9 Vintage Valentine Decorating Ideas

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about modern decorations like glittery hearts and Hallmark cards.

Instead, why not look to the past for inspiration?

Whether you decide to go full-on vintage or just add a nostalgic twist, here are 9 vintage Valentine decorating ideas that are sure to bring some timeless beauty to your home this February.

1. Valentine Holders from Old Door Knobs

Is it weird that I have a love affair with antique door knobs? Anyone else?

Oh good. I’m glad I’m not alone.

The white porcelain and the cut glass ones are my favorites.

Luckily, I have a son-in-law who often comes across them in the old houses he remodels.

Sometimes I get a text from him that says, “Do you want this?”

Of course I do, young man.

I’ve acquired quite a nice little door knob collection thanks to him. ❤️

A little flexible wire that I shaped into hearts created a lovely way to feature the knobs and my mom’s vintage valentines from the 1950s, without harming either one.

2. Vase from an Antique Oil Lamp

This oil lamp base is another “junk” find from my son-in-law.

It was covered in 100 years of dust and missing the top, but once I cleaned it up it made the cutest little vintage vase with some spring tulips tucked inside, don’t you think?

Right now, I’m using these gorgeous faux tulips, but once real tulips are in season, this will easily hold a little water instead of lamp oil, making it the perfect vase for a few fresh flower stems.

Plus, doesn’t it look extra cute displayed with my door knob Valentine holders on this vintage silver tray? The mirror reflection plays so well with the glass, and shows off the handwriting on the back of the Valentines, too. Bonus.

3. Framed Vintage Valentines

I have an entire envelope filled with a few dozen of my mom’s childhood Valentines. Most are dated from the early 1950s.

I didn’t want to damage them but I want to enjoy them, rather than pack them away in a box.

Pressing them, collage-style, behind the glass is a great way to show them off without harming them.

You can see the full post HERE.

4. Heart from Vintage Buttons

This Vintage Button Heart Craft on Reclaimed Wood gives me all the feels. ❤️

It’s created from vintage buttons I brought home from my mom’s sewing room and a piece of reclaimed wood from my dad’s garage.

My mom always signed all her cards and letters with XOXO, so I used my wood-burning tool to add that to the bottom for a finishing touch.

This craft couldn’t be more simple to make, but it reminds me of people I love…. and that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about, right? 💕

You can see the step-by-step tutorial to make your own HERE.

5. Decorating with Pink Depression Glass

A couple of years ago, I inherited this beautiful antique corner cabinet from my parents’ house.

It was in some pretty sad shape, but a little makeover was all it needed to find a new life in the corner of my kitchen.

I love to use it for seasonal decorating and displaying my favorite vintage items on a rotating basis.

It looks especially pretty all decked out in pink depression glass, and white milk glass for Valentine’s Day.

Most of these dishes were given to me by my mother and mother-in-law. You can read more about it HERE.

6. Vintage Valentine Cloches

This little glass cloche works perfectly to create a mini vignette of vintage items.

I gathered up a few of my smallest vintage treasures and tucked them under the glass dome to make these sweet vintage displays.

If you like glass cloches, you’ll want to check out this post to see dozens of decorating ideas.

7. Tiered Tray with Vintage Collectibles

I love my distressed tiered tray and still use it often because it’s another way to display collections of smaller vintage items.

It’s hard to display smaller items without them looking cluttered or too “knick-knacky”. Do you know what I mean?

But grouping them together in a cloche, on a tray, or in this case a tiered tray, pulls them together for a cohesive display.

On this tray, I have a beloved Willow Tree Angel, a chippy piece of vintage corner molding, and some vintage books, among other things.

–>Tip: My kids have gifted me all of my Willow Tree Angels over the years, but I often see them at flea markets and antique stores now for $10 or less. Keep your eyes open and I bet you’ll find some, too.

The old door knobs would have looked good in this display, too!

8. Decorating with Old Books

Vintage and antique books are some of my favorite things to decorate with.

I have a collection of several that belonged to two of my great-grandmothers, so those are especially fun to use.

Sometimes, I display the books just as they are, and let their natural colors and imperfections show.

But sometimes, I cover them in brown butcher paper so I can write on the spines– in this case, for Valentine’s Day, I decorated them with the names of our four children, and the books weren’t harmed in any way.

9. Vintage Glass Candy Dish Display

I have several, and I do mean several, cut glass and crystal candy dishes and bowls that were my mom’s, my mother-in-law’s, my grandmothers’, and my great-grandmothers’.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to display them with some seasonal candy.

They look especially pretty clustered together on a silver tray in my entryway, where the light makes the crystal sparkle.

Using your favorite vintage and antique pieces as part of your seasonal decorating is a great way to enjoy them, rather than having them stuck in a box someplace, don’t you think?

Wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day,

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