This week’s new look is…ancient
In this weekly guide, Sarah Worrall, sales director at Yorkshire Antique dealer Tomlinsons, looks at antiques from a fresh viewpoint to dispel the myth that antiques are only for wealthy experts.
We’ve all been to houses that are obviously kitted out from basement to attic in furniture from a certain Swedish retailer. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the individuality most people crave seems difficult to achieve on a budget so people inevitably resort to mass produced flat-packs.
Antiques are perceived to be right at the other end of the furniture spectrum. But they are not – a typical dining table and six chairs from MFI will cost you around £800. For a similar price you can get yourself an unrestored Victorian or Edwardian single leaf dining table and six balloon back chairs at just under £1,000 that you can guarantee nobody else will have. And, set against more contemporary pieces, it can be a stunning focal point.
The current craze for antiques makes sense. Antique furniture offers you a design range that spans centuries and that will outlast any mass-produced item.
Antiques also make sound investment sense. And the great thing with investing into furniture - as opposed to stocks and shares - is that you can enjoy it, sit on it, even sleep on it, knowing that in time it will probably grow in value.
But where to start if you want to ‘get into’ antiques? It’s easy to feel intimidated when discussing antique furniture as it’s seems to be such a rarified world. The best thing to do is to not get bogged down with terminology but to simply concentrate on what you want, what kind of style you are after. Envisage what kind of piece would fit into your home then go to the experts and they will take you to the right era.
The key to furnishing your home with antiques is to experiment. Taking design to its earlier roots and paying homage to the skills and qualities of the past creates a unique style. If you do an entire room in just a certain period, it gets a little boring and too much modern can look a bit sleek and stark. If you mix periods, it gives more layers, depth, excitement. It's all about juxtaposing those pieces that cross centuries and movements to create an individual approach to living. So go on, take a trip to an antique dealer and make your first purchase!
Next month: Sarah takes a look at the different design periods in more detail and provides advice on what to look out for when buying antiques.
Tomlinsons has been established for over 25 years, and is now the leading British supplier of antique furniture to the UK and overseas trade.
The company offers antique and traditional furnishings to traders and the public.
More than 2,000 items are brought into the warehouse each month and 5,000 items are in stock at any one time.
For more information on antiques and to view the full range of furniture available at Tomlinsons visit www.antique-furniture.co.uk.
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