How To Design Antique Pieces In a Modern Society

Antique Designs

An example of a lounge designed with a mix of antiques and modernism

image from Shabbyfufu.com

Antique design is a concept which refers to objects or furniture made over 100 years ago, showcasing historical craftsmanship, natural materials, and elaborate ornamentation reflective of their era. By appreciating the unique styles and hard work implemented into these pieces it adds warmth into a modern interior. Some may view antiques as old fashioned compared to societies newly emerging trends, but having handcrafted authenticity in your home can benefit the legacy of most forgotten antiques. Not only that, it boosts your property value, promotes sustainability and creates numerous conversation pieces for visitors.

Understanding Composition

Before styling your room, it is crucial to have a good understanding on where things should be placed. This is needed to have balance in your designs; neither applying many different antiques which can clash together, nor pure modernism which can appear plain. A solution to this is dotting pieces of antiques around to add life and history to a new-fashioned home. Pairing the two together creates a caricature of harmony and allows both styles of design to shine. For example, if you hang a renaissance painting in a minimalist home, it anchors the room as a singular focal point and acts as a bridge between two eras.

Image from Etsy

Personal Exploration

I have visited some antique shops and discovered many remarkable furniture pieces. Especially, a French Baroque originated wardrobe with a palette of gold and black; evoking a luxurious fashion.

French Baroque - usually called French Classicism - was an expression of the power and majesty of the Kings of France. It was an period of rich, massive furniture, well suited to the palace and is now used today for large, elegantly furnished rooms. The faultless workmanship of these ornamental pieces were prominent in symmetry and balance. This can foster the tranquillity within a home by providing visual harmony, naturally making it calmer. Establishing this as the focal point supplied me with ideas on how I could develop my design for a room, based on this one wardrobe.

The French Baroque Wardrobe with a golden frame and intricate details

(image by Design@Studio17)

Planning

Inspiration from this wardrobe has drawn me to creating a model of my dream bedroom onto Room Sketcher. From the teachings of incredible interior designer Sorcha, I have learnt to heavily consider visual contrast. By matching intricate detailing with bland canvas, it will not seem overwhelming, opposed to, if for example you bombarded it with a plethora of antiques. Contrast works through juxtaposition. When you integrate dissimilar elements side by side, the human eye immediately notices this. This helps add depth and character.

Steps Of Development

• Inspiration - Try to find designs or objects that stand out to you by exploring antique shops, charity shops and fabric companies.

• Focal point - When you have found a something that interests you, expand on it and attempt to make links throughout. In this example, by making the wardrobe the focal point I was able to link other elements to its palette. ( The frame of this bed links to the palette of the wardrobe )

• Design Development & Refinement - After you've expanded on your ideas you would experiment with different layouts on a design planner. This will help with visioning your design clearer and refining any imperfections. Also, the advantages of knowing the measurements of your room results in accurate sizes in reality.

Image from Pinterest

Conclusion

In conclusion, historical antiques are timeless pieces because of their individuality and lasting-quality rather than a short-term trend follower like most mass production. Replication is rare for antiques. This promotes innovation in home designs and incorporating antique pieces in your home will make it one of a kind.