Vintage Valentine's Day art and accessories look lovely on a wall shelf,

Romantic and Fantastic- Vintage Valentine Decorations You’ll Love

Leave a Comment / Thrifted Decor / By

Happy February and welcome to my blog space. I am so happy you are here!

If you are anything like me, you may enjoy decorating for special holidays and seasonal events. Seeing as it is soon to be Valentine’s Day, I have been thinking about some of my favorite vintage Valentine decorations. True to form, these items have been thrifted and collected over time. 

Naturally, I always look forward to pulling them out of my cupboard and decorating my home spaces with these fun vintage valentine decorations.

I would be thrilled if you joined me, and my family, as we make our home a romantic, vintage getaway…and just in time for Valentine’s Day. Won’t you come along?

Bunting flags, heart garland, and candy decorate a dining tabletop.

~My Vintage Valentine Decorations- the Plan B~

Life is often unpredictable. As the saying goes- life happens. Originally, I planned to share my great grandmother’s angel food cake recipe with you all. However, this week proved extra eventful. While I did indeed make this special angel food cake, I wanted to tweak a few things. Time did not allow for these tweaks.

However, we did enjoy sharing a slice of this special Valentine’s cake. Perhaps, when time allows, I will make those recipe tweaks and type my recipe to share with you.

As a plan B, I am sharing a blog post that I planned to share next week in its place. 

Flexibility is key when you are a mom. We moms have to think on our feet and pivot when plans require. This quick thinking keeps life interesting and is a good reminder of what is my most important responsibility-my precious children. What wonderful gifts from above they are.

An angel food cake fresh out of the oven and cooling on a table.
Homemade angel food cake on a vintage plate.
*Homemade angel food cake complete with icing and Valentine's candy. While delicious, a few improvements will be made before fully sharing. Baking is about experimenting and trying new ways.

~How to Thrift for Treasures~

It is safe to say that I never turn down the chance for a good rummage in a thrift store. If you have read any of my past post, you know this is true. Throughout the year, I always have my eyes peeled for special treasures that I can use to decorate my home. In my opinion, this collection of vintage items creates a warm feeling in a home space. 

English cottages know and appreciate the value of layering items with a story. It is what creates a lived in space and allows a warmth that is one of a kind. 

Vintage Valentine decorations are always on my radar- not just in February. Heart shaped items and romantic details always capture my attention.

~Thrifted, Vintage Valentine Decorations~

As per usual, I will first place my vintage valentine decorations on my dining table to see exactly what I have. Basically, this is my mood board. 

After I see my collection laid out, I am ready to gather, admire, tweak, and decorate. 

*To see me placing my thrifted items on the table to organize in another post for Easter, click here.

Vintage and thrifted Valentines Day decorations are laid out on a kitchen table.

~How to Create Categories When Organizing Thrifted Items~

First things first, let me organize my treasures. I do this by creating little categories or areas of similarity. For example, by placing all my vases, and candlesticks, and hearts into sections- I can stay organized and form a plan.

Once I have everything organized, I can then grab one vase here, two candlesticks from there, one heart…you get the idea. I also like to decorate in odd numbers. Often, three is my favorite.

Decorating in odd numbers creates a sense of balance and interest. Of course I like to use pairs of things too….in particular pairs of candlesticks.

~Here, Let Me Just Show You in Photograph Form~

Thrifted vases and candlesticks.
*This section is my category of vases and candlesticks.
Thrifted Valentines Day plates and platters.
*And here we have my category of Valentine's- inspired dishes and plates.
A vintage dish with red striped painted on the bottom for a festive touch.
*Lovely painted stripes give a candy effect.
Valentines' characters and little trinkets.
*One of my favorite categories is the little characters and trinkets category.
Decorative hearts are aid out on the table.
*Here we have a bunting, garland, and hearts category,
Heart trinket boxes are placed on a dining table.
*This category features heart trinket/jewelry boxes.
*And lastly, we have the vintage art category.

~Let the Vintage Valentine Decorations Shine-How Divine! ~

Now for the fun part…the decorating and staging. Generally, I have no idea how my little decorated areas will turn out. I grab a few items and begin placing them on a hard surface.

