Vintage Equestrian Decor

Ten Minute Vintage Styling: Equestrian Foyer Refresh Using Vintage Decor

Life has been moving at full speed lately, and if you’re anything like me, you don’t always have the time (or energy) for a full room makeover. That’s why I’ve started giving myself small decorating challenges — not to compete with anyone else, but because I love seeing what I can create with what I already have. Today’s challenge? A Ten Minute Vintage Styling refresh in our foyer. It was still dressed for Easter, and I wanted to see if I could give it a fresh, vintage equestrian look in just ten minutes using only pieces from my home.

Ten Minute Vintage Styling: Equestrian Foyer Refresh

I love decorating with vintage pieces because they bring instant character and history into a space. Here lately, our home has been leaning heavily into masculine, collected, equestrian-inspired style, so this quick foyer refresh was the perfect chance to play with those elements again.

The Idea:

Refresh our foyer using vintage equestrian touches and items I already own.

What I Used:

• one metal lantern

• a brass/glass cloche filled with porcelain wheels

• dried hydrangeas

• a stack of vintage books

• a late‑1800s sardine tin designed to look like a book

• brass bells

• a velvet riding hat

• equestrian artwork

What I Did

I layered one lantern in front of the mirror to create height and reflection — an easy win since it was already in place from Easter.

Next, I added the porcelain casters I found at a barn sale last year. Their rounded shape always reminds me of the old hardware and little wheels you’d find in vintage equestrian offices, so they fit right in with the theme and add a bit of curiosity.

The dried hydrangeas in the decorative box were already there too, and I kept them because they soften all the metal and wood.

Then came the books — and one of my favorite pieces in the entire vignette: a vintage sardine tin designed to look like a book. It dates to the late 1800s and still has its original lithograph artwork. Modern decor can’t replicate the charm of old advertising graphics, and this little “book” adds so much character and a masculine, collected feel.

On the decorative wall hooks, I left the velvet riding hat and brass bells exactly where they were. They already brought in that equestrian touch I love.

Finally, I added horse artwork to echo the theme — one print inside the lantern and two more on the wall. Just that small change pulled the entire space together.

Why It Works:

Repeating the equestrian motif makes my space feel intentional.

The mix of metal, dried florals, and old books adds texture and warmth.

The mirror reflects the foyer and metal lantern and makes the entry feel welcoming.

Try It Yourself:  

Pick one theme — horses, travel, music, botanicals — and repeat it in three small ways. 

How Did I Pull This Off in 10 Minutes?

You may be wondering how I pulled this off so quickly. The secret? I’ve been collecting vintage images from the internet for years. I keep them in a digital file, and sometimes I print them and store them in a paper file for quick grabbing.

For this refresh, I already had the images printed. I simply added them to my frames. I always put the newest artwork in the front and tuck older prints behind it — no extra storage needed, and no creased prints. This gal has learned a thing or twelve since decorating our home. I like easy decorating, nothing too fussy.

Life keeps getting busier, and I’m sure you’re like me — who has time to constantly overhaul their home? That’s why I make small changes, fast. Keeping photos on hand, storing prints inside the frame, and having a few go‑to themes makes decorating simple.

The striped wrapping paper was already in place too from when I updated our dining room prints. That little trick gives inexpensive prints a more upscale look, don’t you think?

And now you can see how this ten‑minute styling trick completely changed the look of our entryway — even though I barely changed anything at all. Adding the equestrian artwork brought in that Ralph Lauren feel and ties in beautifully with what I’ve done in the dining room. I love when an update looks like a lot of work but isn’t.

A Little Note Before You Go

This little ten‑minute challenge reminded me how easy it can be to refresh a space with just a few thoughtful changes. I’ll be sharing more Ten Minute Vintage Styling ideas soon, so stay tuned if you love quick, collected, vintage‑inspired decorating as much as I do.

More Vintage Equestrian Inspiration

P.S. If you want to see the “before” version of this space, you can find my Easter foyer styling post, where many of these same pieces were used in a somewhat different way.

This equestrian foyer refresh also ties directly into the work I’ve been doing in our dining room. If you want to see how that space came together, you can follow the full series: the wrapping paper artwork DIY, the DIY clock makeover, the vintage frame repair, the budget friendly mirror makeover, and the Beagle prints frame update. Each post shows a different step in building a cohesive, collected, vintage‑inspired home.

Ciao,

Cara