A Slice of Vintage Americana Patriotic Decor
Decorating for the 4th of July is fun when you use vintage and repurposed finds in patriotic colors!
The 4th of July is right around the corner; time to pull out some red, white and blue, patriotic decor! But don’t think you need to go buy a bunch of box store items. Decorating for Independence Day can be even more fun when you incorporate repurposed vintage junk finds! With a little creativity (& maybe some vintage shopping;) you can pull together a vignette like my A Slice of Vintage Americana Patriotic Decor!
Today’s post is part of our monthly Pinterest Challenge, hosted by my friend Cindy of County Road 407. If you’re stopping over from Art and Sand, I’m sure you loved Carol’s artistic decor! I’ll have all the rest of the inspiration and decor ideas down below!
This month the inspiration picture we’re all designing from is a 4th of July living room by LizMarieblog. Liz Marie’s blog is one of my faves because she has a hoard of vintage finds like I do, and loves to decorate her home with them! (Her brand new book is on my reading list: get it HERE)
Our challenge was supposed to center around her patriotic summer tray, but of course, the whole beautiful scene was begging to be imitated!
Let’s Start the Pinterest Challenge by Examining the Design Elements
Here’s what popped out to me when examining this Patriotic Americana Vintage Scene:
Did you notice these design elements, too? I decided to recreate my version of this scene in the little sitting spot at the end of our kitchen. My vignette focused more on rectangular shapes, but I still had fun with the vintage kid’s toy idea, along with a great set of wheels! Luckily I had some fun vintage finds to start and only purchased a couple new items to pull it all together.
A Slice of Vintage Americana Patriotic Decor
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To Start, Find a Vintage Americana Toy
Summertime is the time for fun decorating, and a great excuse to appreciate old toys! Instead of using a store-bought tray, this scene started with a couple vintage pull toys I’ve had for awhile. The toys had long ago lost their pulls and needed a little scrubbing and sanding. To repurpose them into patriotic summertime trays, I simply added a couple old galvanized handles I’d pulled off curbside old screens (yes, you should always have a screwdriver in your car;)
A Vintage Window is the Perfect Backdrop for Patriotic Decor
To set the scene, I propped up my big old window I’d turned into a chalkboard. I’ve used it in the living room and on the porch; it’s a great backdrop for so many looks. Unfortunately all my cool vintage flags are packed away, so I picked up a package of vintage-looking patriotic bunting to stand in. You get the same look, but a little more interesting, I think!
We’ve enjoyed the old quilt pillows I made for last year’s challenge, “A Patriotic Porch Pinterest Challenge”, and added a fun feedsack pillow I purchased from a local vintage shop. A friend gifted me with the adorable red and white vintage blanket when she was cleaning out; it’s not perfect, but I love it’s graphic punch!
Our rolled arm loveseat fits the scene perfectly with it’s aqua and gray stripes. It’s feedsack slip-covered seats have been the perfect solution to our casual farmhouse lifestyle {“How to Add Vintage Feedsacks to New Furniture Seats”}. The old enamelware-topped table cut down to coffee table height adds to the vintage Americana charm. And the classic seagrass rug was dragged in from the living room (I think it’s going to stay:).
Add More Vintage Accessories (and some new) to Your Patriotic Centerpiece Tray
To add more vintage Americana to the Patriotic old toy trays, I pulled out an adorable strawberry juice set and pitcher that was my mother-in-laws. Strawberries are perfectly in season for the 4th of July decor! An old red with blue confections tin holds 3 flowers made from vintage grainsacks. I will be pulling one apart, so I can learn how to make them!
Like our inspiration pic, a small galvanized bucket holds some freshly picked greens. I added the blue and white ticking runner for more stripes and also the red, white and blue candle. Flickering light always adds a touch of special to the scene.
These vintage toy pull trays were so fun to decorate with! And they’re so much happier now that they’re out of the storage black hole;)
Add a Ruler Star to the Striped 4th of July Decor
The inspiration pic has a striped pouf at the base for interest. Instead of having the to-die-for amazing wooden cubby piece of furniture Liz has (#goals), I popped my favorite divided wood drawer at the base of the scene to replicate the wooden squares. With a couple simple bends an old carpenter ruler became a star. A package of red and white bobbers add to the color scheme. The vintage gasoline can had the perfect patriotic colors on it’s label and sits atop a little footstool {“Easy Stapled DIY Feedsack Mini Stool”}. The antique rag rug belonged to my Great Grandma and adds another sentimental touch to the vintage Americana vibe.
Shop my favorite patriotic picks on Amazon HERE.
Are you getting inspired to decorate for the 4th of July? I hope so! I’m sure my friends down below will have many more amazing ideas for you, also. If you’re going in hop order, check out Blue Sky at Home next; Carol has some great outdoor 4th of July decor ideas.
