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Thinking of moving antique furniture but not sure what the safest way of doing so is? Don’t worry, the experts at Village Vintage are on hand to help! Unlike modern pieces, antiques are often more fragile and valuable, requiring special care and attention. So, whether you’re relocating to a new home or simply rearranging your space, following these tips can help ensure your cherished items arrive safely and in pristine condition.
If you’re able to do so, planning is crucial when moving antique furniture. Begin by assessing the size and weight of each piece to determine the best method for transport. Consider the following steps:
If your antique furniture can be safely disassembled, it’s worth considering. Removing legs, drawers, and other detachable parts can make the pieces easier to handle and less likely to incur damage. Remember to:
Antique furniture often features delicate elements like glass, mirrors, or intricate carvings. To protect these fragile components:
Improper lifting techniques can damage both the items and your back. Follow these guidelines for safe lifting when moving antique furniture:
When packing antique furniture for transport, it’s essential to ensure each piece is well-protected and stable:
While DIY moving can save money, hiring professional movers who specialise in moving antique furniture might be worth the investment. Professional movers have the expertise and equipment to handle delicate items safely. When choosing a moving company:
Antique furniture is often sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. To protect your pieces:
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, take your time unpacking and reassembling your antique furniture:
So, if you’re moving antique furniture, you now have all the information you need to know! If you’re thinking of investing in some beautiful antique and vintage items for your home or business, Village Vintage would love to help! We are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
This week, our Essex antique dealers delve deeper into creating interiors that are rich in character and unique in style! Incorporating antique furniture into modern spaces is a design trend that is the perfect way to do so, combining the charm and elegance of the past with the functionality of the present. Here are our top points to consider if you’re thinking of a fusion between antique and contemporary elements in your home.
For many, antique furniture brings a sense of history and craftsmanship that is often missing in mass-produced modern pieces. Each antique item tells a story, be it through intricate carvings, unique patinas, or the materials used. When placed in a modern setting, these pieces can become beautiful focal points that add depth and interest to an otherwise minimalist environment.
Our Essex antique dealers believe that the key to successfully incorporating antique and vintage furniture into modern spaces lies in balance. Too many antiques can overwhelm a room, and potentially make it feel cluttered and dated. However, with the purely ‘scandi’ and minimalist look slowly beginning to filter out, focal pieces are making a comeback. Here are some tips to strike the perfect balance:
Start with a Neutral Base: Modern interiors often feature neutral colour palettes and clean lines. Use this to your advantage and start with a simple, understated backdrop. White, beige, grey or even terracotta colour walls, along with contemporary furnishings create a canvas where antiques can shine without overwhelming the space.
Choose Statement Pieces: Select a few standout antique pieces that will serve as focal points. This could be a Victorian armchair, an antique table lamp, a vintage wall mirror, or an Art Deco coffee table. These items should contrast with your modern décor, drawing the eye and creating visual interest.
Mix and Match: Don’t be afraid to mix different styles and eras. A mid-century modern sofa can look stunning next to a 19th-century credenza. The juxtaposition of styles can create a dynamic and layered look.
Mind the Scale: Ensure that the scale of your antique pieces work in harmony with your modern furniture. A delicate antique side table might get lost next to a large, contemporary sectional, for example.
Got the pieces that you’re ready to integrate? Here are some practical ways to seamlessly transition antique furniture into your modern home:
Reupholster and Refurbish: Antique furniture can come with fabrics and finishes that don’t always match modern aesthetics. Reupholstering an antique chair in a contemporary fabric or refinishing a wooden table can breathe new life into these pieces, while helping them blend better with the majority of your décor.
Incorporate Modern Accents: Pair your antiques with modern accents to bridge the gap between old and new. For example, try placing a sleek, minimalist lamp on an ornate antique desk.
