Today, antique furniture pieces are still popular as they can serve as status symbol for some homeowners and as a great functional decorative items for others. They can be simple and practical and can be crafted and decorated.
What is so special about antique furniture?
When asked about antique furniture, you will probably describe them as aged, old, obsolete, out-of-date, and out-of-style. Well, this may be true in many aspects, however, try to visit homes and many of them will have at least a single piece of antique furniture. There are many good reasons why many homeowners prefer to have the furniture included on their home interior.
Any antique items for that matter are considered to be relics of the past and may have a story of their own. Antique furniture may have a sentimental value to the owner as it may have been passed to generations. Old furniture pieces are the inherently recycled and reused, and by picking antique furniture, you are helping in the preservation of the environment.
If the furniture piece has lasted for a long period of time, then they are generally very well made, and most probably made by hand. Depending on the type of antique furniture, they can add texture, energy and personality even to the most modern pr contemporary décor.
British antique furniture that you will love
It has been known that there is an association between British and America. British antique furniture tend to influence the designs of the American colonial furniture makers during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The British has colorful history and culture. Therefore, there is a wide variety of British antique furniture that come out of each era of the empire. British antique furniture is classified by the period by which they were made. While the pieces were made from different eras, there are some commonalities between them as well as unique differences in their features. For instance, the legs of the antiques are one way to classify them in their respective era.
Here are the different period in the history of United Kingdom and the features of their respective furniture:
1. Tudor period – known for complicated carvings along with inlays into oak wood to create a luxurious feel.
2. Jacobean period – marked for the use of walnut as well as oak woods.
3. Carolean period – the use of veneers has been popular as well as the development of inlays of small pieces of colored wood, called marquetry.
4. Queen Anne style – known for ornate upholstery of silk and needlework that offset the veneers of walnut and lacquer.
5. Early Georgian era – known for marble tabletops and gilded designs.
6. Regency period – furniture design and figurines incorporate the characters from Greek and Roman mythology.
Mixing modern and antique furniture in your room
Interior design has its own different styles and the application of these styles in the home interior greatly depends on the preference of the home owner. If you have a modern styled house, but want to keep the antique chair of your grandmother, there are different ways to mix the two so that they will look great in the home interior.
In mixing old and new, you need to consider some of these to successfully achieve a great combination of antique and modern styles. The first thing you need to consider is balance and harmony. Pick one as the dominant style and incorporate the second style with smaller furniture pieces or decorative items; Keep the combination simple to avoid confusions; Update traditional vintage piece and the modern décor; Consult a professional to successfully achieve a wonderful home interior.
Where to find rare antique furniture
From the word itself, rare antique furniture may be difficult to find these days, especially those which are considered as collectors’ items. However there are ways on how to find them. Since many of these rare antique furniture are valuable items, they are shown and sold in auctions. Auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids and selling the item to the highest bidder. Participants bid openly against one another with each subsequent bid required to be higher than the previous bid. Aside from auctions, rare antique furniture may also be found online. If you are going to check the internet, there are actually different online stores that will show you these kinds of antique furniture items. You can also order them online and be delivered right in front of your doorstep. There are also auction for rare antique furniture online wherein the process of bidding is similar with that of the conventional one.
How to do antique furniture restoration
If you are planning to visit auction, thrift or antique shops for old furniture items, better check your old tables, chests, chairs and other furniture pieces that you have and may have kept in the basement. Do not neglect these furniture pieces since you there are still ways to restore them and have use for them. Old furniture pieces can be restored easily with a little patience and a coat of oil paint of wood stain.