THE THRIFTY WAY TO FURNISH YOUR HOME
When furnishing a home from scratch, !atpack furniture is all too o"en the go-to choice. Charlo e Abrahams shows us how antiques can o"en provide a far superior, greener and even more a#ordable way to $ll our houses…
Bid farewell to the #atpack, as we reveal how furnishing your home with antiques and vintage can be both a$ordable and stylish
Last November, !ne art and antiques auctioneers Sworders sold a set of seven Regency dining chairs for £340. They were made from mahogany and boasted elegantly turned legs beneath their newly upholstered seats. Whoever bought them got a bargain. Even with the auction house premium (typically 20 to 25 per cent of the sale price), the cost compares favourably with the high street; and you can be pre"y sure that the average mass-produced, contemporary chair wouldn’t be made of a solid hardwood. ‘Antiques were o#en handmade using the best quality materials and the most exceptional workmanship,’ says antiques dealer Ed Butcher, who sells mainly mid-century pieces from his eponymous shop on London’s Lots Road. ‘This results in something truly beautiful that will stand the test of time and won’t depreciate in value the moment you get it home.’
Of course, there are many contemporary designers and manufacturers producing exquisitely made furniture from the !nest materials, but such cra#smanship o#en comes at a premium and is out of the reach of anyone furnishing their houses on a limited budget. The more a$ordable end of the new market o$ers a wealth of (mostly goodlooking) choice but, largely, it is not built to last. The UK throws away around 1.6m tonnes of furniture and bulky waste each year, according to The Great Recovery*, a project run by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts,
Manufactures and Commerce), most of which ends up in land!ll. As the damaging environmental impact of our disposable lifestyles becomes more evident, reusing what has already been made makes ever more sense.
Antique furniture has personality, too. Older furniture comes with a back story – even if you don’t know the provenance of a piece, you can imagine the previous owners and the homes it has lived in – and you are far less likely to !nd that your best friend or neighbour has bought the same piece. As antiques-loving interior designer Sophie Ashby says, ‘Antiques o"er so much style and
Older furniture comes with a back story – and you are far less likely to find that your best friend or neighbour has bought the same piece.
character compared to high street furniture, and !nding a piece that’s special and more than likely can’t be found elsewhere is deeply satisfying.’
Time to Shop
But where to start? There’s a plethora of places to !nd good quality furniture at the lower end of the budget spectrum – "ea markets and antiques fairs, auctions and shops, both physical and online, all o#er a dizzying array of antique, vintage, salvaged or otherwise pre-owned furniture, lighting and accessories.
According to James Pickup, Auctioneer and Valuer at Sworders, auction house sales are no longer the expensive, intimidating places of stereotype. ‘Our existence relies on us being accessible,’ he says. ‘While the top end of the market is very expensive, the lower end [for example, una$ributed pieces, brown furniture, anything that has been restored] has fallen by about 60 per cent in the last 20 years, so buying at auction can be extremely cost-e#ective.’ His top tip for success is to be prepared. ‘There are no refunds at auction so you need to be sure the piece is right. Get the catalogue before you go, highlight lots that are of interest and arrive early so you can look at everything thoroughly. Measure things, open drawers and cupboard doors to assess the condition, and ask questions. When it comes to bidding, make sure the auctioneer can see you and bid with con!dence up to your budget limit.’
Knowing what you’re looking for and careful inspection are the keys to successful antique furniture shopping, wherever you choose to buy. Even online dealers such as Gemma and Simon Jones of Mustard Vintage recommend hands-on scrutiny wherever possible (ask for close-up photos and detailed information about the condition if you can’t see a piece in person), while Will Thomas, Managing Director of International Antiques & Collectors Fairs, which runs large outdoor fairs such as Newark and Ardingly, urges anyone buying wooden pieces to ‘look for evidence of woodworm, check the joints and ask whether it has been restored’.
Restoration divides opinion, as serious collectors may avoid anything that isn’t in its original condition, but if you’re buying to furnish your home on a budget, a few well done repairs are nothing to worry about. Neither are
some visible signs of wear and tear, providing a piece is structurally sound. ‘The patina of use adds character,’ says Adam Hills, founder of salvage specialists Retrouvius, adding that he is drawn to ‘unloved, neglected pieces’, of the kind found languishing at the backs of salesrooms and market stalls.
Make Your Money Go Further
Opting for the scu!ed and ‘unfashionable’ may require a shi" in a#itude, but it is a sure route to a bargain, particularly when it comes to more incidental items such as side tables, occasional chairs and cabinets. It also leaves you with more to spend on investment pieces such as sofas and dining tables.
Christopher Halls, an Associate at auction house Che$ns, recommends looking for pieces ‘in the style’ of well-known design classics as a way of ge#ing the look for less. Jane Juran, organiser of the Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair in London, suggests bargain hunters seek out carved Victorian lamp bases, Georgian dining chairs, and country stools and cricket tables, which are so simple they look modern. Simon and Gemma Jones tip old school furniture. ‘It was o"en incredibly well made and has a timeless, utilitarian look that can add character and warmth to a room,’ they say.
BELOW Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair, West Sussex, is a treasure trove of thrifty finds .
Buying old rather than new inevitably leads to a more mismatched, eclectic aesthetic and, as Sophie Ashby admits, it’s not for everyone. However, if you’re looking for an interestingly layered, narrative-%lled interior on a budget, antiques are the way ahead. And you don’t have to sacri%ce modern style, as antique does not equate to old-fashioned. ‘It’s all about the mix,’ says Sophie. ‘Put something new next to something old and try placing opposite materials next to each other.’ You’ll need to experiment, but the other great thing about antiques is that they tend to hold their value, so if you make a mistake, you can simply sell the piece on. What’s not to love?
You don’t have to sacrifice contemporary style… antique doesn’t equate to oldfashioned. ‘ It’s about the mix.’