Use Antiques as Anchors: Let your antique pieces anchor your space. A large antique dining table can set the tone for your dining room, or a vintage bed frame in the bedroom can help to push aesthetic direction. If you’re buying the antique before you decorate the rest of a room, use it to allow you a clearer view of modern theming that will suit the focal item.
Create Vignettes: Arrange antiques in small groups or vignettes to create visual interest and homely focal points. A vintage mirror above a modern console table or a collection of antique vases on a sleek shelf can make a striking statement.
Here are some of the many benefits of merging these two types of furniture, according to our Essex antique dealers:
Sustainability: Incorporating antique furniture into your home or business is an eco-friendly choice. By reusing and repurposing old pieces, you reduce waste and the demand for new resources, contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Uniqueness: Antique pieces are often one-of-a-kind, ensuring that your home won’t look like a carbon copy of every other modern interior. These items add a layer of individuality and personality to your space.
Quality and Craftsmanship: Many antique pieces are crafted with a level of detail and quality that is hard to find in modern furniture. Investing in antiques can mean acquiring furniture that is not only beautiful but also built to last.
Here at Village Vintage Essex antique dealers, we love what we do and are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. If you’re looking for unique vintage and antique pieces for the home and beyond, we’d love to help!
Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you. Don't forget to join our community on Facebook.
Art Deco furniture is one of our favourite categories here at Village Vintage. Hailing from Paris in the 1910’s and filtering into Europe and the United States throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, these vintage pieces are bursting with character and charm, perfect to bring a little alternative style into your home or business!
This week, we delve into Art Deco, its key features and the beautiful pieces our Essex antique dealer has available to purchase.
Short for the French phrase ‘Arts Décoratifs’, Art Deco emerged in the 20th century and was the predominant decorative art style around the WW1 era. Appearing in visual arts, architecture furniture and other product design, it is characterised by strong colours and geometric shapes. The ‘Art Deco’ style truly reflects the rapid industrialisation of the era. It's often associated with luxury, glamour, and exuberance!
The Art Deco movement continues to captivate with its sophistication, bringing a touch of vintage glamour to any space. If you’re newcomer to this iconic style, knowing the characteristics to look out for will help you on your journey to finding the right pieces. Distinctive features include:
Geometric Patterns: Geometric motifs are a hallmark of Art Deco furniture design. Look for pieces with inlaid wood patterns, angular metal accents, or carved details that emphasize symmetry and repetition. Other design patterns can include zigzags, chevrons, sunbursts and floral patterns.
Luxurious Materials: Furniture from this era showcases luxurious materials. Use of exotic woods like ebony, mahogany, and zebrawood are frequently used in Art Deco style. Incorporation of materials like chrome, glass, mirrors, lacquer, ivory, mother-of-pearl and shagreen (stingray skin) are also common here. This adds a sense of uniqueness and refinement to each piece.
Bold Colours: Deep saturated colours like black, gold, silver, ruby reds, emerald green and cobalt blues are often paired with glossy black or metallic finishes. These vibrant hues and reflective surfaces create dramatic statement pieces. There is often a high contrast between colours to enhance any geometric patterns.
Streamlined and Sleek: You’ll find that Art Deco furniture pieces often have a streamlined shape, with clean lines. Key features for pieces like sideboards, armchairs, and coffee tables include polished surfaces with smooth, curved edges or sharp, angular profiles. This creates a striking visual impact.
At Village Vintage, we’re passionate about Art Deco style and its culture. We have collected some beautiful pieces from Europe that we know our customers will love!
A set of five amber glass finger bowls. Each 13cm diameter and in very good condition! Beautiful accessories for any kitchen or dining room table.
A stunning French Art Deco vintage cocktail making and pouring jug, in a classically designed heavy crystal base, with a rare integral handle. The Silver Gilt mount is exquisitely decorated around the mounting collar. The spout is perforated to collect any unwanted residue upon pouring your cocktail! This piece is in original and unmarked condition and measures 25cm in height and 19cm wide.
