Vintage Summer Decor with Cabin Style
looking for vintage summer decor ideas? This americana, lake cabin styled home tour will inspire you with fresh decorating, Repurposing & DIY ideas!
When you live in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, decorating around a lake theme is natural. Here in Minnesota, if you don’t live or have a cabin on a lake, there’s always one nearby to enjoy. Since I’m really missing our family cabin this year, I decided to fill our home with it’s nostalgic pieces. Hopefully this Vintage Summer Decor with Cabin Style will inspire your home or cabin’s decor, too!
Today’s home tour is part of a week-long Blogger’s Best Summer Home Tour, hosted by the wonderful Kelly from The Tattered Pew. If you’re visiting from Le Cultivator, I’m sure you loved Emily’s Patriotic Summer Home Tour! Emily is a vintage lover like me and styles her home so beautifully! Hopefully you can catch all the rest of the inspiration at the end; such a talented bunch of ladies!
First, an Introduction
If you’re new here, let me introduce myself! I’m Lora, a vintage junk-loving creator. I sold vintage for many years, the last 5 owning my own store with a friend. I love anything with “potential” that needs a little love to bring it back to decorating status;) These days instead of selling, I share my years of experience and tips here on the blog and on my social channels.
My family and I live in a 100+ year old Fake Farmhouse on a couple acres. It will never be completely done, and I am constantly switching up the decor for the seasons. Mr. Fix-it engineers all the repurposing ideas I come up with; we’re a pretty good team despite his usual doubting;)
Welcome!
Vintage Summer Decor with Cabin Style
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What is Cabin Style?
Cabin style can take many angles. I’ve decorated my living room with winter cabin style before, using cozy elements (“How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Winter Cabin Style”). I also had fun decorating a friend’s north woods cabin with vintage camp style (“Decorating a Northwoods Cabin with Vintage Camp Style“).
This year’s summer decorating is all about lake cabin style. Summer’s spent at our lake cabin was a special way to grow family memories. Generations of cousins grew up playing in and on the water and I wanted to use as many of our cabin’s vintage pieces as I could. Of course, I added plenty of my own curbside finds, too!
Lake cabin decor accessories:
- water skis
- oars
- minnow buckets
- tackle boxes
- inner tubes
- maps
- bobbers
Vintage Summer Decor Tour
So, sit back and enjoy a nostalgic lake country cabin tour…in my house! Our cabin is now a special memory that we can cherish…and decorate around. Enjoy the ideas!
Summer Mantel Decor
My summer mantel decorating started with a vintage Twin Cities map I’ve had forever. The blues and greens with red lines started my lake-y color theme. We suspended the map behind my favorite green bedspring that allows me to switch things up easily without making holes in the wall (my best design secret).
Last year’s inner tube wreaths were the perfect focal point (“DIY Lake Themed Patriotic Wreath”), along with a couple Minnesota prints I found at a local shop. Old minnow buckets got a candle inside to turn them into pretty, glowing luminaries.
An old boat I rescued from the curb makes a great statement, along with a bouquet of vintage oars from our cabin and curbside. Perfect colors to go with the map, too!
I added a few of my green and blue suitcases to my towering collection. Maybe this is turning into a hoarding addiction? But not as long as it looks cute, right? I added some seaweed to go along with the theme;)
Old Quilts, Pop Bottles, and Vintage Skis
Summertime patchwork quilts with their crazy colors and fabric combinations have always found me. They visually and literally hug you with a cozy welcome. I use them everywhere in the summer. Some that can’t be saved in full get cut up and repurposed into runners, coasters, placemats…or an extra colorful splash anywhere.
Old pop bottles and blue mason jars add a reflective element that remind me of the lake. Our cabin was on Norway Lake, so when I spied this old crate I knew it had to come home with me.
When the peonies are in bloom, they fill the house with their beauty and aroma! Old enamelware was a cabin classic, whether it had red, blue, or black edging. My mom loved it and used it for function and decor.
Decorate with Your Favorite Vintage Collections
Along with the old skis and oars from the cabin, I brought out my vintage fan collection for summer. They’re perfect displayed on top of my green lockers. For more tall furniture display ideas, read “7 Ideas for Decorating the Tops of Armoires, Bookcases (and any tall furniture).“
The sorting cubbies on the wall are styled simply with a couple of old framed prints, succulents and daisies. Battery powered votive candles are perfect to add a little glow safely.
Vintage Cabin Themed Dining Room
This is a home tour, so let’s move on to our adjoining dining room, which is small, but packs a punch.
I was so excited to fill my new-to-me hutch with cabin memories and patriotic flair. You can see how I transformed this FB marketplace find into my style in “DIY Hutch Makeover Tips (with Vintage Style)“. This hutch is the perfect combo of storage and display; just what I needed in this room.