Thanks for visiting! Hopefully my A Slice of Vintage Americana Patriotic Decor inspired you to decorate…and maybe even pull out some sentimental vintage pieces!
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Please Pin, Share, and Enjoy the Rest of the Inspiration!
Summer Patriotic Style Pinterest Challenge
Sharing at these lovely parties:
You nailed it, Lora! Love your vintage Americana style! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm–pinned!
Thanks for pinning, Cecilia!
Love seeing all of your vintage treasures. You have such a nice varitey that fimding RW&B ones probably isn’t too hard! I have made several garlands but none for home; been working on some flower arrangement/wreathes using supplies my daughter was given. Sedentary has been good with my second bout of diverticulitis!
Bummer to be under-the-weather, Kathy, but a good chance to get filled up on inspiration and do some creativity with your hands! Feel better!
I love your inspiration, you certainly know what to use and how, this is so cute and ready for the holidays. Thanks for inspiring me to get busy.
Thanks, Marlene!
I love your strawberry juice set and pitcher. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Rebecca!
Love all the vintage treasures! Everything looks so wonderful! Glad to be hopping with you!
Your vintage elements in your patriotic room decor are so pretty, Lora. I especially love the bunting you used in the background… I didn’t even THINK about doing that! Next time! Are those made of wood or fabric? They look like wood. Pinned! Lovely hopping with you!
They are actually burlap, Julie. Picked them up at Hobby Lobby because they looked kind of vintage to me. Thanks for pinning!
I love all the little details you incorporated into your design.
Thank you, Carol! I do love all those little details:)
Hi Lora!
I just wanted to say that I love your vintage style, in general. It is so inspiring and cozy! Your vintage patriotic decorating is absolutely adorable, every detail adds to the effect.
Aw, thanks, Laura:) You’re so sweet; I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Love love how your whole patriotic vignette turned out, Lora!!! The carpenter’s ruler star is perfect with all of the vintage decor and I love how you’ve added handles to these old wagons… Everything is lovely! <3 I'd like to learn how to make those adorable flowers, too. Hope you will post!
Eye candy for the soul (and the 4th!),
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thanks, Barb! Yes, I need to take one of those flowers apart and let everyone know how to make them, because they are my favorite!
So much gorgeous vintage elements! Love the toys the most!
They’re probably as fun for me to use as the little kiddos who owned them! Thx, Pamela!
O.M.G. how cute!!! Those little pull toy wagon thingys are just adorable!!
Tania
Rescued them from the landfill, Tania! They make summer decorating fun:)
The vintage pull toy are adorable and now so useful with the handles. Lora you absolutely blow me away with your repurposing skills! Thanks for all the great ideas. I love everything about your patriotic vintage decor!
You’re so sweet, Michelle:) Thank goodness there’s always more vintage junk to be repurposed!
Carts turned into trays is genius, I love this so much. Precious.
Glad you enjoyed it, Katie! Thx:)
Hi lora, I love your vintage finds! You do such an amazing job incorporating them into your decor! Great job, laura in Colorado
Thanks, Laura!
My Vintage Lovin’ Twin (I wish) you knocked it out of the Vintage Goodie Park! I love every single thing. It’s all so well thought out. Even down to the tiny little letters! I serioiusly don’t know where you find (and store) all of your fabulous pieces but I’m jealous. I have to go pretty far to find such treasures. Thank you so much for joining in. I always look forward to your posts. Enjoy Independence Day!
Thanks, friend. And thanks for giving me an excuse to pull them all out and decorate! Always enjoy hopping with you:)
Using those old pull toys as trays was such a great idea and I love that you scavenged window pulls to add to them. I hope you figure out how to make the flowers and share a tutorial with us. Seeing all of your vintage was pure pleasure!
I’ve had these old toys in my stash for so long; feels good to finally give them their day in the sun:) And yes…those flowers need to be figured out for a tutorial!
Lora, I’m always amazed by all your vintage items and this vignette is no exception. I love using the old toy as a tray. The strawberry glasses are precious. They definitely evoke a felling of nostalgia for easier and peaceful days. I will now put a screwdriver in my car.
Yay, Carol! I seriously hope you find some more roadside treasure to get to use it!
I love the red gasoline can so much! You have created a wonderful seating area with your many vintage touches.
Cindy
Thanks, Cindy! I love how someone had to stencil “Gasoline” across the bottom:)
Oh, your sweet wagon transformations made me smile. I had the mini wagon crate as a child. It held a collection of wooden blocks I believe. Just fantastic!
Oh, yes, I can picture the wooden blocks in it, Laura! If I had some of those, I could spell out a summer word with them. But they’re actually something vintage I don’t have (can you believe it?).