Antique furniture can really give a room a unique look. But deciding which antiques to decorate a room with and how to integrate them can be a bit confusing for many homeowners.
Antique furniture, whether it’s a turn-of-the-century sofa, Victorian sideboard, or unusual lamp from the Art Deco period, can really make a room stand out. Done correctly, the addition of vintage furniture and decor can completely transform the character of a room.
There are two basic directions you can go with antiques. You can use them as accents in a room decorated with more traditional or contemporary pieces. Or you can go all out and recreate the past with a room made entirely of antiques.
If you want to go the accent route, you should start by carefully choosing the antiques for the room. Every room has a focal point, and the right antique can become the focal point of your room, allowing you to build around it for display. For example, an antique grandfather clock can serve as a focal point in any room, as can an antique cabinet of curiosities or an antique organ.
An antique can also play a supporting role. You can add a single antique piece to a room that is otherwise decorated with more modern furniture. To do this, you want to adopt a single overall theme or color scheme that visually ties the pieces together. For example, you could add an antique sofa that has a complementary or contrasting fabric color.
Establishing relationships is the key when decorating any room with antique furniture. You want vintage furniture to stand out for the right reasons, not because it looks out of place.
If you don’t have pieces that serve as focal points, you can still integrate them by making them support pieces. An antique sideboard can work well as a sofa table or as a bar in your room. Giving your old furniture a purpose can make it look more comfortable in any room.
If you want to do an entire room with antiques, that takes a little more work. The best way to unite the pieces is through color, fabric, period or style. For example, you could opt for a room that is decorated only with Queen Anne-style or Chippendale-style furniture. You can also choose a favorite fabric and reupholster furniture from different eras to give the room a unified look. The same goes for the finishes. You don’t necessarily want to add an antique cherry desk to an oak room. Staying consistent with fabrics and woods can help keep a room cohesive.
Just because you want your room filled with antiques doesn’t mean the furniture has to be old these days, either. You can buy beautiful reproductions of period pieces for less money. You can also mix new vintage pieces with real antiques to create the look you’re after without breaking the bank. You can find that defining piece that really is a valuable antique and then complement it with newer pieces that just look old.
Finally, you can make your own antiques. This is a good idea if you have an unusual piece to serve as a focal point and want some of your favorite tables or accents to match. You can make some faux antiques using finishes, paints, and distressing techniques that can be found online.
As you work with your bedroom’s vintage furniture, don’t overlook the accents that really make a room look complete. This could be old books, old china, unusual knick-knacks from another time and place, or vintage lamps. An old room can have an eclectic look, from the furniture to the window treatments. Depending on the period you’re gravitating towards, it can even be hard to overdo. Certainly, the Victorian era is proof of this.
The best strategy is to go slow when decorating with antiques. You want to shop carefully and deliberately, as antiques can be expensive. If you’re on a budget, consider reproductions. They can add beauty without breaking your budget.