Most of the decor in the dining room came from the outdoor picnic table I set for Memorial weekend, “Vintage Americana Patriotic Tablescape Ideas”. I love that Americana and patriotic decor can be used to decorate from Memorial Day all the way to Labor Day; hooray for the red, white and blue!
Old cabin games gather on top of the hutch. So many fun memories of late nights staying up playing games. Do you see any that you played up there?
Hosta leaves plucked from the yard make for easy, long-lasting bouquets. I tucked mason jars with water into the old food tins. My mom picked up this old blue and white bedspread from an estate sale years ago; it makes a great, no-iron tablecloth!
Spread the Patriotic Decor All Around
I have a lot of stuff, so I spread it around;) The top of our old upright piano displays vintage music things with a Patriotic flair. DIY blue jean bunting is easy to make and fun to decorate with all year long. The easy how to is on my Instagram HERE. Follow me while you’re there, too!
The cute Happy 4th printable garland can be found in my free Insider’s Resource Library. If you enjoyed your visit, become an Insider to keep the ideas flowing and get access to my printables! (see the sidebar, below, or the pop up box)
Our bay window displays a couple of cute pillows I made for our decorated porch (“A Patriotic Porch Pinterest Challenge”) and some DIY repurposed tennis rackets (“Patriotic Tennis Racket Upcycle”).
Vintage kid’s pull carts turned into charming serving trays with handles. They make fun serving trays for a summer buffet.
That’s a wrap! Don’t you love how much fun you can have with summer decor? You can bring out the nostalgic pieces you have memories attached to and enjoy them. Just having these old cabin pieces around for awhile is helping me remember old stories and experiences from my childhood. It’s been a year since my mom passed and 2 years since we had to sell the cabin; would you ever have though about decorating to help you grieve? I think it’s a great combo!
For more cabin-inspired decorating inspiration:
“Vintage Cabin Decor Ideas for Cozy Style”
“Decorating a Northwoods Cabin with Vintage Camp Style”
“How to Decorate to the Thrift the Look, Vintage Lakehouse”
“How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Winter Cabin Style”
I hope you enjoyed your time here! Visit Jen at Noting Grace next for her Summer Simplicity Home Tour; she decorates her home so beautifully and has some wonderful vintage pieces!
Thanks for reading Vintage Summer Decor with Cabin Style.
Enjoy the rest of the Blogger’s Best Summer Home Tour!
Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours
Visit each summer home tour by clicking the links below.
Monday’s Tours
The Tattered Pew / Cottage On Bunker Hill / She Gave It A Go
Cottage In The Mitten / Stonegable / My Wee Abode
Tuesday’s Tours
Thistle Key Lane / Midwest Life & Style / White Lilac Farmhouse
My Thrift Store Addiction / Willow Bloom Home Blog / Dabbling and Decorating
Wednesday’s Tours
Bricks ‘n Blooms /Amy Sadler Designs / Peacock Ridge Farm
White Arrows Home / Pasha Is Home / The Ponds Farmhouse
Thursday’s Tours
Simply2Moms / Country Peony / Southern Home and Hospitality
Shiplap and Shells / Eleanor Rose Home / Cloches and Lavender
Friday’s Tours
Le Cultivateur / Lora Bloomquist Create & Ponder / Noting Grace
My Family Thyme / Vintage and Grace Living / County Road 407
Please pin and share!
Sharing at these lovely parties:
I visited all 30 homes. YOU are #1!! I always love everything you do. I study all your pictures. Your displays are FABULOUS!
Thank you for taking the time to share your treasures with us. I love vintage stuff and yours is the best!
Hugs from Iowa!
You’re too sweet, Michelle:) I appreciate your kind words and am so glad you get inspired! Thank you so much!
You probably already know what I think 🙂 I LOVE it all!!! Come be my neighbor over here at the lake so I can enjoy your decor all the time! Every detail is so fun and perfect!
I was totally thinking of your beautiful home on the lake when I was decorating, Kristin! I just fake it at my house;)
So many pretty lakeside cabin details, Lora! Love those paddles! And the mason jars with the lake rocks look so unique! Always fun touring with you, my friend!
Thanks, Julie!
Lora – your home is just fabulous! I love all the patriotic touches you added. Great decorating ideas incorporating vintage items, like those fun paddles, into your home!
I’ve been wanting to decorate with those perfectly chippy paddles for awhile!
Wow, thanks for the many cute patriotic ideas. It reminded me of a few things I own that I need to dig out and repurpose. I am from Minnesota too and we are ex- cabin folks too as we gave up our share of a very old cabin. It is fun to use cabin-like decor. Sweet.
Glad you got some ideas! Cabin days are the best, and remembering them is sweet:)
Oh my goodness! Your home is amazing! I so enjoyed your tour. It was so much fun hopping with you this week.
I appreciate that, Renae!
Oh my goodness, so many treasures! I love when decorations spark those memories and make us feel good. Plus yours must make you feel like you’re on vacation at the lake all the time! Happy to be on the tour with you and happy summer!
