shag. Easy to buy. The side table and the dresser. Tack or glue fabric into place. That's easy. If you want to be fancy, go to Lowe's or some other similar store, and buy a bit of molding to "frame" the area you're going to put fabric in. Tack into place.

The curtains in that room are fairly elaborate with the valences. BUT... just find a simpler molding, and have some plywood cut to fit. A couple of nails, and the molding is done. Glue some batting to the plywood, and then tack the fabric over it. The bed treatment is the same. Just hang it on the wall where your mattress will be. Your headboard doesn't have to actually be attached to the bed.

 

[sheeplady]

I think that accessories really make the room. Doilies, lamps, and vases/ knicknacks are instant touches. Also things like tableclothes, bed linens, and pictures (can you print out any family pictures in black and white and frame them?) Canister sets are also very nice in the kitchen.

When I was in college I lived in a very modern furnished studio apartment for two years. Bascially all I could do is accessories. I used pillows on my frameless bed to make it look like a daybed, a tablecloth to cover my ugly table and pillows on my very modern chairs. I had a modern (but late 30s look) desk lamp on my desk, and doilies on every surface. Also, lots of houseplants give it a vintage feel. I had a rocking chair as well. Lot's of family pictures on the tabletops and surfaces.

Remember that people back then often had family pieces, and while the wealthy could afford "all new" most people mixed and matched their furniture with older pieces. I think a true "vintage look" home for someone who was of moderate or working class income is going to be very mixed.

If you have the money, and had to go for one "piece" I'd go for a nice radio. I think nothing gives a vintage feel like a nice old radio, especially a floor model. (Some have smooth tops which are nice for modern televisions or for nicknacks/ lamps.) Most of the floor models have storage in them, which in a studio is a bonus.