Not So Shabby Chic

It's a myth that antiques are only for wealthy experts - in fact they give high street furniture stores a run for their money.

We've all been to houses that are obviously kitted out from basement to attic in furniture from a certain Swedish retailer. There's nothing wrong with that, but the individuality most people crave seems difficult to achieve on a budget so people inevitably resort to mass-produced flat-packs.

Antiques are perceived to be right at the other end of the furniture spectrum, available only to connoisseurs with lots of cash. But the assumption that antique furniture will cost you an arm and a leg is a false one. In fact, most people will be surprised to learn that you can buy genuine antique furniture for less than a new item straight off the high street.

For example, a typical dining table and six chairs from MFI will cost you around £800. Yet for a similar price you can get yourself an unrestored Victorian or Edwardian single leaf dining table and six balloon back chairs at just under £1,000 that you can guarantee nobody else will have. Set against more contemporary pieces, it can be a stunning focal point.

Antiques also make sound investment sense. The great thing with investing into furniture - as opposed to stocks and shares - is that you can enjoy it, sit on it, even sleep on it, knowing that in time it will probably grow in value.

Looking to antiques as an alternative way of furnishing your house makes sense both from a design point of view as well as financially. According to Sarah Worrall, sales director at Tomlinsons Antiques, Europe's largest antiques warehouse, the practical, hardwearing and well-constructed nature of antique furniture will most probably not only be cheaper than a modern high-street equivalent but will also easily outlast any mass-produced item.

"With antique furniture you are also getting a design range that spans centuries," Sarah says. "The huge variety of styles over the eras offers you the opportunity to create whatever look you want - be it period, country or simply a bit quirky."

Sarah recommends mixing periods to get more layers and depth. "Doing an entire room in just a certain period looks great but it's also worth considering juxtaposing pieces that cross centuries and movements. Mixing and matching can also create a fabulous and individual look."

The key to furnishing your home with antiques is to experiment. Taking design to its earlier roots and paying homage to the skills and qualities of the past creates a unique style. If you do an entire room in one period, it gets a little boring and too much modern can look a bit sleek and stark. If you mix periods, it gives more layers, depth, excitement. It's all about creating an individual approach to living.

It is the opportunity to be that little bit different and stand out from the crowd that is making more and more people turn away from the high street to antiques. Who doesn't feel a bit put out when they realise that their fabulously stylish cabinet - from that certain Swedish store - has also made an appearance in next door's house and probably in every other house in the street?

Where to start if you want to 'get into' antiques? It's easy to feel intimidated when discussing antique furniture as it seems to be such a rarefied world. The best thing to do is to not get bogged down with terminology but to simply concentrate on what you want, what kind of style you are after. Envisage what kind of piece would fit into your home then go to the experts and they will take you to the right era.

So go on, take a trip to an antique dealer and make your first purchase! Antiques warehouses, like Tomlinsons which is based just off the A1 near York, are ideal places to visit if you are looking for a low cost, stress free way to furnish your property as they have all kinds of furniture under one roof, and their buying strength means that prices can be kept sensible.

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