A covered dish made from solid marble with and Art Deco detail on the front. Stylish and dainty, this is perfect to hold little trinkets or jewellery.
A stunning classic vintage 1950 wall clock, in excellent condition. A very rare find with a contrasting crackled varnished face and rich waxed Pitch Pine frame, with twenty-four hour numbers on the face.
A pair of decadent Amboyna veneer finish bedside tables in very good condition. Elegant shaped tops, with under tiers joined by three curvaceous legs. Versatile and useful for any room, these are an understated yet striking design.
A French Art Deco bistro table, with round glass top set over a striking red coloured ground. With a polished metal edge, set upon a three-facet column, which itself is set on an Art Deco stepped tripod base. The makers cast stamp can be seen on the column. This is a real statement piece and could be used as a lamp table or an indoor or outdoor drinks table. 71 cm in height and 48cm in width, this is very good condition with the base being painted over sometime during the 1920’s/30’s.
This stunning and rare piece is a genuine late Art Deco period round pedestal coffee/centre table from the renowned designer Reiners Mobler, of Mjolby, Sweden. Inlaid with vibrant flame mahogany veneers radially, with a contrasting centre medallion of satin Birch. This design and style is typical of this high-end designer.
The heavy tabletop sits upon a concave tripod centre column with stylised split turning Ebonised Corinthian columns. The table is stamped on the top support plate with an ‘R’ and ‘MJOLBY’. It's surrounded by three crowns inside a triangle and ‘1942’ on the underside of the top edge. 58cm in height and 110cm in diameter, this Art Deco coffee table is in good condition for its age. It comes complete with a bespoke protective 8mm plate glass top.
All items are available to view with our team at our secure storage facility, Monday-Friday by appointment only. Collection in person or UK and international shipping can be arranged for ultimate convenience.
If you’re interested in any of our vintage Art Deco furniture, the team at Village Vintage would love to help! We are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
Cleaning antique furniture is a steadfast way to keep your décor looking spic and span, what’s more, you’ll actually be assisting in its preservation! As experts in vintage and antique furniture, our Essex antique dealers are well-versed when it comes to the upkeep of your products. This week, we take a closer look at the benefits of using the correct cleaning techniques and some preservation tips for different materials.
Amongst the hustle and bustle of life, often, the last thing we want to be doing is making time for the cleaning. However, when it comes to your antique items, taking just a few moments to clean and care for them can significantly benefit their appearance and longevity. Our advice would be not to wait for them to get covered in dust, but to be proactive in your approach and schedule ten minutes out of your week to give them the care they deserve. Remember, antiques are an investment, so it will always fare you well to keep them in the best condition possible.
Some of the key advantages of efficient cleaning include:
Cleaning antique furniture regularly helps in preserving the material of the furniture. Whether it's wood or fabric, dust and dirt can accumulate and lead to deterioration over time. Did you know that dust particles can actually act like sandpaper, causing scratches on wooden surfaces over time? By keeping your antique furniture clean, you help to prolong its lifespan by removing potentially harmful debris, treating the surface with the appropriate products and preventing wear and tear.
Proper cleaning can prevent damage from pests, such as termites or woodworm, which are attracted to dirty and neglected furniture. Alongside cleaning, don’t forget to take a quick look for signs of damage caused by critters every couple of months.
Cleaning restores the original lustre and beauty of antique furniture. Removing grime, stains, and build-up can bring out the wood’s natural grain, patina, and craftsmanship details that can easily be hidden. Clean furniture also contributes to a healthier and fresher living environment. Not only does this look tidier, but it eliminates dust and allergens that could affect the indoor air quality.
Antique furniture often holds its significant monetary and sentimental value. Well-maintained pieces are more likely to retain or even increase their value over time. Collectors and buyers are more interested in pieces that have been properly cared for, so if you’re thinking of selling-on one day, a quick clean on a frequent basis will benefit you further down the line.
