Antique furniture options and nuances to keep in mind
Recently, people are abandoning a large number of luxury goods in favor of functionality. The modern design of the premises involves a minimum of details and a maximum of functions, but not everyone likes this practical attitude to their own housing. Fans of luxurious interiors come to the rescue of antique furniture. Depending on the year of production, it can be combined with various interior styles.
Content
Features
Antique furniture is first and foremost a story. It is valuable for lovers of exquisite interiors or for people who want to keep family antiques in the form of furniture sets as a keepsake. Old furniture is usually wooden tables, cabinets, sofas and much more. Elements correspond to the Empire, Baroque and Rococo styles. The luxurious design makes these things very valuable for collectors or ordinary connoisseurs of that era.
The main difficulty lies in finding a well-preserved set of furniture. Unfortunately, in those days, woodworking products that retained their products in their original form were not yet invented. Often, valuable items are stored in inappropriate conditions, they are thrown into abandoned houses, taken to the cottage, as unnecessary, and at the same time they do not even represent what value the old thing has done. Almost always, an old kit will require restoration before installation in a new house. The main defects of furniture stored in uncomfortable conditions for it:
- Rotting - oak products are less susceptible to this than all others, but when they are in rooms with high humidity, even good-quality kits begin to rot;
- Insects - they can cause complete destruction of wood. First of all, it is necessary to get rid of these pests and only then deal with the rest of the restoration;
- Scuffs - due to constant use, any surface deteriorates, the upholstery on chairs and sofas becomes unusable, and the surfaces of cabinets and chests of drawers become uneven and lose their former appearance;
- Cracks - appear due to endless changes in humidity and temperature. Furniture stored in poor conditions will require a long restoration and repair of cracks.
Unfortunately, an accidentally found kit is not always possible to put in order, so such furniture is a real luxury item.
The furniture in the old style differs from the standard case sets in the first place by design. It is he who creates in the room a unique atmosphere of a luxurious castle or the house of noble people.
But such elements are made in the modern world, using the latest technology, while designers give them the look of old furniture.Although the chest of drawers or the sofa does not have a story yet, it has more durability due to new progressive technologies. Kits decorated with intricate carved patterns and the same interesting fittings are very popular.
Varieties
In the collections of connoisseurs, as well as in status salons, you can find antique furniture in any form.
Sets of upholstered furniture:
- Sofas with poufs for boudoirs, covered with silk or an antique tapestry;
- Chic armchairs made of genuine leather, which stood in the offices and libraries;
- Cots, small sofas with soft chairs for the dining room or living room and much more.
Cabinet furniture:
- Buffets made of solid oak, beech or other valuable types of wood;
- Dining tables with polished worktops and sliding mechanism. Often used round and oval options, rectangular were preferred for large banquet rooms;
- Wardrobes, dressers for linen, beds with carved elements are the attributes of a luxurious bedroom. In the same room they placed chests for storing the wardrobe;
- Dressing tables are another attribute of a bedroom or a boudoir;
- Bookcases from floor to ceiling, with shelves and hidden niches;
- Tables for offices - two-stand luxury items decorated with carvings, inlays and inserts made of precious wood.
Not all antique furniture should be chic. Designers also value rude products that reflect the everyday life of ordinary people of different eras. Rough benches, log tables, chests of drawers and sideboards are widely used in modern interiors.
What styles are better to use
Antique furniture is mainly used in rooms decorated in retro, baroque or rococo style. This is not a rule. At the discretion of the designer, each kit can be placed in any interior. If necessary, they decorate old furniture, giving it the right look. Familiar sets can be painted in the Scandinavian style. Such furniture in a modern interior will look very harmonious. A person who does not understand the old days is unlikely to distinguish between types of furniture, but connoisseurs will be able to easily determine whether an item belongs to one of the groups:
- Classic oak furniture - once these sets were located in the homes and residences of wealthy people, pleased non-poor owners with their beauty. Furniture is found in long-abandoned houses, in private collections, among unsightly trinkets in the markets. After reaching people who know its value, all elements require a long restoration;
- Artificially aged furniture is a more affordable option when designers age furniture using different technologies. For this, do not use old and outdated furniture. It will be much more logical to take a new and durable kit. Elements are made of aged wood, it is then used when decorating other parts of the room. Antique furniture - a spectacular option for a chic interior;
- Furniture in the old Russian style is a separate subspecies with which you can recreate the atmosphere of a fairy tale even in a city apartment. Furniture is characterized by an abundance of carved elements without varnishing and polishing;
- Furniture from old boards - materials that are not always shabby with time and poor attitude come into disrepair. In modern design, brushed wood is often used. Old boards can serve their new owners. A competent designer, modern protective materials for wood and can create an incredible interior. Old boards are very thick and durable. This allows them to maintain a presentable appearance after many years;
- For fans of airy and bright interiors, Provence-style furniture is suitable - delicate and almost weightless-looking elements made of wood painted mainly in light tones.The style corresponds to the upholstery of soft and pleasant to the touch fabrics, carved bronze chandeliers and other signs of luxury. Each set seems like a puppet, which makes the apartment fabulous and unusual. Antique furniture in the style of shabby chic will help create a beautiful Provencal interior.
Terms of Use
Photos of old furniture look tempting, but soon after the purchase the furniture may lose its seasoned appearance. Proper operation will help prevent this. Ideal conditions:
- Air temperature is 17-24 degrees Celsius;
- Humidity is about 60 percent;
- Sun rays are not allowed to hit the surface;
- There are no heating appliances in the immediate vicinity of the furniture.
Arrangement and removal of old furniture should be carried out by professionals who can protect it from damage.
In order to protect valuable specimens from termites, molds, wood-beetle bugs and other parasites, special impregnations for wood are used. They can be purchased in specialized stores, as well as on sites for goods for cabinetmakers.
The main criterion for a long service is rightfully considered the caring attitude of the owners to their property. Timely dust removal, waxing and oil formulations allow you to maintain an attractive look of antique products.
How to distinguish an original from a fake
Unscrupulous sellers are trying to sell a modern copy under the guise of an antique product. You can avoid this by remembering the signs of antique furniture:
- Unevenness. The drying out of the tree makes the dimensions of the furniture made from it slightly different from the same measurements on the opposite side;
- No matter how hard the restorers, cracks, chips and scuffs try, it will be seen with a close look. An ordinary magnifier will help you find them;
- Uneven surface color. The fault is sunlight;
- Screws with a flat head have long ceased to be used, a sign can be considered reliable;
- For antique furniture, sellers must provide supporting certificates.
Everyone wants to put elements of past eras with their own history in their home. They are selected in specialized stores or at auctions. Make sure the originality of the purchase will help a specialist in restoration. Not every interior requires the presence of original sets, sometimes you can do just high-quality copies.
Before you get rid of old furniture and take it to the country, you should be interested in the history of each element. They can be valuable. If the owners have a desire to update the interior, then decorating old furniture will be much more interesting than acquiring new ones. Ideas for changing the appearance can be found on the Internet and independently decide which ones are suitable for working with antique furniture. When planning interior design, paper construction is used. This measure will help to choose furniture arrangement options, put together a picture of a future room and evaluate the general view.
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