Different Types of Furniture Styles
French provincial style furniture Modern furniture Contemporary furniture Antique furniture Whether you’re a collector, bargain hunter or mere browser, antique shopping can prove a treasure trove for quirky, unique and collectible items. Keep your eyes peeled and you could find a Georgian mahogany chest of drawers for the same price as a flat-pack equivalent from a certain Scandinavian megastore. Out with the new, in with the old, we say! Don’t know where to start? Use this 10-point guide to steer you in the right direction. 1. Trust your gut and your eye Buy what you love, not what you think will make you money. Avoid slavishly following trends and second-guessing the market, as you may have to live with the item for a long time. If you happen to be like me, drawn to fascinating yet fairly useless objects like taxidermieshares and mismatched cut-crystal glasses, then so be it. There’s a fine line between ugly and amazing. 2. Get out of town Everyone knows antique centres and vintage bazaars get better the further you get out of any major city. Victory Theatre Antique Centre in Blackheath, Antiques & Collectables on Darby in Cooks Hill and Newcastle’s Centenary Antique and Rare Find Country Antiques are just a few of our favourites, with a pick-n-mix of pieces crammed into every inch of space, much like your nana’s living room. We also have a hit list for regional Victoria. And don’t limit it to brick-and-mortar stores. If you happen to be there on a weekend, you can usually get a good deal with an amateur dealer at a car boot sale or jumble sale. 3. Be wary of certain words If something is described as Louis XV “style” or “inspired”, you’re not buying a mid-18th-century French original, but a shabby chic rococo rip-off. “Limited edition” is another phrase that has been overused to the point of meaninglessness. The piece could easily have been “limited” to a million. Be sure to clarify before laying down any cash. 4. Play the singles game Looking for chairs? Steering clear of sets can save you hundreds, even thousands. Dealers don’t know what to do with single chairs so often sell them for cheap. Over time, you can create a harmonious harlequin set, selecting items from the same time period for an eclectic yet customised look when placed around the dining table. 5. Ask key questions Beyond “Do you love it?”, ask things like: “How rare is this particular item?”, “Is it a good example of its type?”, “Is it in good condition?”, “Is it by a notable maker or designer?”, “Are there any unexplained bolts, screws, stains or signs of repair?” Get in there and really examine it from every angle. Also, asking a lot of questions can get the seller into a frame of mind that makes them want to close the deal while they’re doing a lot of explaining. 6. Barter smarter
The people who deal in antique wares are usually addicts. That is to say, they’re keen to sell what they have and make room for more antiques. Haggling is a worthy pursuit, but don’t short-circuit the negotiation by going too low. If an item’s priced at $200, for example, go in with $150 and they’ll probably counteroffer $175. A 10 per cent reduction is almost always expected. If in doubt, ask them to put the item on hold. If you’re willing to pay a few hundred (or thousand) dollars for it, chances are they’ll be willing to wait. 7. Trust your dealer A good antiques dealer will know the history behind an item, take their time to explain any imperfections and should be happy to take it back if you get it home and aren’t 100 per cent happy. Their job requires them to be a bit of a teacher, historian and storyteller. 8. Auctions for beginners If you buy antiques at auction, keep in mind that the estimate price in the catalogue does not include the buyer’s premium, which is usually in the region of 20 per cent. Also, make a plan for transportation before you decide on an object. The auction house will usually only hold it for a few days. 9. Do your homework Learn about what you’re buying. Visit collections and dealers, attend auctions, read up, talk to experts, and even go to museums to get a sense of period pieces. Know as much as you can about a particular field so you can make an informed decision as to items and price. There are also online valuation services and iPhone apps such as this one making it quicker and easier to find out how much something’s worth. 