When it comes to cleaning antique furniture, some items will need specialist attention. Here are our tips for some of the most common vintage materials.
Cleaning antique wood requires careful handling, so you can begin by gently dusting the surface with a soft cloth or using the vacuum with a soft brush attachment to remove loose dirt and dust. A polished finish can also be achieved by using the cloth to buff the wooden surface – if polish solution is being used, be sure to test it on a small inconspicuous area of the wood to ensure it doesn’t damage the finish. Leave to air dry after cleaning. Our advice would be to avoid using water and soap when cleaning antique wood pieces. For details and crevices, use cotton swabs to remove dust and dirt. Do not use harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, or excessive moisture, as these can damage the wood’s finish and structure.
Always handle antique wood with care and avoid placing it in direct sunlight or in areas with high humidity.
If your antique silverware is tarnished, there are a few ways you can make them sparkle again!
With glassware, such as wine glasses, gently hand wash in warm soapy water and dry with kitchen towel. Don’t put them in the dishwasher, as this exposes them to extreme temperatures which could result in breakage.
To clean mirrors and brighten cloudiness, simply apply a little distilled white vinegar or alcohol on a cotton pad or microfibre cloth and gently wipe over. Don’t spray anything directly on the mirror as this can create tarnish marks. Leave to airdry.
Cleaning antique furniture can also include fabric items. Vintage upholstered surfaces should be vacuumed gently using the brush attachment to collect any dust and dirt. For stain removal, gently use a mild cleaning product and tepid water on a soft fabric, foam, or spongy material. Apply pressure in circular motions to lift dirt without damaging fabric fibres.
A mild detergent mixed with warm water is often the best choice for delicate antique upholstery. However, it’s best to test the solution on an inconspicuous area first to ensure it won’t damage the fabric. Make sure you wipe again thoroughly using a clean cloth dipped in water so that no residue remains behind. Let the fabric air dry and avoid heated environments.
We hope these tips on cleaning antique furniture come in handy! Here at Village Vintage, we love what we do and are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. If you’re looking for unique vintage pieces and antique furniture, we’d love to help! Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
Antique furniture has always been a popular home decorating trend. With the many different styles available, it’s easy to find an antique piece that fits your style and personality. But how do you know if the piece is authentic? The feet are one of the simplest ways to date an antique piece.
Multiple methods can help to date furniture by its feet. These methods include traditional, and all of them offer you a way to find the age of your table, chair, or other furniture items. One way is identifying the material, styles of nuts and bolts, damage polish/old brands, differentiation between original antiques.
Identifying antique furniture feet can help you research and value old items more accurately. From the Renaissance through the Empire periods, we've compiled a handy list of foot types commonly used across Europe and the United States, to assist in making a conclusion of the age of your antique furniture.
This furniture foot style consists of a tapered cylinder that is separated from the leg by a turned ring. It is usually plain, even if the attached leg is fluted (as shown in this example). A shorter, more squat variation is sometimes referenced as a blunt-arrow foot.
The ball foot is a classic furniture foot design that dates back centuries. It's the most basic type of furniture foot style, with a simple spherical form and the occasional appearance on case pieces such as chests, secretaries, and sideboards.
It was popular in the late 1600s and throughout the 1700s, when it appeared in William and Mary-style furniture. The appeal of this foot design extended into the 1800s in American Federal pieces as well as "country" styles. The ball foot, onion foot, and turnip foot are all different forms of the ball foot.
A furniture foot, sometimes known as a bird's claw clutching a ball, depicts a bird's claw gripping a ball. They are commonly carved entirely of wood, as can be seen in many Chippendale-style pieces of furnishings.
Metal claws grasping a glass ball are yet another frequent motif, particularly on occasional tables and stools. Since it was created in the 1700s, this foot type has been extremely popular, with various versions existing almost continuously since then.
