modern furniture

How to mix antiques with modern furniture

Author: Sue Madison

Just because you collect antiques doesn't mean you have to live in "Grandma's house." Home decor has come a long way, and can help bridge yesterday and today, but your antiques will shine in your home if you space plan correctly.

Space planning is the art of placing items to best accentuate your room. Talented interior designers and decorators know the importance of how the eye travels and the way people interpret a room as a whole. For instance, when you walk into a room, your eyes will always travel from left to right and then ceiling to floor.

Select a single antique to adorn a hallway or entryway. If you have a Bombay chest, a writing desk or a similar piece, this can be a great place to showcase it. Use home accessories to bring this piece into the 21st century by mounting stainless steel frames with simple lines on the wall above it, or by placing a glass vase on your beloved historic piece.

Mix two gilded gold-framed antique sitting chairs into your modern living room by placing them on one side and adding items from the same era on the other side of the room. Additionally, add the gilded gold as a finish in your space. Use it on framed art or perhaps add an accent table with a gilded gold top. As your eye travels around the room, you will visually connect your antiques in your modern space, and your room will just make sense. It's all about balance.

Perhaps you have an antique settee and you don't know what to do with it. First of all, if you really want to live with your antique get it reupholstered by a professional. If your seat cushion is sectioned, have it modernized with a single cushion. Use color to bring it up-to-date as well. Use pillows in a coordinating fabric in your room to help integrate your piece. If the finish on the frame is not in great condition, and cannot be restored, consider painting it a bright modern color, like magenta.

Of course, consult with an antique dealer before you modify anything that could permanently alter your piece. The goal is for your piece to integrate into your home's decor but keep it's integrity as much as possible. Whether you keep it in your family or sell it to the highest bidder at auction, your piece is a part of history.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/antiques-articles/how-to-mix-antiques-with-modern-furniture-5088454.html
About the Author

Sue Madison is an antiques collector and antiques restorer. She now focuses on her hobby of antique mailbox collection and of vintage mailbox restoration.

Posted in: antiquas