Vintage Furniture for an Antique Office Design September 10 2021

In this home décor style guide, we will explore how to create a home office with vintage flair. You'll be able to get some interior inspiration while you learn:

How vintage furniture for home office décor can serve both form and function
Ways to incorporate vintage furniture into your office space
How the right vintage piece can transform your at-home office

For most of us, the home office is a do-it-all space that has to be able to meet a myriad of needs on any given day. Whether you use your home office for full-time work, as a study space, or as a spot where you can tackle a variety of household tasks, functionality is key.

But just like any room in your house, an office can offer both style and substance - especially when you turn to the mid-century modern era for design inspiration! In your home office, vintage furniture can be a great way to add a special touch while also putting the space to work for you. In fact, you might just be surprised at how much more effective you can be in an at-home office that uses a vintage piece for a modern purpose.

What Makes Mid-Century Modern Style and Home Office Design Such a Marvelous Match?

So, exactly what is mid-century modern design? During the mid-1940s through the late 1960s, the world of design was flourishing as Americans incorporated a new aesthetic into their homes. Mid-century modern style was born, bringing with it a series of signature characteristics that became incredibly popular:

Organic and geometric forms and shapes
Natural materials (such as leather, wood, and metal)
Creative use of new, modern materials such as steel and fiberglass
Clean lines
Understated, minimal spaces
A focus on functionality

When you think about the core elements of mid-century modern design, it makes perfect sense that it suits home office style so well. The attractive, innovative aesthetic is very carefully crafted to serve many purposes in virtually any size or type of space.

How to Use Vintage Furniture in a Home Office

Depending on your personal style, there are many different ways to work vintage furniture and décor into a space. For example, you might want a home office that feels like a total throwback to retro style, down to every last detail. Or, you might prefer something that melds mid-century modern with other, more contemporary pieces you already have.
That's the fun of decorating with vintage - since mid-century modern is so timeless, it's incredibly versatile.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to create a vintage-inspired home office using mid-century modern furniture and décor.

Vintage Desks

Finding the right desk can make or break a home office, no matter what you plan to use the space for. Of course, you want a desk that looks great, but you also need something practical.

Many mid-century modern desks are constructed from solid wood, while others use materials such as steel. This makes them especially durable, so you can invest in a vintage piece that will last a long time.

A few things to keep in mind when you're looking for a vintage desk for home office use:

How much space do you have available? For example, is your office area its own room, or are you trying to set up a workspace in the corner of a living room or bedroom? Make sure to measure the area - and keep the measurements on hand because you never know when you might hit the vintage jackpot!
Do you need storage? If so, look for vintage desks with drawers or something with small shelves that can accommodate bins or baskets for easy organization.
How many people will be using the desk at a time? If your family needs a desk that can hold up to daily homework sessions, casual crafting, and other activities, you might want to consider a medium-sized dining table as a desk. Or, if it's just you that will be working from home with a single laptop, something with a smaller footprint could serve you well.

Vintage Chairs

If you don't need a desk but still want to upgrade your home office style, a mid-century modern office chair could be the way to go. Don't assume that you have to limit yourself to a traditional desk chair; an upholstered dining chair or a similar style could work equally well at a desk.

Vintage secretary chairs are both beautiful and useful, and you can even find ones with upholstered leather seats and industrial-inspired casters. Herman Miller is an iconic name in mid-century modern design, and Herman Miller office chairs are usually impressively comfortable and stylish.

A vintage chair is also an opportunity to introduce a pop of color or some interesting texture into a space. For example, you might choose something upholstered in a vibrant yellow velvet or a chair with eye-catching brass accents.

Vintage Sofas, Armchairs, and Lounges

If your home office has enough space, a lounge chair, sofa, or even a plush club chair could be a welcome addition, offering a soft spot to relax after a busy day. Or, if you feel like taking your laptop somewhere you can put your feet up, a cozy chair is just steps away.

Bringing an additional seating option into a home office creates a second "zone," maximizing the multipurpose functionality of the room while also creating interest and dimension. And because mid-century modern sofas and chairs tend to feature clean lines, they won't make a space feel overly cluttered.

Vintage Office Storage

Last, but certainly not least, let's talk storage. If you're anything like us, you probably have a variety of odds and ends - think USB cords, a printer, and filed documents - that you need to find a place for in your home office. That's where a great vintage furniture piece can save the day, giving you enough storage without compromising style.

For example, a mid-century modern room divider is a single piece that can do many jobs: provide shelves for books and decorative accents, offer hidden storage space in a bottom cabinet, and help break up a larger space. Or, you could put a small mid-century modern dresser to work, repurposing its drawers to hold all your office supplies.

Find Vintage Furniture and Home Décor in Long Beach at Urban Americana

Now that you have plenty of interior inspiration, you're ready to dive into designing your home office. In your home office, vintage furniture can be a statement-making centerpiece or a thoughtful final touch. Ultimately, you can take a mid-century modern style and make it your own.

At Urban Americana, finding your next vintage piece feels like a treasure hunt - you never know what you might discover in our oversized warehouse, packed to the brim with vintage home décor, art, and furniture! Here, you can look forward to a fun experience that's so much more than just a shopping trip. We offer a massive selection of mid-century modern furniture in Long Beach, including a constantly rotating collection of vintage art, accents, lighting, rugs, and more. Whether you're searching for a specific style or just coming to browse, you aren't likely to leave empty-handed.

Turn your house into a stylish home that looks and feels like "you;" come to Urban Americana to discover mid-century modern office furniture, décor, and vintage touches for every space.

Featured Image: Khaled ElAdawy/Shutterstock