Decorating with Antiques & Collectables
02/11/09 13:59 Filed in: Antiques
Getting Started
Antiques and collectables add beauty and individuality to today’s interiors. Inherited pieces can be given pride of place or seamlessly integrated into a more contemporary decor scheme. Pieces collected over time can be showcased or contribute subtly to a room’s overall feel.
In present day homes and condos, space is often at a premium. The creative challenge then, is how to keep antiques and collectables. The question becomes “to store or to display?”. One solution is to rotate collections so that some are in storage and some are enjoyed at any given time. That way, your collection is always fresh!
Types of Antiques & Collectables
First, consider the type of pieces that you have. Furniture and art are larger items and directly contribute to the decor and functionality of a home. These bigger pieces often work best as focal points or key accents in a room. Think, for example, of how lovely and unexpected a large scale print framed in antique gold and hung in an otherwise minimalist bathroom could be!
In a similar manner, a condo living room done in neutral colours with slip-covered sofa and chairs, could benefit from the warmth of wood - perhaps an antique chest of drawers. Using antique pieces can provide ingenious storage options. A piece of architectural salvage or an antique map could make an entirely unique work of art in either a traditional or a modern interior.
Leaded glass
architectural salvage extended from ceiling on
chain.
In the case of pieces on a smaller scale, they are often best displayed in multiples. For example, a collection of vintage kitchen utensils hung from a peg board or a set of blue and white china propped in a row on open shelving. Another option is to arrange them in a vignette with objects that share something in common with them. The common element could be colour, texture or even theme. The connection can be as loose as a painting in sepia tones pared with antique books whose weathered pages show the same soft colours.
Take stock of what you’ve collected. If they are potentially functional items, be open and creative about possible uses for them. If they are beautiful items, think of how best to show them and to enjoy them on a daily basis.
Types of Style
A second consideration when displaying antiques and collectables is the style of your space. A formal interior in a more traditional style can benefit from symmetrical arrangements. In this case, for example, a mantel-scape with two candelabras on either side of a turn-of-the-century clock could work comfortably. A pairing of more then one piece from the same time period works best in a formal environment. For example, a hall table, chair & mirror from the art deco period.
In a casual environment, single, unusual pieces used in unexpected ways can be lovely. For example, an old mill wheel used as a coffee table. Consider re-finishing or re-furbishing old pieces and putting them to new uses. An old washstand could house a new sink and make a character-filled addition to a bathroom
.
Art Nouveau light
in a contemporary sunroom.
At the other extreme, a maximalist casual environment chock-full and overflowing with collections can be striking. For example, a license plate collection covering an accent wall or a floor strewn with colourful rag rugs. The key here is that the object’s relate in some major way. The shapes could be similar, the colours could repeat, textures and materials could be similar (smooth or rough) or a clear theme, such as “hand-made” or “pop-art” could unite them. Even in a stripped-down condo environment, a collection displayed in mass, for example, a colourful assortment of road-signs, could be just the ticket to a unique and beautiful space.
Antiques and collectables add beauty and individuality to today’s interiors. Inherited pieces can be given pride of place or seamlessly integrated into a more contemporary decor scheme. Pieces collected over time can be showcased or contribute subtly to a room’s overall feel.
In present day homes and condos, space is often at a premium. The creative challenge then, is how to keep antiques and collectables. The question becomes “to store or to display?”. One solution is to rotate collections so that some are in storage and some are enjoyed at any given time. That way, your collection is always fresh!
Types of Antiques & Collectables
First, consider the type of pieces that you have. Furniture and art are larger items and directly contribute to the decor and functionality of a home. These bigger pieces often work best as focal points or key accents in a room. Think, for example, of how lovely and unexpected a large scale print framed in antique gold and hung in an otherwise minimalist bathroom could be!
In a similar manner, a condo living room done in neutral colours with slip-covered sofa and chairs, could benefit from the warmth of wood - perhaps an antique chest of drawers. Using antique pieces can provide ingenious storage options. A piece of architectural salvage or an antique map could make an entirely unique work of art in either a traditional or a modern interior.
Leaded glass
architectural salvage extended from ceiling on
chain.In the case of pieces on a smaller scale, they are often best displayed in multiples. For example, a collection of vintage kitchen utensils hung from a peg board or a set of blue and white china propped in a row on open shelving. Another option is to arrange them in a vignette with objects that share something in common with them. The common element could be colour, texture or even theme. The connection can be as loose as a painting in sepia tones pared with antique books whose weathered pages show the same soft colours.
Take stock of what you’ve collected. If they are potentially functional items, be open and creative about possible uses for them. If they are beautiful items, think of how best to show them and to enjoy them on a daily basis.
Types of Style
A second consideration when displaying antiques and collectables is the style of your space. A formal interior in a more traditional style can benefit from symmetrical arrangements. In this case, for example, a mantel-scape with two candelabras on either side of a turn-of-the-century clock could work comfortably. A pairing of more then one piece from the same time period works best in a formal environment. For example, a hall table, chair & mirror from the art deco period.
In a casual environment, single, unusual pieces used in unexpected ways can be lovely. For example, an old mill wheel used as a coffee table. Consider re-finishing or re-furbishing old pieces and putting them to new uses. An old washstand could house a new sink and make a character-filled addition to a bathroom
.
Art Nouveau light
in a contemporary sunroom.
At the other extreme, a maximalist casual environment chock-full and overflowing with collections can be striking. For example, a license plate collection covering an accent wall or a floor strewn with colourful rag rugs. The key here is that the object’s relate in some major way. The shapes could be similar, the colours could repeat, textures and materials could be similar (smooth or rough) or a clear theme, such as “hand-made” or “pop-art” could unite them. Even in a stripped-down condo environment, a collection displayed in mass, for example, a colourful assortment of road-signs, could be just the ticket to a unique and beautiful space.