My favorite spots to decorate are on a little tea table we brought over from England, our entryway credenza that my husband made, the powder room, and my two daughters’ room.

Thinking in threes, I like to call it. Almost as if I wave a magic wand waved three times: wave one- a candlestick. Wave two- a vase with flowers. Wave three- a cute character trinket. Bippity boppity boo, a Valentine’s decoration for you!

~How to Decorate an English Tea Table~

This table is in our dining room- which is open to our kitchen. Therefore, I like to decorate this table space with a cake stand or a tiered plate. 

(The only thing missing this time was some delightful Valentine’s Day cookies or sweet cupcakes). That would have been more work—and with the week we had…well, yeah, that was not going to happen. Nevertheless, a girl can dream of sweet icing cream.

A cake stand with ribbon threaded through the top. A flowerpot filled with pink flowers. Other thrifted items help to make a welcoming space.
*Layering flowerpots adds a touch of playful whimsey. Adding a simple pink ribbon to a cake stand adds a feminine touch. A vintage candlestick holder pairs nicely with an Aldi candlestick. Now, a lovely place to "sit and stay for a while" has been created.
An antique silver teapot is on top of a dessert stand.
*This sweet silver teapot was my grandmothers. I like to add it to a stack of books in a basket- adding that little bit of English cottage charm. The baby pink linen was my grandmothers as well... and isn't it swell?
Cute heart garland that was made in England.
*A vintage linen and a heart garland from England. Soft details add a feeling of comfort and warmth to an otherwise hard space.
Dollar General beaded hearts.
*Dollar Tree wooden, beaded, hearts add a sweet charm to the air. I used these hearts two ways: on a kitchen scale and in our home's entryway (picture to follow).
A wooden beaded heart is placed on a scale face to add a touch of Valentines Day flare.
*This old scale was purchased from a European auction. I like to seasonally decorate this piece. A strip of ribbon and a hanging heart seemed right to me.

~How to Create a Vintage Valentine Venue- a Little Girl's Dream~

Adorable, unusual items are my favorite finds.

As you may have noticed- I do love pink feminine decorations. While I am equally thankful for all of my four children, I am joyous that God saw fit to give me two girls.

You see, having two girls “tickles me pink” as I can pass my girly items down to them one day.

A vintage silver cherub that was bought at a thrift store.
*Thrifted cherub blowing a kiss-cuteness, I did not want to miss. This sweet angel baby looks adorable perched upon my daughter's dresser top.
The back of a vintage heart mirror that was made in italy.
*When thrifting, always turn the item over. In this particular case I think the back is just as beautiful as the front. The sticker gave me the clue as to where it was made. Italy, how perfectly romantic!
Vintage heart art is perfect for a girl's bedroom wall.
*All collected pieces of art. Collected at different times. The paintings are from an antique mall and the mirrors where my thrift finds.

~How to Use Vintage Valentine Decorations in a Hallway~

Indeed, it was necessary to incorporate my handmade Valentine bunting flags into my vintage valentine decoration. If you are interested in seeing how I made these bunting flags with thrifted fabric, click here:

Decorating down the hallway is fun for my children. Upon opening their eyes in the morning, and sleepily walking down the hallway, they can be greeted with a bit of seasonal fun.

A heart garland from Aldi.
*Aldi heart garlands for around $5. I will use these little guys year after year. I like to layer these wooden hearts with my handmade Valentine's bunting flags.
Handmade bunting flags and heart bunting from Aldi- add a decorative touch to a hallway.
*Decorating down the hallway is always fun for my children.
Vintage Valentine's Day art and accessories look lovely on a wall shelf,
*Vintage art collected overtime: some are family pieces and others thrifted finds. A milk glass vase and vintage candlestick holder give the space a warm feel.
Thrifted art has been collected over time and is now used to decorate a hallway shelf.
*I like to incorporate empty vintage frames... just to add a bit of interest and texture.
My handsewn Valentine's Day bunting flags paired with a heart garland bought from Aldi.
*Layering bunting and garland creates a visually appealing style.

~How to Add Vintage Charm to a Small Space~

Tiny touches and small details can have a big impact in a home. In my opinion, it is the small details that add much of the beauty and charm to an interior space.

