Complementing your Antique and Antique Reproduction Furniture

Antique furniture can be a wonderful focal point in any home. Its rustic appeal, sturdy construction, and unique features make it great for bringing a natural, cozy vibe to your living room or bedroom. Antique furniture also comes with its own set of limitations. Not only do you need to find the right place for these pieces to avoid damaging them, but you also need to accent them with complementary decor that won't overshadow their beauty. Instead of clashing with your antique pieces, complementing them with decor is a great way to create a balanced visual appeal in your home. From small accents like lighting and pillows to larger pieces like plants and art, there are many ways you can give your new antiques the home they deserve.

Incorporate Art and Photography

Art and photography are always a good idea when it comes to breathing new life into antique furniture. Fortunately, there are no extremely restrictive rules when it comes to hanging art – you can go for a salon-style gallery wall or simply choose one large-scale piece to make a statement. When selecting art to compliment your furniture, it can be helpful to consider the era in which it was made. For instance, antique Victorian furniture tends to be very ornate, so hanging a more minimalist piece of art above it can create a nice contrast. On the other hand, mid-century modern furniture is often quite simplistic, so you could go for a bolder piece of art to balance things out.

Consider the Feel of the Room

Before introducing furnishings and accessories to complement the antique furniture, you should first consider the type of room you want to design. If the room is very formal, you'll want to be sure your antique furniture complements and fits that feel. But if the room is more relaxed, you can be a little more playful with your choices.

Using Understated Accessories

If the furniture is very ornate, you don't want to go overboard with your accessories. Keep them simple and understated, like a white vase or a small sculpture. Try to avoid any prints or patterns with complex designs. Stick with solids, like plain curtains and walls, as these are a great backdrop to highlight the beauty of your furniture. These don't take away from the focal point, which is the intricate antique furniture.

Experiment with Playful Accessories

You can have more fun with your accessories if the room is more relaxed. One might want to try using bold colors or patterns, or even fun sculptures or vases if they want a room with a bit more attitude. If you consider yourself a creative person, you could try making a piece of your own that matches your antique furniture, be it painting, photograph, or however you choose to express yourself. However, even with these more creative ideas, it is important to remember that they should always ultimately complement the room's aesthetic.

Incorporate Complementary and Welcoming Colors

If your antique furniture is on the darker side, using light colors in your compliments will help brighten up the space. Try using light-colored throw pillows, rugs, or even wall art. In addition, adding plants to a room can help to brighten up the space and make it look more inviting. If you have any allergies, you can use fake plants and flowers as a safer alternative. Don't be afraid to add small pops of color here and there, either. This tip comes in handy, especially if you have a lot of white pieces in your home. Small, colorful items like an area rug, artwork, or accessories can help inject some elements of surprise and intrigue.

Try Spreading Some Wallpaper

A good set of wallpaper is one of the best tools to complement your antique furniture. Some people opt to paint the walls, but in many cases, it can be less expensive and quite easy to wallpaper the walls. Make sure you get a good quality paper so that it will last longer and look more attractive. Try to find wallpaper that contrasts in color with your antique furniture to highlight your favorite pieces. With the right kind of paper, you can really make a room look amazing while achieving a great deal of satisfaction from the process.

Repurpose the Use of Your Furniture

You can create new, exciting spaces for certain decorations or everyday-use objects by repurposing certain pieces in your antique furniture collection. The possibilities of which furniture can be repurposed for what use are endless, but allow us to provide a few suggestions. An antique cabinet can be retooled to provide both storage and display options for decorative or collection items. Restyle an antique desk and turn it into a small kitchen island where you can both show off and store some of your finest dining and cookware. One of the most versatile pieces is an antique chair, which could be repurposed into a bench, shelving, or be incorporated into some sort of outside holder for flowers or garden tools. The only limit is your imagination, so don't be afraid to let it run wild!

Conclusion

While the plentiful options for combining décor with your antique furniture may seem intimidating, it's important to start your design process with an idea of what feel you want the room to have to narrow your focus. From there, you can begin to grasp the types of colors, art pieces, wall designs, or other types of décor you would want to incorporate. We hope these tips help you get the best use out of your furniture and furnishings.