Contrary to common ideas, combining antique and modern furniture, if done carefully, can provide character and personality to your decor. If you own inherited vintage pieces or love finding treasures at flea markets but don’t want to give up contemporary design, don’t worry: it’s possible to integrate them into an interior design project with optimal results. Furnishing the living room with antique and modern furniture is indeed possible; you just need to keep a few things in mind.
In the following paragraphs, we will explore the secrets and tricks for furnishing a living room with antique and modern furniture, helping you create a unique and recognizable home. Keep reading to discover all the details!
Why furnish the living room with antique and modern furniture
Incorporating classic elements into modern spaces is an excellent way to highlight the value of antique furniture in a contemporary setting. It’s a choice that offers two significant advantages:
- showcasing the value of antique furniture.
- ensuring a modern and functional decor.
Furnishing the living room with a combination of antique and modern furniture can give your spaces a unique charm and an eclectic atmosphere. Integrating vintage pieces adds character to the contemporary context, creating an environment that tells untold stories through design. On the other hand, adding modern furniture helps maintain a fresh and current atmosphere, introducing clean lines, innovative materials, and a contemporary aesthetic.
This fusion of styles creates a harmonious balance where the contrast between antique and modern translates into dynamic and captivating design. Not only that, but diverse furnishings also allow you to express your personality to the fullest, giving life to a unique environment. Furnishing the living room with antique and modern furniture is, therefore, an interesting option, but to achieve a harmonious result, it’s good to follow some guidelines: let’s explore them together.
How to Combine Antique and Modern
Pairing antique and modern furniture from different styles and eras requires special attention to find the perfect balance between woods, colours, materials, and finishes. No rule dictates choosing between a classic or modern style. On the contrary, as we’ve seen, combining different styles can create a unique and tasteful environment. The key is to follow some basic guidelines to allow the two styles to interact in the right way. The fundamental rules are:
- avoid excess to prevent an abundance of elements with different decorations;
- have a clear mood in mind to avoid a confusing amalgamation of elements;
Afterwards, it’s essential to choose a predominant style to avoid inconsistent results. A great solution is to establish a 20/80 ratio between furnishings, with 80% being contemporary elements and 20% antique furniture.
Can you recognize antique furniture styles? Learn how to here.
Next, carefully observe the dimensions and visual footprint of the furniture, remembering to assess materials and colours. The choice of wood color is extremely important, especially if you have a parquet floor. Antique items with glossy finishes can coexist with more modern finishes, or you can experiment with contrasts, such as using concrete finishes or wallpaper to give a unique character to the environment. For fascinating combinations, we recommend applying the “contrast elements” rule, with woods, stone, polycarbonate, Corian, and steel enhancing each other.
However, to identify the best way to combine antique and modern furniture, to pinpoint the best furnishings, and to understand how to incorporate them, it’s always useful to consult professionals capable of guiding you in the most effective direction. Renzo Del Ventisette can assist you in creating the perfect project for your reality, giving life to a decor that perfectly meets your needs.
