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Guest post: Creating The Perfect Vintage Lounge
Ok, sounds great! But how should it be staged? What really makes a lounge work? All will be revealed, but before I give away my lounge creation secrets, let me introduce myself – I’m Kate, the owner and stylist at Pieces by Violet. We’re a vintage rentals company based in San Francisco, and lounges are totally our thing! The girls at WINK! invited me to guest blog for them today, and I’m very excited and flattered to do so! So here goes…
Apart from a stylish space to drink those fabulous cocktails, a lounge area can offer many things. For your guests it can offer a break from the dancefloor, and a social area for new friends to be made and old friends to catch-up. It can provide a natural division of the event space, and it can serve as a wonderful stage for photographs. Finally (and most importantly), it can be the perfect outlet for your creativeness to run wild – a self-contained area that is totally you!
So where should the lounge be? It depends on how you want it to be used. Closer to the bar, closer to the dancefloor, or in a secluded spot; each will draw in a different crowd. Bare in mind that most furniture pieces are likely to work both inside and outside, but they will take on different characteristics. For example, a velvet settee can appear magical and whimsy in a wild lavender field, but when placed inside a country estate, it will appear more elegant and regal.
One, two, three and four sided lounges all work great depending on your budget, the key is to make it interesting! So throw in something playful or unexpected, like a rocker. Give your lounge some structure by having a focal point, this will provide a natural conversation starter. Two options are to orient the lounge to a view, or to be open to the rest of the celebrations (you can keep four sided lounges more open by using benches or ottomans on the focal point side). When outdoor, individual items can sometimes look a little lost, so area rugs to the rescue! A rug will hold a lounge together, make it super cosy, and also play with the inside/outside vibe.
There are some pieces of furniture that just make you go WOW! This is the best criteria for selecting your lounge pieces! The furniture should complement the overall wedding theme, but vintage pieces can add that little bit of extra depth to really create something special. There are lots of styles and periods to choose from, so my advice is to keep it simple and find just one piece that you love, and then build the lounge around that. Alternatively you can rent amazing ready-to-go lounge packages that capture a certain style.
Wood, metal, glass, fabric and leather are the basic building blocks; picking up to three keeps it simple. Echoing textures through a lounge can create a sense of warmth. My favorite techniques are to use multiple wood tones, or to pair up a rug with a sofa, for example, use a cowhide rug and a leather chesterfield. When considering vintage pieces their original fabrics can be wonderfully worn, but if this isn’t your thing then consider reupholstered pieces, they have a vintage soul but with fresher look.
Whether inside or outdoors, use lighting to bring a welcoming and intimate feel to a lounge area. Simple ideas are to use a marquee light, hanging candles or string lighting above the lounge, or place lanterns on the floor, with candles scattered over a coffee table. For something more dramatic, a chandelier always looks fantastic, whether hanging from a tree or used in a more industrial setting.
If you want to choose from the widest range of furniture then stick to neutral pieces. You can then have crazy fun dressing the lounge with throw-pillows, rugs, flowers and other accessories that match your wedding color palette! If you find pieces that are already upholstered in a complementary color to your palette, then get bold with your accessories. If you fall in love with a piece that just happens to be some wild color, then soften it with accessories that are muted tones of the same color. And don’t forget, apart from being your color connection, accessories can be functional, entertaining and personal too. Whatever you decide – have fun with it, a lounge should pop!
Well that’s it for now. It’s time for me to retire to my own lounge for a well deserved cocktail. Have fun creating your perfect lounge! Thanks for reading!
Kate
Pieces by Violet