The Block Foot style was popular in the mid-18th century English and American furniture. Although it was created centuries ago, it is still a favorite today. This foot type can be found on tables and chairs of all shapes and sizes. The block foot offers a simplistic, yet elegant appearance that blends well with any decorating theme. It has been seen on many pieces of antique furniture throughout history, making it one of the easiest ways to date an object by its feet. As you may have guessed from its name, this type of foot is traditionally square or cube-shaped with a flat top surface for stability as well as two small front legs for support when standing upright. A single wide leg can also provide support if necessary depending on how heavy the piece is.
Its name comes from the Greek word for "cube" which aptly describes its most basic shape, but there are several variations on the block foot including the ball-shaped version pictured here which sports a single leg and can be found protruding through many of George Hepplewhite's designs. It was one of the first furniture feet to appear in English neoclassical furniture, with William Kent using his own interpretation at around 1720. The block foot style also became popular in American pieces as well with Sheraton designing some circular examples that would later inspire Thomas Sheraton's son, Thomas junior, to continue this trend towards an oval version of the block foot with his own ogee-shaped design.
This is one of the most basic chair foot designs, named for its genuine resemblance to a bracket. It has a mitered corner ornamentation and is usually mitered at the corners. It's also known as a console leg from time to time. The most basic form is the plain bracket foot has a smooth outside edge and a scalloped inside edge. Alternatives include the ogee bracket foot and the scroll bracket foot with a curved outer edge.
Bun feet are a type of furniture foot that is similar to the ball foot, but it has a bun shape on the underside. It was made popular in England during the Georgian period and early Victorian periods. Although there were other variations before it, this type of foot style became more common after Queen Anne's death in 1714. The word "bun" comes from 13th century Middle English meaning "to swell or bulge", which is what the foot style was meant to mimic.
Bun Feet are commonly used along with tripod feet because they are often larger in scale than ball feet but do not go all the way down to the floor as tripod legs do. This allows them to be higher off of the floor giving more space underneath for storage. They also work well if you have a chair or stool that is larger in scale and you want to make sure they do not appear too heavy. With a bun foot, the leg will give the appearance of being more slender.
The cylindrical foot is a type of foot that is typically seen on Georgian and Neoclassical-style furniture from the latter half of the 18th century and early 19th century. This type of foot is found mainly on Sheraton design items. Despite their delicate appearance, they are still quite strong and robust. Some furniture might have them decorated with stringing or cast ornamentation, but this is not a deciding factor as some may have been cast on the foot by the manufacturer. Cylindrical feet are also seen on George III and Queen Anne pieces.
A fish head-shaped foot is an example of a carved furniture foot. The design may sometimes be carried throughout the leg or base of the item (as seen here). Dolphin arms and feet are sometimes included in pieces, such as chairs. The dolphin has been used as a decorative motif since Renaissance furniture, however it was particularly fashionable during the Regency period. It was especially popular in ornate Regency, Empire, and Biedermeier styles.
A slim variety of bracket feet (see above) that is typically tapered and has a convex form that extends outward. It's like a reduced version of a chair or table's saber leg. The French foot style is very popular with neoclassical designs because it offers an elegant appearance that does not take up too much space when placed next to another chair or stool. These pieces are also commonly made from mahogany wood with dark glossy finishings, making them stand out even more against their surroundings.
The hoof foot, usually that of a deer, is an early form carved to resemble a realistic animal hoof. It was created at the same time as the cabriole leg with which it is associated, towards the end of the 17th century. It's also known as a pied-de-biche in French, which means "deer's foot.
Hoof feet are most common in Régence furniture, William and Mary chairs, early Louis XV, and Queen Anne furniture, and they lasted until the turn of the 19th cent
ury.
The monopodium foot is a type of furniture foot style with an ornate extension above, such as a scroll, wing, vine, or cornucopia, forming the lion's paw. It derives its name from ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian design influences. The monopodium (single-base) table was designed after ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian designs. The monopodium foot can also be seen on sofas, chairs, and case pieces.
