Defining Your Home with Antiques in a Modern World

Upon moving in to your new home you might feel like I did when it came to décor, confused and with a little bit of a headache. My wife and I have a mix of eclectic antiques and modern furniture that actually appeared more distracting and chaotic when set up and on the walls than it did dispersed throughout the house in boxes. One day in the mess of redesign, we brought in a newly acquired 17th century dining table. In the rush of moving things around my wife left her iPhone on the table to retrieve her new equestrian-themed dishware from the car. I saw this at first as only more disorganized clutter in our home, but then it struck me; we should be embracing modern design even with our favored antiques. The sleek new cell phone didn’t look terrible in the center of the worn oak surface, in fact, it was refreshing.

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Soon we were off to decorating what would soon be our favorite home thus far. After simply setting up some guidelines, planning, and just few minor purchases from the local antique store, we realized we had designed something truly unique that felt comfortable and even transcendental to our previous interiors.

Style

For us, it was adding modern art strategically to our antique end tables, benches, and walls. Modern classic dining chairs made our rustic dining table feel original and even more functional. Of course, finding the right collections of colors to coordinate the style is important, but first, consider if you are designing with antiques to echo over your modern furniture or using the natural symmetry of modern design and accenting it with vintage art and flavor. Planning will help avoid dead ends and minor headaches.

Balance

While focusing on making a multifaceted design one should attempt tounify the space. Keep it simple and minimal. You wouldn’t want your living room looking like one style moving in and the other out. Harmony is central, and often too many ideas at once can spoil the overall impression of a room. Be deliberate and precise with your choices for art; keep the rooms function in mind.

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Hues

While it’s usually great to start out in a neutrally colored space, any will do. This is an important factor when considering what kinds of furniture or fine arts you are considering though. Light blues can create a hue that is relieving but maybe too cold, while dark reds can feel warm, but too many reds feel anxious. Because the hue will determine the overall feeling of the room, make sure to pick colors you’ll love in the long run.

Be Spontaneous

Remember there aren’t really any rules, so keep it exciting and the results will pay off. Try mixing Spanish art with English furniture, or French furniture with an English sculpture. If you have furniture you’re considering getting rid of, try reusing by repainting, reupholstering, or even different placement in your newly defined spaces to keep things stirring.

Nicholas Haywood is an eco-friendly home improvement specialist and DIY enthusiast with an eye for interior design. He is slightly prone to OCD behavior as he often gets lost in thought over ways to maximize efficiency in living spaces both at home and the workplace. When his ideas come together, he writes for Vista, provider of premium window film for homes and commercial buildings.