The Easy Way To Give Thrift Store Art A Modern, Sleek Touch

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Vintage stores and thrift shops are treasure troves of pieces from the past — from retro furniture and decor to antique tableware and kitchenware, there's always something beautiful to uncover. The key to buying vintage, however, is figuring out how to style your thrift store finds in a way that lets their personality shine while still feeling cohesive with your modern decor. This is especially true when decorating with vintage art. Old prints and paintings can certainly bring a beautiful vintage charm to your space, but they sometimes need a small update to feel intentional in a contemporary home. Luckily, there's an easy way to give them a modern update — simply swap out the original frame for something newer.

While vintage artwork often comes in gorgeous gold ornate frames, they can be quite bulky and visually heavy. And, when paired with an old print or painting, the combination can create a dated feel in your space. Instead, opt for thinner, cleaner frames, which are more in line with the minimal elements of modern decor. These types of contemporary frames not only look sleeker and lighter, but when they're paired with vintage art, they create a timeless visual contrast that blends the worlds of old and new. On the other end of the spectrum, if you really love the character of valuable vintage picture frames, you could also go the route of finding an ornate, antique-looking frame and pairing it with modern artwork, which would offer the same kind of old-meets-new contrast. 

Once you've found the perfect piece of vintage artwork, you can start searching for the perfect modern frame to pair it with. When it comes to thin contemporary frames, matte black and metallic gold are popular options — such as this Fkvat Gold Brushed Thin Metal Aluminum Photo Frame Set from Amazon. Thin wood frames are also a great option if you want a modern look that still brings warmth to the space. If your house leans more minimal, you could opt for a light oak style — like this Haus and Hues Beige Oak Wood Picture Frame. Or, if you're more drawn to the mid-century modern look, a darker walnut frame — like this Axeman Solid Walnut Frame — would be a perfect fit.

One of the most important steps when choosing the right frames for your art is to consider the colors in your print or painting. Typically, you want the frame's tone to complement the dominant colors in your art. For example, pieces with warmer tones like reds, browns, or oranges will look beautiful in warm-colored frames such as gold, light oak, or walnut. Alternatively, artwork with cool tones, including blues, greens, and purples, tends to pair best with black or silver frames. Another detail worth thinking about is adding a mat. While vintage paintings tend to fill the entire frame, incorporating a large white mat is the final step in giving your vintage art a modern upgrade.