Tips for Antiqueing  

 

 

Start by choosing pieces that "play well with others." Unless you want a house full of antique pieces, purchase antique finds that have classic lines. These will mix easily with more modern pieces.  Look for pieces with distinctive details but pass on overly ornate pieces or ones that are unlikely to look good in a modern home. 

Be careful about sizes. Never assume an antique piece is a standard size. Table heights, chair widths, bed lengths are often very different than those of modern pieces.  Also, today's high ceilings and your existing oversized modern pieces may dwarf a small-scale piece.  Conversely, all furniture tends to look small when in a large open area such as a furniture showroom, antique warehouse or at an outdoor lawn show.  The only way to tell for sure how big a piece really is is to measure it. 

When shopping for antiques, take a notebook with measurements from your home.  In it record the widths and heights of spaces you need to fill.  In addition record a wish list of things you'd like to find or spaces in your home that need something.  Out on the hunt, refer to your list and your measurements to help keep you on track.  And use your notebook to record the names of dealers you make purchases from or whose merchandise intrigues you.

Bring along a digital camera.  Take pictures of rooms you hope to furnish and refer to them as you are shopping.  Try to visualize the piece in your house and have a room destination in mind for it.

Don't get caught up in a buying frenzy or a bidding war.  If you love something, buy it.  Ask yourself, "Would I like this piece as much if the price were different?" and "Would I pass on this piece in a furniture showroom?"