Vintage School Vignette

Does the ‘back-to-school’ season bring back memories for you? If you are anything like me then it DOES and so today I am sharing how I put together this years vintage school vignette in hopes that it takes you down a small bit of memory lane!

A vintage back to school vignette can add a touch of charm and nostalgia to any home. To create your own, start by collecting vintage school items and arrange them in a display that you can enjoy during the season. With a little effort, you can design a vintage back to school vignette that is both stylish and sentimental.

Decorating for ‘back to school’ is nothing new for me. I have been doing that for years and years in both my home and in my vintage booth and I love to hunt for vintage and antique school items year round! There is nothing quite like digging through an old desk or box full of old school goodies at an estate sale and finding the perfect ‘good as new’ vintage stamp pad or ruler or school book! And .. I love having the opportunity to share how I display those finds right here on the blog! (For example, you can CLICK HERE to see last years display back to school display.) Today I wanted to share the vintage school vignette that I created for the current ‘back to school’ season!

I set up this vintage back to school moment on the table top on our upstairs bonus room. That is the space that our family spends a lot of time in during the school year and where we do a lot of reading and homework. I felt that would be a perfect spot! But – you could do a little vignette like this anywhere: on a table top, a shelf, inside an open cabinet … anywhere that makes YOU happy!

To create this little back to school moment I used a variety of old school items that I have found over the years that included vintage:

• rulers
• stamps
• paint tins
• pencils
• eye glasses
• pencil sharpener
• papers
• report cards
• notepads
• flashcards
• books
• school photos
• and more

Other things you might want to consider include: typewriters, old chalk boards, crayons and chalk, stamp pads, desks, etc.

The coolest thing is that the day that I decided to share this space on Instagram (follow me on Instagram here) was the exact same day that I found these large/tall old school/classroom flags. They are the perfect size and they have the perfect amount of ‘flop.’ (You can find similar ones here.)

I decided to anchor this display with this old mini dresser and I ‘built’ the vignette around it! This old piece was the perfect height and size and color for this space. The off white color allowed me to really show odd a variety of different textures in this space. I wanted to be sure to incorporate all sorts of objects and finishes in a range of materials to add visual interest and tactile variation. This way, it keeps the space very interesting and it keeps the eye ‘moving.’

I added an old photo from the 1940s that I found at an antique mall in my display this year – but wouldn’t it be cute to add a personal touch to a vignette like this with photos of your own children or grandchildren in their school uniforms. Oh my word – I might have to try that next year!

Wrap Up

There is just something special about vintage school supplies. Maybe it’s the way they hearken back to a simpler time, or maybe it’s the fact that they’re just so darn cute. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that a vintage school vignette is sure to please. So, when you are out and about – hunting for vintage goodies, be sure to be on the lookout for these finds – from old-fashioned inkwells to old metal lunchboxes to those heavy vintage typewrites, the options are endless! And the best part is that the results are sure to be charming – and completely unique.

*Want to see an up close video of this space? Then simply click the link here and head over to my IG page and look for the highlight button entitled “back to school.”

One More Thing: I am a child of the 80s. When I think ‘back to school’ during my childhood, this is what I think of: Trapper Keepers, Cardboard Pencil Boxes, Scratch – N – Sniff stickers, Floppy Disks, Projectors, TV/VRCs on a cart, Puffy Stickers, Manual Pencil Sharpeners, Troll and Scholastic Book Club Pamphlets, and so on! What do you remember from YOUR childhood during the ‘back to school’ season?!

disclosure: affiliate links are used in this post. When you purchase an item through one of my links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting My Weathered Home.