10. Enjoy them Collect what is beautiful and precious, but also useable. Quality and liveability should go hand in hand, so use every piece as it was intended. Their mere existence proves they were built to last. Vintage furniture There’s something very appealing about buying vintage fabric or a preloved piece of furniture – it’s often cheaper than buying them new, and pieces that are aged with time and marked by the hands of those who cherished them before us can give our homes added personality. However, buying vintage homewares can be daunting, especially if you’re not the type who enjoys scouring dusty op-shops in search of elusive treasure, then taking the risk that it will fit in with your decor – or even last the journey home. The good news is that the traditional approach to buying vintage furniture and accessories is changing. Gone are the poky corner shops and the ‘take it as it comes’ mentality. Many companies now showcase their wares in inspiring settings, and will also restore and modify furniture, accessories and soft furnishings to create a perfect fit for your home. To further ease the transition, many vintage pieces can be given a contemporary makeover to suit your interior style. Rescued treasures It takes a certain kind of person to get excited about doors, but Brooke Crowle and Tim McGuigan’s unbridled passion for salvaged objects, decorative doors and architectural hardware is good news for
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French provincial style furniture<br />
Modern furniture<br />
Contemporary furniture<br />
Antique furniture<br />
Whether you’re a collector, bargain hunter or mere browser, antique shopping can prove a treasure trove<br />
for quirky, unique and collectible items. Keep your eyes peeled and you could find a Georgian mahogany<br />
chest <strong>of</strong> drawers for the same price as a flat-pack equivalent from a certain Scandinavian megastore. Out<br />
with the new, in with the old, we say! Don’t know where to start? Use this 10-point guide to steer you in<br />
the right direction.<br />
1. Trust your gut and your eye<br />
Buy what you love, not what you think will make you money. Avoid slavishly following trends and<br />
second-guessing the market, as you may have to live with the item for a long time. If you happen to be<br />
like me, drawn to fascinating yet fairly useless objects like taxidermieshares and mismatched cut-crystal<br />
glasses, then so be it. There’s a fine line between ugly and amazing.<br />
2. Get out <strong>of</strong> town<br />
Everyone knows antique centres and vintage bazaars get better the further you get out <strong>of</strong> any major city.<br />
Victory Theatre Antique Centre in Blackheath, Antiques & Collectables on Darby in Cooks Hill and<br />
Newcastle’s Centenary Antique and Rare Find Country Antiques are just a few <strong>of</strong> our favourites, with a<br />
pick-n-mix <strong>of</strong> pieces crammed into every inch <strong>of</strong> space, much like your nana’s living room. We also have<br />
a hit list for regional Victoria. And don’t limit it to brick-and-mortar stores. If you happen to be there on a<br />
weekend, you can usually get a good deal with an amateur dealer at a car boot sale or jumble sale.<br />
3. Be wary <strong>of</strong> certain words<br />
If something is described as Louis XV “style” or “inspired”, you’re not buying a mid-18th-century<br />
French original, but a shabby chic rococo rip-<strong>of</strong>f. “Limited edition” is another phrase that has been<br />
overused to the point <strong>of</strong> meaninglessness. The piece could easily have been “limited” to a million. Be<br />
sure to clarify before laying down any cash.<br />
4. Play the singles game<br />
Looking for chairs? Steering clear <strong>of</strong> sets can save you hundreds, even thousands. Dealers don’t know<br />
what to do with single chairs so <strong>of</strong>ten sell them for cheap. Over time, you can create a harmonious<br />
harlequin set, selecting items from the same time period for an eclectic yet customised look when placed<br />
around the dining table.<br />
5. Ask key questions<br />
Beyond “Do you love it?”, ask things like: “How rare is this particular item?”, “Is it a good example <strong>of</strong> its<br />
type?”, “Is it in good condition?”, “Is it by a notable maker or designer?”, “Are there any unexplained<br />
bolts, screws, stains or signs <strong>of</strong> repair?” Get in there and really examine it from every angle. Also, asking<br />
a lot <strong>of</strong> questions can get the seller into a frame <strong>of</strong> mind that makes them want to close the deal while<br />
they’re doing a lot <strong>of</strong> explaining.<br />
6. Barter smarter
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