Using Vinyl Records To Give A Room That Vintage Touch
Decorating a home with vintage flair can often be a challenge as aesthetically pleasing relics can be hard to find. However, a versatile item of yesteryear has made an abundant comeback: the vinyl record. Analog lovers find themselves rejoicing as more and more original albums of decades past get re-released and modern bands release vinyl editions of their records. Even if you do not own a record player, vinyls can be an exciting addition to rooms requiring a retro touch.
There are many ways you can utilize vinyl records to evoke a vintage vibe in any given space. First, you need to determine what aspects of the record-related objects you are going to incorporate. Your design may focus on album art printed on the uniformly 12×12″ record covers, or it may revolve around a perfectly perched turntable. Alternatively, vinyl records themselves may be arranged in a pattern to create a unique centerpiece on a wall. All of these elements can be combined to assemble the perfect nook for music enthusiasts and interior design fans alike.
Not only can vinyl records, turntables, and album art serve as funky focal points, but strategically arranged record bins can serve a useful aesthetic purpose as well. Staggering records in square, open-faced shelves can offer a sleek storage solution in addition to serving as a table top for record players and other decorations. Furthermore, a shelving unit featuring square cubbies can help to visually balance wall pieces that consist of the circular shapes provided by vinyls. All of the square cubbies can be filled with records, if your collection permits, or you can alternate record storage in every other box, creating a checkerboard pattern with the albums. This frees up the unused spaces for other visual elements such as photo frames or other vintage items.
One way to create a unique and stunning focal point is to create a mandala with vinyl records. A mandala is a circular shape that allows for a variety of interpretation in its design, and does not require symmetry. Representing the universe, mandalas are a beautiful shape to feature in the home. To collect records for this particular design idea, it is recommended that you search for damaged or scratched records you will not be playing, as some may be nailed into the wall or affixed onto another surface like wood. Once the vinyl records are gathered, you can let your creativity blossom as you arrange a spiraling, circular shape on your wall following anything as simple as the shape of the sun and its rays as your guide.
To display records in a more formal way, utilize square frames. There is room for improvisation in this design as well; either display a floating record, a record protruding slightly from its sleeve, the vinyl record in front of the album art, or any combination of the above ideas. Album art can be framed on its own as well for a more sleek, preserved look. With so many options for displaying and utilizing your record collection, your chosen vintage nook will never be the same again.
Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number one choice on the web for vinyl records, turntables, and more!
Photo: Stacie DaPonte / CC 2.0
