Upcoming Auctions

How to Find the Right Fit for Your Home

April 26, 2012 | view archive

Antique furniture and art lends something to a home that store-bought, factory furniture doesn’t; history. With each piece of antique furniture or authentic art you purchase at auction or consignment, you are bringing something of historic value, significance and beauty into your home. While owning these precious items and decorating your home with them can be a rewarding experience, it can also be frustrating not only when deciding what piece will go perfect in your home, but also if you consider yourself a novice and not entirely sure where to go or how to find what you’re looking for.

Before you even consider attending a live auction, it can help tremendously to do your research beforehand and know not only what you are looking for and what style you want, but also the various terminology used at auctions. Live auctions go extremely quickly and you will want to be prepared in advance so that you can keep up and not miss out on that perfect treasure. Find out what style of furniture you want for your home, such as a cherry oak armoire, or the size of painting you are looking for, before attending the live auction. This can help you narrow down your choices when you reach the auction and also let you know which furniture or art you are more willing to pay for. 

Another ideal way to plan before you reach the auction is to make a detailed list of what you are looking for, including the color and style of furniture, where in your home you want it to go, the size of painting and the color scheme, and other details you would find helpful. Even if you are not looking for something in particular, it helps to bring along notes or even photographs of various rooms in your home to better compare the items you see in auction to how it will look in your home. If having a home that follows a specific color scheme or style theme is important to you, these details are going to help immensely. When choosing artwork, it also helps to know the type of painting you want, or at least the size. While a specific painting at auction might meet your eyes and interest you greatly, are you sure you have somewhere to hang it?

While you may not think of functionality as being important while at a live auction and considering a certain piece of antique furniture, you may want to consider it before deciding to bid on any piece of furniture. Not only does the furniture in your home provide beauty and style, but it also serves a purpose. An antique armoire not only blends in well with the rest of the similarly styled furniture in your living room, but it also functions as an entertainment unit to hold various electronics but also hides them when they are not in use. Using this principal, each piece of antique furniture you purchase should be pleasing to the eye as well as purposeful in the room to plan to put it.

Pay close attention during the auction and listen closely to the description of the item at consignment, when shopping for antique art or furniture items. The history and authenticity may be the last deciding factor of whether or not you will make the final purchase, so every small detail you are given is going to weigh heavily on your decision.

By learning more about the history of the art piece or furniture, you will be able to ask some important questions such as what significance any imperfections like marks or scratches have on the wood, and if it comes from an era you find particularly interesting. When shopping for antique items for your home, you will find the perfect fit by weighing all of your options and taking everything into consideration.