Maybe you gave your significant other free rein to plan Valentine's Day date night and want to return the favor somehow. Or, since Valentine's falls on a Thursday this year, you already know you'll be distracted all night thinking about what you need to accomplish at work the following day. Either way, there's a silver lining: You can go ahead and plan a romantic brunch for the following weekend, Feb. 14 or not. And since buying the ingredients is more of a day before venture, all you need to do at the moment is scout out Valentine's Day decor.
Although, depending on your style, Valentine's-themed decor can make you jump with joy... or run for the hills. You probably are well aware that incorporating bold, heart-shaped graphics can be tricky, so you may be tempted to skip it altogether — but you don't have to. To set the scene for a romantic brunch, lean into Valentine's Day's ephemera-filled, vintage-inspired side. The end result is timeless, and surprisingly modern.
Why? It's incredibly easy to style. The vintage decor bodes well with mid-century modern decor, playfully contrasts a minimalist home, and fits right into an eclectic, already-vintage bohemian style. Of course, you don't need to take a page from Rory Gilmore's playbook and pull a complete Donna Reed to woo your special someone. (Although Anthropologie does sell beautiful cooking aprons, FYI.) You only need to add a few retro touches to the decor you already own to transform it for Valentine's Day, such as Le Creuset's heart-shaped cocotte.
The cocotte is the fashionable foodie's way to tackle heart-shaped Valentine's Day decor. Inspired by '20s Le Creuset designs, the vintage cocotte features scalloped handles and the brand's renowned enameled cast iron design. Though it's a bargain marked down to $200 from $235, Le Creuset is offering an additional deal until Feb. 14: Use code LOVE on purchases of $150 to get two heart-shaped stoneware ramekins for free.
And the heart-shaped decor can stop there. For the rest of the brunch decorations, you can balance the cookware by bringing in vintage style through a retro color palette, florals, and the occasional touch of Valentine's ephemera. Keep scrolling down to explore 11 decorations that, while great on their own, will work together brilliantly to help you pull off the most romantic Valentine's Day brunch yet.
