Vintage Finds Worth Framing

The best art isn’t always art. Earlier this year I shared one of my favourite decorating ideas: The Best Walls Aren’t Just Art, a guide to unexpected objects that add depth to a wall beyond paintings. Corbels, sconces, artist’s palettes, pastry moulds, print trays and other collected pieces that bring character to a room.

This feels like the next chapter. Instead of objects that hang alongside art, this edit is about vintage finds that become art the moment they’re framed. Some of my favourite walls combine paintings with unexpected pieces. Antique lace. An old sampler. A hand-painted fan. A vintage map. A collection of intaglios. They’re often the pieces that make you stop, look a little closer and think, “What is that?” followed by “I never would have thought to put it on the wall but it looks great!”

Whenever I can, I start with vintage. Not just because it’s a more sustainable way to decorate, but because vintage makes homes feel individual. Every piece has already lived a life, and every one brings a little more history, craftsmanship and something special into a room.

Of course, some of the most meaningful things you can frame aren’t vintage at all. Family photographs, handwritten letters, children’s artwork and the keepsakes that tell your own story deserve a place on the wall too. I’m putting together a separate guide dedicated entirely to those ideas. This edit, however, is all about vintage. If you don’t have family heirlooms waiting in the loft, Etsy is one of my favourite places to discover one-of-a-kind pieces that feel collected.

If you’re new here, you might also enjoy Vintage Edit Vol. 1 and Vintage Edit Vol. 2, where I share the vintage finds that have caught my eye.

So let’s get stuck in…

One of my favourite examples of this is the framed antique lace used by Salvesen Graham. It’s incredibly simple.

Antique lace brings something paintings can’t. It’s delicate, romantic and introduces a softness that balances heavier furniture and artwork beautifully. Even framed behind glass, you still get all of that wonderful texture.

If you also spotted the French oyster shell plate in the Salvesen Graham bedroom, I love these! They actually featured in my previous two vintage edits. They work wonderfully as decorative art.

Back to lace….Now this is a rabbit hole I could get very happily lost in! My three favourite finds are framed Bobbin Lace, antique lace wedding handkerchief and antique lace handkerchief with floral motifs. Also really loved French vintage hand worked table centrepiece as a larger option and these would make a sweet pair as they are different sizes so less matchy. The tiniest motifs and scraps can absolutely work too.

I’ve always thought antique fans are works of art in their own right. Whether they’re hand-painted, lace or silk, they carry so much craftsmanship, and a little drama. They also hint at travel and collecting, which is probably why they feel so at home in layered interiors. Mounted in a deep frame, they become almost sculptural.

These examples show just how versatile decorative fans can be. I love how each one has been styled differently — woven into a gallery wall, hung above a doorway or paired with wall lights. The most beautiful Antique c.1910 Lace Hand Fan sold before I could hit publish so here are some other solid contenders to help you visualise how this might work in your space: Edwardian Brussels Point de Gaze Lace Fan, Victorian Floral Painted Lace Fan and Antique Japanese Silk Hand Fan

I especially love antique samplers in children's rooms, but the more I've collected inspiration, the more convinced I've become that they belong well beyond a nursery. It's simply a case of finding the right example. They're not all alphabets or child-centric.

They have so much charm, while the stitched texture softens a wall in a way a print never could. Every sampler is completely unique, telling its own little story through names, alphabets, motifs and dates.

Finding examples in good condition at a sensible price can be surprisingly difficult, although I’ve found French examples often represent much better value.

I have a particular soft spot for schoolgirl samplers. I love their simple patterns, and I think they work beautifully mixed into a gallery wall. They're often stitched in red thread, adding a subtle pop of colour while still feeling wonderfully understated. They can also be found as sets, like the example above, which would look beautiful framed together as a standalone grouping.

I could talk about antique maps forever. They’ve always fascinated me, particularly maps of places that mean something personally. We already have an antique map of Bath that I love, but I recently discovered A Historical Map of Bath via Francesca from Otters and immediately purchased it. I love that it shows how the city evolved over time, revealing which areas are medieval, Stuart and Georgian.

That’s the joy of maps. They don’t just record a place, they tell its story. Whether it’s your hometown, somewhere you’ve lived or a favourite holiday destination, they’re one of the most personal things you can frame.

