You don't have to inherit family heirlooms to have a home adorned in vintage and antique pieces. With a keen eye, you can live out your Jane Austen fantasies with these expert tips. Whether you are after mid-century lighting or Art Deco vanities, don’t box your style in. Be open to pieces from all eras.
Wicklow-based interior designer and stylist Carla Benedetti lifts the lid on the art of antique shopping, offering tips and tricks for eager shoppers hoping to give Lady Susan Vernon's fine palace furniture collection a run for its money.
Do your homework
Carla’s own homes have always featured a mix of antique, vintage and new. You can see her current home in Co Wicklow here.
Her first piece of advice, for those dipping their toes into the vast world of antique shopping, is to do your homework.
Newbies will understandably lean towards the advice of the antique dealer.
However, it is important to do your research before committing, she counsels, especially on big-ticket pieces, advising you to investigate the provenance and bona fides of what you’re looking at, probing further to get further information before you buy.
"Vendors are used to shoppers coming in and out, so don't be afraid to do what you have to do. Take time to think about it.
"You can always leave and come back. It's important to avoid being bamboozled.”
With this type of shopping, you have to be willing to negotiate too, to “ be a little bit bolshy," as she puts it.
For example, when buying in person, ask if they’ll take a cash sum that is less than the asking price.
On the practical side, checking measurements is vital. Ensure the piece will fit into your home and that you have a way to transport it home, to avoid heartbreak later down the line.
Photo: Tony Gavin 26/03/2014
Be mindful of what you have
It can be very easy to go full magpie mode when walking aisles thronged with glitzy goods, but it is important to be mindful of how the new pieces will fit with your existing décor.
Both from a physical viewpoint and aesthetically, Carla explains it is a common mistake to purchase a pretty piece with little regard for how it will fare with your existing interiors.
"Sometimes shoppers can go for what looks good in store as opposed to what will work, and they end up with a hodgepodge at home."
"Be cognisant of what you need as opposed to what you want when you are in the store. Think of how you will style it."
Don't be afraid to shop online.
While some shoppers tend to avoid browsing antiques online, Carla explained she has a high success rate when it comes to purchasing period pieces.
"While there are plenty of avenues in Ireland, like auction houses and various antique yards, you shouldn't be afraid to buy online. I have found beautiful pieces on sites like Etsy."
Since the Irish market is relatively small, items can be cheaper in mainland Europe, as it has a long heritage of middle-class houses showing off wealth and status through their furnishings.
"Countries like Hungary and the Netherlands are renowned for mid-century light fixtures, for example. Vendors will likely supply a wider range of high-quality products than you could find at home. Cast your net wider."
That said and done, Carla's overriding sentiment is that you throw out the rulebook. If you see a piece with a cool shape or pretty colour, why not buy it, she asks.
“Sometimes it simply comes down to what you like to look at or what will make you happy in your home."
Where to shop in Ireland
The Vintage Hub in Lusk, County Dublin, showcases Scandinavian and British mid-century from the 1950s to 1970s. Meanwhile, deVeres on Kildare Street specialises in fine art.
Michael Connell Antiques on Francis Street offers Regency, Edwardian and Victorian furniture. If it is Georgian pieces you are after, O'Sullivan Antiques is the spot for you.
If you are on the hunt for French Art Deco or Mid-Century Italian furniture, Michael Mortell's 20th Century Antiques can be found on the same street, as is Connaught Antiques, which is stocked with paintings, porcelain, and object d'art, and Yeats Country Antiques, which stocks 18th and 19th century fine quality furniture.
Killian McNulty Gallery also offers high-end mid-century designs.
In terms of auction houses, both Mullens Laurel Park and Herman & Wilkinson come highly recommended.