Yes, reminding us of wonderful memories!
Love your home tour Lora! You have the cutest ideas ! Thanks for sharing ❤️
Thanks so much!
Lora,
This post is amazing! You captured so many great vintage summer looks. Very hard to pick a favorite. Love those vintage boat paddles. Great job! Have a good week.-Meagan, Decorative Inspirations
Little challenging to get them to stand just so, but made it work!
Lora, when I say I love it all I really mean it! What a fantastic tour, from the waterskis to the tennis racks! You are crazy talented my friend!
I so appreciate your sweet words, Michelle:) Thanks, friend!
Lora,
This is all so beautiful, friend. Thank you for sharing such lovely inspiration-pinned!
xoxo,
Brendt
I appreciate that, Brendt; thank you!
I absolutely love decorating with by gone treasures and memories; helps us grieve. I’ve been very nostalgic in my decor since my mom passed 2 years ago and I thoroughly find peace and warm fuzzies. You have the BEST STUFF!! Lake house really speaks to me. We sold our upper MI one 5 years ago in the dead of winter fully furnished w/all the treasures. 😟 I am charmed by the 2 pictures on the sorting cubby. What kind of wheels had those small fat inner tubes?
I think the inner tubes came from wheelbarrows or yard carts probably. So glad you got inspired!
Oh, love it all!! My fave is that boat you found…you always find the coolest stuff!! I was just looking at a boat w/ paper sails at the antique store yesterday but it was 30 bucks…I liked it but not $30 liked it!
That boat’s got a story: I found it on the curb and it was blue with awesome clipper ship sales. Someone had spent a lot of time on the meticulous details. I wanted to clean it up, but my son and my dad got to it:( They cut all the sails off and sanded off the blue paint. It’s not how I was picturing it, but it still works. It’s all junk anyways;) Yes…I wouldn’t have spent 30 either…you’ll come across another!
Your vintage cabin style is perfect for summer! You’ve inspired me to find some wooden skis for my home. They remind me of my childhood on the lake in Idaho. Thanks for sharing such a fun tour.
Your house is perfect for water-themed accessories all year round! Good luck treasure hunting!
Lora seriously coolest tour! You have the perfect accessories for the cabin lake lifestyle. The way you displayed things together is seriously an art. Loved looking at all the details. Happy summer!
I appreciate that; thanks! Now if I just had a lake next to my house;)
I love your summer home, Lora! Every detail is so thoughtful and beautiful! All of the vintage charm you incorporated makes me smile! Happy Summer, my friend!
Thanks so much!
So many great treasures, Lora! Thanks for sharing all your goodness with us! Happy to hop with you this week. Enjoy your cabin summer!
Thank you!
You have so many great vintage finds incorporated in your home. A great home tour!
Thanks, Tammy!
Wow Lora this is amazing! I love every detail and used summer and weaved in patriotic. Love the tennis rackets so clever.
You have so many beautiful displays. I love the hutch too so many wonderful pieces to enjoy.
Pinned!
I appreciate that, Cindy! Thanks, friend.
Lora, I love your summer home tour! Your collection of curated finds is so beautiful. I have a hard time picking a favorite, although I think the suitcases may be near the top. And I love how you styled the lockers as well. The lake theme is such a fun touch, too. Happy to be touring with you. Pinned!
Thanks, Jen! Those suitcases were a quick solution to being space challenged, but I’m loving them there, too! And those lockers provide the best storage and some good junky vibes!
I don’t know how you come up with so many cute displays, I always come away with so much inspiration. Loved this tour.
I really did take my time and have fun with this look, Marlene. I’d wanted to do it last year but just didn’t have a chance, caring for my mom.
Girl, I have to know…. How long does it take you to switch out your themes?! You don’t miss a beat or a thing with the little details. Everything looks perfect. I love the skis, the innertubes, the tennis rackets, pillows and Polly put the kettle on! I seriously want to visit one of these days but I know I’ll never want to leave so I’ll have to do it when I have at least a month to bother you. 😉 Happy Summer friend!
In constant motion over here, indeed! I just don’t want to give the dust a chance;) There’s always a pile somewhere in the house waiting to be put away:(
Hi Lora, You’ve outdone yourself, friend! I love your charming cabin mantel, minnow bucket lighting, and your cubby wall display! Is that an old printing press tray? (I admired a similar piece in a local antique store.) Pinned! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
Oh my GOODNESS, Lora!! You outdid yourself…this is INCREDIBLE!!!! Your styling is impeccable with so many different layers and textures, it’s like you are telling a story of your cabin and it’s just lovely. I spotted some of my favorite things in your home and those suitcases made me laugh out loud!!! I loved every second of this. Beautiful job!!
Lora,
OMgosh. I loved every detail. You have so many great finds and the cabin is perfect.