Shopping for antiques or receiving them as hand-me-downs are a sure way to add warmth and personality to a room. But integrating them with modern pieces so a home doesn’t resemble a stuffy museum is also essential. Here’s how to organically merge the old with the new.
1. Utilize a vintage dresser outside of the bedroom. Inside, it can look like your grandma’s room. Outside in the living room, it becomes a chic TV console or a statement piece to prop art on top of.
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2. Paint your antique furniture the same color as the wall that it’s placed on, which will help it blend in more organically with your space.
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3. An antique rug looks fantastic in a room as a centerpiece, making the rest of the pieces sparse and modern, which creates a lovely juxtaposition and avoids clutter.
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4. Pair a modern desk chair with a traditional, antique desk for an automatic boss office that belongs in a magazine.
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5. Same goes for pairing an antique table with contemporary dining chairs. This works especially well with large, wood tables of the antique variety.
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6. Thank carefully a bit contrast when pairing antique and modern – blend hard with soft, round, with square, and leggy with block-like for a dynamic, memorable aesthetic.
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7. Use a wardrobe or 19th century secretary in unexpected rooms, instead of the office, try it out in your bathroom. This offers extra storage and an innovative look.
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8. Opt for antiques that have a continuously timeless look, such as old photos hung on a wall or the shelf. The same goes for fine China, or Victorian teacups and silverware presented in an updated manner.
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9. When considering other new furniture to pair with the old, go with rich materials with a simple aesthetic which blend well with an antique style. Play around with satinwood and other textured woods, which often show up in antiques.
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10. If your antiques are smaller centerpieces instead of bulky furniture, they look gorgeous placed artfully on a fireplace mantle within a unique room.
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11. Lighting creates ambiance, so juxtapose antiques with a modern lighting fixture, or vice versa – add an antique chandelier or other lighting fixture in an otherwise modern room.
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12. If you’re on the hunt for a good antique chair keep in mind that a comfy one works beautifully for a reading nook when paired with a minimal, modern side table or bookcase.
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