Modern vs. Vintage Style - 5 Tips for Creating a Contemporary Look with Chalk or Milk Paint

Although natural paints like chalk and milk paint lends themselves
to creating a genuine vintage look quite easily, 
some may believe that it can only be used for this style.
Another option, however,  is to create a sleek, clean and modern look. 

Let's first take a look at 
 the distressed or aged look that appeals to those
who prefer to create a look that says, "inherited with a story..."

Making a modern statement with colour, fittings and styling

​All of these amazing pieces have a vintage authenticity
 that was either enhanced or created.

But if you're after something more 2020 than 1920,
here are a few examples of turning Queen Anne into Lady Gaga:

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Two-tone with lovely distressing detail

Beautifully aged with Dark Wax

Charcoal and white creates a contemporary look. Photo: Issuu

Creating an old world bathroom

Styling and silhouette nods to the past

Clean and crisp...even with the stepped bottom

Select a modern tap and mirror for an even more contemporary look

1.  Consider the Silhouette
Curves, appliqués, carved or raised moulding, these are the details that many upcyclers swoon over and seek out. But if you want modern, think straight legs, flat-front drawers, simple and clean lines. 

2.  Evaluate the Environs
Wall colour, flooring, other furniture and soft furnishings, the overall interior styling and decor of the room the piece will be in, will impact how the piece is interpreted. Surrounded by vintage, a modern piece, can shift eras!

3. Choosing a Colour
Oftentimes the basics including—black, grey and white—especially when combined with bright or primary colours such as orange, yellow, green or turquoise—can more easily be viewed as modern than, for example, soft ivory with pink, sage or lavender.  Keep in mind that sample jars can be a huge cost-savers!

4. Finesse the Finish
This is the time to ditch the distressing. Instead, select a fine-grade sandpaper and smooth-down before the final coat of paint. Eliminate pigment flecks that are beautifully characteristic of these natural paints. Water down your final, smooth coat or keep a container of water nearby and dip your Paint Brush as needed for a silky smooth and modern finish.  Consider Wax, Tough Coat or Hemp Oil as a finish.

5. It's in the Details
Consider the knob! Although glass and crystal are timeless,  some shapes can have a distinctively vintage feel. Find one with a modern shape or seek out bright colours, stripes, or coloured glass in a contemporary shape.

Painting to restyle and modernise a dated timber bathroom. Photo: House and Home

Perfectly distressed to appear aged. Photo: A Cupboard Less Ordinary

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Updating a Mid-Century dresser

Simple, straight lines and bright colour. Photo: Bathroom Design Ideas

Painting dated pine for an instant update

Antiqued and fabulous dresser

5 Tips for Creating a Modern Look with Chalk Paint