If the antiques association in your town has made a visit to your family home, you’ve probably got a problem with the huge amount you’re about to inherit one day.
Or perhaps your family is downsizing and that exchange has already begun.
I found myself in this very predicament. As an interior designer you can only imagine my home is fairly curated until I get a box of duck plates, a stack of Carlton-Ware and ornate hand painted vases.
So how can we work these into our home instead of taking up room in the guest wardrobe?
Start your property search
Instead of the old-fashioned way of displaying wall plates in a line, cluster them and blend a couple of sets to get a desired palette. Photo / Supplied
1. Display the antique in the best possible way
Some antiques are really beautiful, and mostly made with such high craftsmanship we just don’t see anymore.
Individually they have their own personality. Antiques don’t just come in the form of plates or vases. Some will inherit a wooden chair, a chaise to be reupholstered, buffet, clocks through to artwork.
The first thing to do is imagine you own an art gallery.
How would you best present this piece to the world? Should it be hung on an uncluttered wall, on a plinth, or proudly sitting on a shelf. I’ve learnt to look at the individual pieces and pair them with fairly contemporary surroundings.
For example, an antique silver tray could be the base for a modern ceramic sculpture or dried boho flower arrangement. A wooden chair can look very designer in the corner of a bedroom, and a piece of art (if dark in colouring and framing) should be out in a space with good natural light to bring the colouring out and not add to an already dark space with the drab tones of the piece or framing.
A wooden chair can look very designer in the corner of a bedroom. Photo / Supplied
2. Split the pieces up
Don’t be afraid to break up sets.
While some would display the whole set together because you are showcasing the entire story, to modernise the collection you could split them and give them enough clear space to command their own attention.
You could showcase the remainder in a more subtle location or pack away, selecting just your favourites to be on show.
Incorporate lighting into your locations of choice to really make them highlighted pieces primed for conversation.
Alternatively, instead of the old-fashioned way of displaying wall plates all in a line, cluster them and you could blend a couple of sets to get a desired palette.
You can modernise an old wooden cabinet by painting them black or white, and put it in the study or dining room. Photo / Supplied
3. Modernise it
Some homes may have an old wooden cabinet of intense rich wood surrounds.
You can modernise these cases by painting them black or white or get a custom-made glass unit for a specific collection and put it in the study or dining.
Others may choose a modern open wall unit or shelving system.
If you go for this option just pick a selection of pieces to strategically display. You may want to cluster a few antiques together then dotting cascading indoor plant, candles or stacked books throughout the shelves to break up the antique intensity.
You may want to cluster a few antiques together then dot with indoor plant, candles or books throughout the shelves. Photo / Supplied
If displayed carefully and in a way that you can enjoy the inherited collection, you will probably start to find guests will comment on them too.
We want your interior to look less like a museum and more like a well put-together eclectic-styled home embracing family memories with respect and sophistication.
Even the most minimalist home can make a few special spots for unique (and some times one-of-a-kind) interior objects that tell a story.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors.