Ogee brackets are a distinctive feature of furniture from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The foot, which comes to a point at one end, was often used for decorative purposes on elegant pieces such as secretaries or dressing tables.
Ogee brackets were also sometimes found on chairs or other types of furniture with four legs. The ogee bracket foot is still occasionally seen today in reproduction furniture but seldom if ever genuine antiques.
Ogee bracket feet may be attached to a flat, open foot with a molded edge or to an urn-shaped pedestal. Also, note the slight "S" curve in ogee bracket feet which makes them unique from other types of brackets.
In general, furniture from America between 1725 and 1800 will have either metal or wooden ogee bracket feet with no curves while English makers used both styles on their pieces but more frequently made of wood.
The onion foot is more than a century older than the escutcheon, dating from the Renaissance and gradually declining after the turn of the 18th century. Some usage of it in Dutch-influenced American furniture was observed throughout the 1700s.On heavy case pieces, especially of Germanic or Dutch origin, it is frequently encountered. Occasionally known as a melon foot.
The pad foot was first used in furniture in the early 18th century. It is especially common to Queen Anne style furniture. A disk or pad is placed under a simple, flattened oval-shaped block of wood to provide a distinctive foot. It is a form of clubfoot distinguished by the underlying disk. These are frequently found at the base of a cabriole leg. They are sometimes known as Dutch foot or spoon foot.
The spade foot is a rectangular form with a broad top that tapers down to a smaller bottom. It's not completely carved; rather, it's built by combining small pieces of wood to the base of a square, tapering leg.
The rounded saucer-shaped top with a greater turning in the middle that then narrows to a smaller turned end is known as a turned foot. The overall appearance is similar to that of a spinning top (or 'toupie' in French). Occasionally referred to as a spool foot. Shorter and thicker examples are frequently used to decorate bulky item cases, while slenderer ones may be utilized on furniture. The toupie foot, which dates from the late 17th century, is often associated with the Louis XIV period.
The T-shaped foot, one of the most ancient types—dating from the Middle Ages—in which a vertical pole is placed in the center of a horizontal section to form a T shape. Gustav Stickley's respect for plain, "honest" pieces drove him to create numerous tables with sturdy trestle feet.
The supporting beams or legs of a horizontal beam are usually flat and plain, but carved and elaborate versions do exist; they are typical of country-style or industrial furniture, such as dining tables or racks.
The trifid form is a carved foot with three toes or lobes that resemble a stylized animal paw resting on a base—a cross between a paw foot and a clubbed pad foot. They are generally found at the end of a cabriole leg. This is sometimes known as an drake foot.
The fluted column is a stylistic trait of 18th-century design that shows up frequently in Queen Anne-style and early Chippendale pieces, particularly chairs and footstools. It was especially common in Irish and Philadelphia furniture, with regional variations. The sophisticated furniture produced in colonial Philadelphia, such as chairs with exaggerated dimensions, winged splats, shell motifs, and trifid feet, were all distinctive.
A type of bun foot, this is a curved, turned furniture foot. It's bulb-shaped with a thin neck and bulges outward before taper down into a round collar or base. These may also be known as tulip feet. It was popular in William and Mary furniture from the late 17th century, and it reappeared in mid-19th century Revival decorative styles as well as more modest "country" pieces.
A whorl foot, also known as a scroll foot and shaped like a spiral, curves up and in. It's sometimes referred to as a knurl toe. This design was originally designed in the late 17th century and is typically associated with Louis XV, Georgian, and other Rococo periods. It is frequently found on the final leg of a cabriole leg.
Antique furniture is a timeless way to add character to any room, but knowing which type of antique furniture you have can be difficult. Luckily for you, we’ve created this helpful guide that offers insight into the different types of feet and what they mean about your piece. If you want help dating your antiques by their feet, contact us today! We're experts in all things antique!