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Antique, industrial, vintage interiors
Posted by Gillian Jones on 27/02/2016
Spring is on the horizon. It may not seem like it what with the cold weather, but there are clues everywhere. The odd daffodil, the sun peeking through snow white clouds, snowdrops poking through the grass. It's enough to make your energy levels increase as you see the longer days and warmer weather approach.
Spring interiors
With this in mind this month's blogs will not dwell on that cliched term 'spring cleaning' but on the welcome changes we want to make come spring, such as changing our interiors. For some of you, that may not extend beyond painting and decorating, but for others you may be thinking about a new theme. If this is the case, then perhaps you're short on ideas, if you are, then hopefully you'll find our blogs this month a great help.
Antiques and industrial themes
We're really hoping to inspire you and give you something think about, something that perhaps you hadn't thought of yourself. You'll find that if you are an antiques fan, and by reading this, we can only assume you are, then you'll find there are ways to fit antiques in with more modern themes. Simply because you have antiques doesn't mean your home has to resemble a more traditional classic theme, you can mix up antiques pieces with modern ones, or as you'll see in this blog, have a mix of industrial, antique and vintage for any room in your home giving it a fresh, unique and quirky look.
Metals, distressed pieces, chains and pulleys
Yes, this week, we're looking at vintage, industrial antique, which I find rather exciting because it really brings antique pieces to life, while giving your home a whole new modern look and a new lease of life. But, what does vintage, industrial antique entail? It isn't complicated, but it does involve mixing and matching, old worn vintage pieces with antique furniture and using materials such as steel, zinc wire, glass, leather and wood to create an industrial feel.
Take a look at our site for some ideas
We're talking leather or fabric covered Queen Anne chairs with an industrial design desk lamp made out of iron or steel. Perhaps an antique chest of drawers next to an industrial seating plan. An industrial design will either have come from an old factory, pharmacy or any old office building. For the type of style I'm talking about, try typing 'industrial' into the www.antiques.co.uk website and you'll see various objects which conform to the industrial look and also qualify as antique, or vintage. For example, the large vintage industrial, brass, bronze, aluminum, steel, wooden tripod lamp.
This could fit right in with a bare brick wall as a backdrop next to a quaint old fashioned table or chair.
Inspiration is never far away
Then, we have a 1960's industrial distressed locker cabinet which wouldn't look out of place near an antique lampshade or an old chest of drawers. You get the general picture, you can mix and match things in a room from old and new, but if it's industrial, there will have to be pieces such as I've described above. Take a look at the triple tambour front haberdashery / filing cabinet and the pair of beech industrial machinist stools and you'll start to get the picture.
Take your time and make sure the walls and floors aren't too crowded
Vintage industrial antique uses strong materials with raw, aged individual pieces, giving your home a rustic elegance that can be mixed with distressed antique pieces. Think of iron, wire, steel, Edison bulbs caged or non-caged, and old industrial furniture. You can do it anyway you like, but try to keep the walls and floors less busy, the older and more distressed the better, perhaps one bare brick wall, white or off-white walls, neutral colours are good, and then just fill it with your favourite pieces. Enjoy!