I love old city maps and have saved examples of Rome, Venice and Paris over the years. There’s something incredibly romantic about seeing a city captured hundreds of years ago.

Recently I came across this 1908 London Post Office Map, along with a 1760 map of Islington and Old Street. Old Street was where my mum lived as a little girl, and Clerkenwell Road, just around the corner, was where I had my first proper job. I might have to get this one.

I’ve also saved a few needlepoint/embroidery maps too. I love these! My favourite is Antique Georgian embroidery Map of England & Wales dated 1817, and this brilliantly executed Irish example also caught my eye, along with with old British Isles Sampler Map.

I'm also a huge fan of framing antique postcards, especially those that have been written on and sent. They're tiny snapshots of someone else's life, preserving a moment between complete strangers. I think that's incredibly special.

One of my favourite examples is an 1906 antique postcard of Bath. It's one of the most affordable ideas in this edit, but don't underestimate it. With a generous mount and a beautiful frame, even the simplest postcard can become a really striking piece of wall art.

Another thing I always save? Vintage tarot cards. The illustrations are often beautiful. Framed on their own, they're such a simple way to add a little personality and colour to a gallery wall.

If paintings are the foundation of a wall, intaglios are often the jewellery. I love them displayed as small collections, whether in one frame or grouped together. They introduce another layer of texture and depth while bringing a little neoclassical influence to a room.

I’ll include one of my favourite examples by Ben Pentreath below because I think he uses them brilliantly.

Part of the appeal is that you don't have to buy a complete collection all at once. You can build one over time, adding pieces whenever you find one you love. If you'd rather start with an existing collection, they're out there too. I came across this beautiful set of antique neoclassical plaster cameos on 1stDibs, and I think they'd look incredible framed.

This might be my favourite category. If you’ve ever fallen in love with a wallpaper but couldn’t justify papering an entire room, or admired a beautiful fabric knowing curtains or upholstery would stretch the budget, this one’s for you.

Wallpaper remnants, textile fragments, crewelwork and other decorative pieces allow you to bring exceptional craftsmanship into a room in much smaller, more accessible ways.

Sometimes all you need is a TINY fragment or one tile.

Framed well, these pieces celebrate the decorative arts of the past while feeling completely at home in contemporary interiors. They’re a wonderful way to introduce colour, pattern and texture without overwhelming a space or budget.

Some of my favourite finds on Etsy include antique metallic silver lace fragments, vintage Japanese Tsumugi silk kimono fabric, 1920s French wallpaper, textile and wallpaper archive pieces, and beautiful wallpaper remnants like Daphne & Apollo.

The same goes for antique tiles. Whether it’s a single Delft tile, an 18th-century French faience tile, a 1940s Portuguese tile or a wonderfully worn French farmhouse tile, each one feels like a tiny fragment of decorative history. Framed on its own, even a single tile can become a beautiful piece of wall art.

Scarves are simply too beautiful to spend their lives folded away in a drawer.

Whether vintage or contemporary, they’re one of my favourite ways to introduce colour, pattern and personality to a wall. Framed, they become something completely different. A geometric silk can feel almost architectural, while a painterly floral reads more like a watercolour.

Some of my recent favourites include this Silk Twill, which immediately reminded me of a mid-century abstract painting, and this wonderfully geometric Helena Rubinstein design. I also couldn’t resist the Lanvin Art Deco Cat scarf, which is playful, elegant and full of personality. For something softer, I saved this Hermine scarf and the beautiful Iris Silk Twill, both of which feel almost painterly. To show this isn’t just a vintage idea, I’ve also included a contemporary Jigsaw Mini Geo Rose scarf, alongside a Duck Egg Blue Jacqmar Floral, a graphic Checkerboard Silk Bandana and a warm-toned Provençal Paisley Bandana. You can browse the full scarf edit here.

I don’t think this idea should be reserved for luxury designer scarves. Buy the design you genuinely love, that’s far more important than the label.

The more interiors I see, the more convinced I become that the best walls don’t rely on paintings alone.

They’re layered with objects that have lived another life. Pieces collected over time. Things that weren’t originally intended to be art but somehow become exactly that once they’re given a frame.

I hope this edit encourages you to look at your walls a little differently.

Not just as somewhere to hang paintings, but as an opportunity to tell a richer story through the objects you choose to frame.

You can browse all of the edit here.

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