Whatever look you covet for your home– modern, traditional or contemporary, including antiques to the mix will add texture and balance to your rooms, as well as creating the unexpected.
Antiques add a real element of surprise and every room should have a piece that has history and tells a story from the past—whether it’s a piece of furniture you inherited from your great-grandmother or an artwork you bought at a flea market while on holiday in Rome, it becomes part of the conversation and brings the room to life.
No longer considered “dusty and fussy”, antiques are enjoying a remarkable revival among a younger clientele. Perhaps because of a backlash against our throwaway culture, or because we like objects that were made to last, antiques are now back in vogue for those who want to add originality and luxury to their homes. Modern furniture design has a certain sameness to it, so we want to counteract it by filling our homes with unique pieces that are exquisitely crafted and reflect our personalities and experiences.
Mixing modern with pieces from different centuries can be a bit daunting, but get it right and you will be rewarded with your own unique space.
Roy Williams of Roy’s Antiques in Melbourne suggests choosing antiques for the larger pieces in your room. “They provided the bone structure,” he says. “Then add a new sofa, this season’s throw rug.
It keeps all your antiques fresh and you can create a new look whenever you feel like it by simply changing the accessories. It’s actually not too dissimilar to how French women dress.
One or two very good pieces that they build up with new season’s colours and on-trend accessories. ” Roy also says you can opt for the 1/3 antique, 1/3 modern and 1/3 contemporary look. “The trick here is that all the pieces should be of the same quality. High-quality objects like to be with other high-quality pieces.”
Let’s say you have fallen madly in love with a piece in your local the antique store and are wondering how you are going to make it work in your own home. Follow these simple rules for marrying up modern with traditional to create a liveable space that brings your antiques to life.
*Use a neutral palette. Bold colours can be used sparingly.
*Choose a theme (coastal, Paris apartment, Hamptons)
*Choose similar woods
* Mix it up, so nothing really matches, but the room looks really well-pulled together.
*Tie unlikely items together (by colour, size or theme)
*Group objects by colour
*Group antiques together
You can, for instance, pair;
*Antique artwork with a modern sofa
*Antique lamps with new bedside tables
*Antique textile pillowcases with new bed linen
*Oriental rugs in an ultra-modern space
*Traditional desk with modern chair
*Modern lights in a traditional kitchen
*Vintage cabinets in a modern kitchen
Mix with confidence. If you love an object, it always has a place in your home. If you are buying antiques for the first time, consider it a bit like a treasure hunt. “Take your time, don’t rush it and do your research. But above all else, buy a piece you absolutely love,” says Roy Williams.
Antique Lovers’ Cool And Collected Treasure Troves