How fun to look around someone’s home and see small treasures that tell a story… or are simply special to them. Again, I love the fact that most of my treasured trinkets have been sought after like treasure, collected over time, and live on to tell a new story.

A vintage picture of a little girl looks valentine's day inspired.
*Isn't she lovely? I had to stage her on the fireplace mantel too just to see where she best fit.

If the little girl in the photograph looks familiar to you, you may have already met her. If not, check out this vintage girl decor post to see her again.

A heart trinket box is placed upon a stack of vintage books.
*Trinket boxes can be used to decorate a stack of books. I bought this little guy at a thrift store to give to my daughters.
A vintage heart trinket dish- perfect for holding small soaps in a powder room.
*I like to keep this heart dish in the powder room as a soap holder. Unfortunately, I did not have a cute soap to take a picture of as my children often make hand soaps a bit grimy.
Fresh pink flowers are layered in different flowerpots. A vintage Valentine's Day do is sitting in front of the flowerpot.
*Our little dog we named Valentine. He gets a little pat on the head as we pass by.
A framed heart that was bought from a thrift store. The heart art is displayed in a wicker basket with books.
*A thrifted, framed fabric heart looks cute placed in a basket filled with books.
A pair of thrifted cherubs are resting on a stack of books.
*Our thrifted cherub trinket found a sweet space to rest. My grandmother's dolly adds contrast and texture to an otherwise hard space.
A basket of books and a cherub trinket decorating the top.
*English cottages often feature stacks of books. Books of all kinds can be found at the thrift store for a bargain!

~How To Use Vintage Candleholders to Decorate a Home for Valentine's Day~

Most people would agree that candlelight is romantic, welcoming, and warm. The flicker of a flame is mesmerizing and pulls you in close. What a perfect way to create interest in a home space.

By placing a candle on a table, or a countertop, it creates an invisible pull to that area. With each flick, flick, flicker of the flame… the onlooker is both mesmerized and delighted.

Even more delightful when a candlestick is purchased from a thrift store for a bargain! See more about this on my Facebook post here.

A beaded heart decoration is hanging on a wall sconce,
*I purchased a pair of these candle sconces from a thrift store. These sconces flank each side of our entryway door. By adding my Dollar General beaded heart, a sweet Valentines' moment was created... for about two dollars total.
*Thrifted candlesticks can really shine if you simply add a bit of ribbon.

~Heart-Shaped Candy Box~

Do you admire lidded candy dishes? Check out this candy dish used in a powder room to hold my homemade milk bath.

I certainly find their charm appealing. Unarguably, a heart candy dish screams vintage Valentine decoration to me.

A thrifted glass heart dish is the perfect place to display conversation hearts.
*Truly, a sweet decoration!
Valentines' decorations on a tabletop.

~How About You? ~

Having a blog allows me to share some of my creations and passions with a broader audience. However, I do love seeing what other people create while learning from their imaginations.

Do you decorate your home for Valentine’s Day? If so, do you use new items, handmade items, antique/vintage items, or thrifted items in your home spaces?

I would love to see some of your ideas and inspirations. Let me know in the comments if you have a special Valentine’s Day decoration that is meaningful to you.

~Final Thoughts-Until Next Time~

In conclusion to my vintage valentine decorations post, I hope you walk away with some new inspirations and ideas. If you are still hungry for more crafty ideas check out my last week’s blog post.

Decorating a home space looks different for everyone, which is what makes seeing other people spaces so fun. Don’t be afraid to decorate in your own way. Surrounding yourself with things that make you happy, create a warm and personal space. 

And always remember, creating a home space does not have to involve a big budget. Visit your local thrift store for some wonderful options.

I hope you will all join me next Friday as I share some more lovely, ordinary valentine decorations and treats.

Until then, visit my Facebook and Pinterest pages… and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss a post. 

Thank you for tunning in! Before you go, say hello to our English ducks Gussie and Quack. (You can read more about those cuties here🙂

~Elizabeth~

Two wooden ducks have been decorated for Valentines Day with a pink scarf and bow tie.
*Our English ducks, Gussie and Quack needed a bit of Valentines' flare too.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy