Wednesday

Your Essential Knowledge - Primitive Antique Reproduction Furniture

Primitive antique reproduction furniture is a type of furniture that has been designed specifically to mirror the earliest furniture designs known to have existed. All primitive antique reproduction furniture closely mirrors the authentic primitive furniture out there so that you can get a taste of it in your own home as well as being able to fully experience the old and beautiful at an affordable price.

Regardless of what types of primitive antique reproduction furniture you invest in, there are several things you should know about it before you start:

1. Primitive antique reproduction furniture actually gains value over time. It is one of the very few reproduction furniture types that is guaranteed to increase in value over the years and can actually end up being substantially more that the initial fee that you paid for it. It therefore represents a good investment if you are looking to recoup your capital later.

2. Primitive antique reproduction furniture is readily available for anyone wanting to purchase it, regardless of where they live. Most good furniture stores will stock it because it is so popular. You do not even need to go to an antique store! The relative amount of time and effort you put into your search is minimal when compared with that you would have to put into finding other authentic and reproduction furniture. There is no search element involved at all.

3. You will get the best deals for primitive antique reproduction furniture online. Not only will you be able to view full descriptions, but you will also be able to purchase it over the Internet and have it delivered to your door. Of course, if you would rather view it in person then you have the option to do so but this means that nobody is excluded from owning primitive antique reproduction furniture regardless of how hectic a schedule may be.

4. You can choose from a huge range of primitive antique reproduction furniture pieces available. You have the choice of bedroom, dining room, patio, living room, kitchen and office furniture as well as numerous other pieces so it is easy to get carried away. Be aware of that whenever you plan to buy some, lest you go over budget.

5. Lastly, just be patient. Buying primitive antique reproduction furniture can take some time if you are looking for an investment and go about it the right way. Get a couple of expert opinions and do your research so you know exactly what it is that you are buying and exactly what it is worth. It is difficult to put a foot wrong when buying primitive antique reproduction furniture but make sure that you cover all of the bases anyway!

You can also find more info on Antique Furniture For Your Room and Antique Furniture Hardware. Antiquefurniturersource.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Antique Funiture.

Sunday

A Quick Guide To Mahogany Antique Reproduction Furniture


Mahogany furniture is a largely English furniture institution. Much of the antique furniture originating in the 18th Century was made of mahogany. Not only did it look extremely appealing, it was also widely known for its hard wearing and long lasting properties. As mahogany was not native to England, it was exported from Puerto Rico and Cuba for use in furniture making. However, it is extremely expensive today and is not commonly used for furniture. Antique mahogany furniture is also really expensive so if you are looking to decorate your home then you may want to investigate the possibility of buying mahogany antique reproduction furniture.

Mahogany antique reproduction furniture is beautiful as a result of its carved patterns and rich colouring. It can add character to any room and should be the focal point if it is purchased for your home. Mahogany antique reproduction furniture is very popular and can be used to great effect, regardless of whether you choose to purchase one piece or a whole house full.

Although you will not find mahogany antique reproduction furniture in regular antiques stores, there is still a huge market for it. Craftsmen that make the mahogany antique reproduction furniture are highly skilled individuals and give the pieces character and style. As a result, there are a number of stores that have snapped such pieces up to market them effectively. There are online and offline stores that stock mahogany antique reproduction furniture so it is easy enough to locate and not all that expensive to buy. As it is still made of mahogany it does have a fairly high price tag, but not nearly as high as the real thing.

The mahogany used to make mahogany antique reproduction furniture is actually imported from Africa so it should tell a tale in itself. However, by the time its gets you it has a completely different history.

Every piece of mahogany antique reproduction furniture is reliable and should last a lifetime or two. Most pieces are carved in great detail and are very pretty, especially if placed in the right place. The pieces are also functional and can be used in daily life. However, most mahogany antique reproduction furniture is in a more formal style and thus would do well in a room designed for entertaining, such as a dining room or office. Many designs appear in a Victorian style and thus can seem a bit overbearing at times. However, if combined with carpets and walls in lighter tones then it would go extremely well in any room of the house.

You should care for mahogany antique reproduction furniture in much the same way as you would authentic antique furniture, with a little tender loving care and a soft cloth! It can add value to your home and give it an individual flavour that most crave so enjoy it while you can!

You can also find more info on Antique Furniture Lighting and Antique Furniture Reproductions. Antiquefurniturersource.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Antique Funiture.

Sustainable Asian Furniture



To get the best quality Asian furniture its important to know how its made and what its made of. Poorly made furniture constructed of particle board and screws simply wont last and can look cheap. It is best to pick furniture that is made of real wood and uses mortise and tenon joinery for not only durability but style as well. But alas, like all good things, purchasing Asian furniture made from real wood has it draw backs too. Many Asian forests have been over harvested and destroyed to be used as fuel, building materials and more.

The good news is that the dramatic depletion in tree populations throughout Asia has not gone ignored. Some excellent organizations such as Rainforest-Alliance.org have been working to protect forests in Asia as well as world wide. Although illegal logging is still wide spread, many Asian countries have cut down on illegal harvesting through stiffer timber industry regulations as well as the creation of tree plantations to accommodate the continued need for wood

You can help the efforts by purchasing Asian furniture (and all wood products for that matter) from environmentally friendly furniture retailers and manufacturers. Make sure that the furniture you select is either made from plantation grown or reclaimed wood rather than wood from rainforests. By looking into where the wood comes from in the furniture your purchase you will not only be helping out Earth but will also be ensuring that the furniture your buying is top quality!

High quality furniture manufacturers are more likely to be using sustainable materials such as plantation grown wood or reclaimed wood. Cheap furniture makers often use particle board or illegally harvested wood, both of which are less expensive materials. Reclaimed wood in particular makes for very high quality furniture pieces because most wood becomes denser as it ages. Reclaimed wood comes from old warehouse, buildings, railways, bridges and more. Plus reclaimed wood has that antique appeal that many Asian furniture shoppers love!



So when your making you Asian furniture purchases do yourself and you planet a favor and only purchase pieces made from sustainable materials. You can find some beautiful Asian furniture pieces made from reclaimed teak furniture at www.tansu.net .


Wednesday

An Introduction to Antique Furniture Part Two

Early forms of furniture were primitive items constructed quite often out of solid pieces of timber. Though quite ornate at times they were still fairly basic items that lacked the finesse of later centuries and manufacturers.

It was during the 17th and 18th Centuries that Furniture Construction as we know more of it nowadays came into its own. With the appearance of Thomas Chippendale (1718-19) furniture manufacture became more sophisticated in its design and execution with finely executed joints and a carcase (body of the item of furniture) that was as well made as the façade.

However as with all things, the prohibitive cost of craftsmanship meant that by the late 19th Century suppliers of Furniture were looking at techniques that could help bring the cost of manufacture down to more manageable and cost efficient proportions and hence the introduction of the earliest forms of machine assisted furniture.

For the purpose of this article we will be looking at Furniture from the following aspects: Pegged Construction and Drawer Construction, and then in the next article a detailed look at styles of two items of furniture, Chairs and Tables.

Pegged Construction

Until the early 18th Century, furniture was constructed by and large using a “Pegged” or “Joined” technique using Mortise-and-Tenon joints held together held together quite often just by wooden pegs or dowels and on very rare occasions, nails.

As you can imagine the earliest forms of pegs were quite primitive in their manufacture and acted more like wedges and tended to tighten the joints they were hammered into.

Quite often, as the years would go by these joints and pegs would find themselves being pushed out of shape and this is quite often an indicator of firstly, how old a piece is and secondly how well cared for an item of furniture is with the appearance of these joints.

Drawer Construction

Early Drawers were characterised by the thick sides or linings which were usually channelled so that they could run on bars or runners fixed to the sides of the carcase. As you can imagine these developed quite considerably as the items of furniture or drawers that they were designed to support became more and more delicate and sophisticated. From the 17th Century onwards as with other forms of furniture, the practice of just using simple pegs and runners all but died out to be replaced by more sophisticated runners being placed beneath rather than at the sides of the drawers.

I am often asked as to why a study of furniture is so important? Will it solve the Worlds ills, can it help solve World Poverty (yes if the stuff is manufactured in the right places at the right costs but that is another matter)?

Well the answer primarily to all of the above questions is by and large no but as in all these cases the situation is like anything that relates to the study of History. By only correctly understanding where we have come from, how we arrived here and what we did, can we begin to have any real hope of moving forward without repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

As to how important furniture is?

Well what else would you sit and write on?

About The Author

Stephen Morgan is an independent journalist with an interest in Antiques (http://www.absolutelyancient.com ) Collectables (http://www.definitelycollectable.com and Memorabilia (http://www.absolutelyantique.us).

Home Decorating Ideas For Different Furniture Styles

Have you ever thought about the many different furniture styles? Probably you have ever watched a program TV, where they showed people how to update an entire room of your house; let’s say the living room or bedroom. You can also read everywhere about the rustic style or about the Italian designs. However, do you know really what do these styles mean? We go deep into the different styles, which are the most demanded around the globe. Let’s start:

+ Rustic: This style is known because the using of natural materials. The pieces of furniture included into the rustic designs use to be handcrafted, with a strong cultural and regional touch in their pieces. Rustic style also brings to any home the feeling of begin more comfortable. It also reflects to be on most of their instances, casual tends, which makes it more personal than other styles.

+ Antique: Antique furniture styles are characterized by European interior houses designs. What is very important to point up is the fact of antique furniture is commonly made to be used, not displayed. This makes of antique designs look boring or without further interesting additions, such as fancy details.

+ Modern: What we need to know about modern furniture is the clean lines that offers to the room itself. Modern styles for interior designs are often made of vinyl, plastic or chrome. These materials came up around the 50’s, and since then they have found a place into modern houses, as the standard.

+ European furniture

This style of furniture can be roughly split in 3 main branches: Italian, English and French. We begin by the Italian, because it is becoming very popular over the last decade for US citizens. Why? because the Italian style offer a wide range of materials to choose from, from wood up to marble, stone or fabric. Furniture pieces into the Italian furniture are ornate as well as large, sometimes using Roman sculpture and architecture. We go then to the French style. If you like crowed decorating prices of furniture, French is definitely yours. It often includes designs, elaborated and perhaps handcrafted with detailed carvings, with highly ornate patterns.

+ Fancy details with English furniture

The English furniture has been always made of woods, including principally walnut, oak or mahogany. This styles is very close to the American rustic one, due to its fancy details and the use of natural colors. The predominant color used on these pieces of furniture used to be is dark or natural colors. However, it depends on the era you base the English decoration. In the current world, there exist so many styles, materials and furniture designs, and it is evolving year after year. All type of influences comes up every day on furniture designers, and changes in the technology of materials affect directly on the new home decorating ideas.

About The Author

Adam Peters contributes adding articles to an online home decorating and interior design magazine. Your guide on home decorating and how to choose from hundreds of decorating ideas and tips. Adam will inspire you to capture the look you wish. Find further information on decorating and design at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com.

Tuesday

Antique Furniture Hardware Product Restoration - Extend The Life Of Your Furniture

Anyone with even the most minimal knowledge of antiques will know that they have to be treasured and well looked after. Being over a hundred years old, they will need regular restoration as well as routine cleaning whatever your use for them. Eventually they will also need antique furniture hardware product restoration to save them from irreparable damage. Think of it as surgery for furniture!

Antique furniture hardware product restoration is a chore simply because it may prove impossible to get hold of the parts needed to actually complete the process. Doorknobs, latches, hinges, hooks and chest lifts are all rare unless you manage to get lucky and find a dealer with a similar piece that is irreparable. Despite the availability status of the parts you need, there are still some essential nuggets of knowledge you should know before attempting antique furniture hardware product restoration.

1. Always search for the materials you need for antique furniture hardware product restoration from home. Availability may mean that trawling the various shops is a complete waste of time. Try calling local antique dealers and stores and then contact those further away if need be. You could also try searching on the Internet. Always narrow your search to those that specialise in the era of your particular piece first as they will often yield more success.

2. Be prepared to travel to pick up the materials you need for antique furniture hardware product restoration. You may want to have the parts mailed to you if they are found in another country, but always be prepared to do anything to protect your investment.

3. Ask a professional for advice. Antique furniture hardware product restoration is a complex process and it only takes one small mistake to permanently ruin your piece so make sure that you seek advice and maybe the services of a professional. Several experts would be prepared to give you quotes so check up on them before selecting a man for the job if you do not want to attempt it yourself.

4. Be prepared to pay out. Antique furniture hardware product restoration is an expensive business. It is usually worth every penny to save your investment but you should be prepared for a hefty bill.

There is one golden rule when it comes to looking after your pieces of antique furniture. Prevention is better than cure. This is the golden rule and following these tips may just help you to prevent the need for antique furniture hardware product restoration arising:
1. Establish a routine and stick to it as far as cleaning goes. Always use a soft cloth to wipe down antique furniture once or twice a week.
2. Wax every antique piece you have every two months with a small measure of furniture wax. This will prevent build up and keep your furniture healthy.
3. Keep antiques out of direct sunlight because they may fade.
4. Do not use any harsh solvents, detergents or polishes because the chemicals may just stain it permanently.

You can also find more information on Italian Antique Furniture and Antique Furniture Dealers. Antiquefurniturersource.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Antique Funiture.

French Antique Furniture In The UK- Combine The Best Of French And British!

French antique furniture in the UK provides a surprising attraction for antique and bargain hunters from all over the world. Stores in London especially stock a wide range of antique furniture that any collector would love to extensively examine! However, shopping for French antique furniture in the UK can prove problematic if you live elsewhere in the world.

Any good collector of antiques would know better than to buy French antique furniture in the UK without actually viewing it first. After all, images on websites and in brochures do not show up weaknesses and scratches as well as a personal viewing will. Images can hide all manner of sins, but the human eye can reveal them just as quickly! If a damaged antique was to arrive on your doorstep you would be angry and disappointed, but viewing French antique furniture in the UK may prove to be a problem.

You can actually tell a lot from images and websites if you know what you are looking for and know how to interpret language so it may take a bit of research on your part before you are fully ready to buy French antique furniture in the UK.

Take the opportunity of looking at photographs sent by an antique dealer if you do get opportunity to buy French antique furniture in the UK. It may be worth commissioning your own photographer rather than relying on the dealer, but either way you should ask for photos taken from every possible angle. Light will fall on the object differently at every given angle so you will be able to spot any imperfections or flaws. If you think you spot one but are not sure then ask!

After viewing French antique furniture in the UK via photograph, ask a local dealer to go and have a look at the object, value it for you and then report back. Their opinion will more likely than not be accurate, which can help you to decide whether or not to purchase the item.

Buying French antique furniture in the UK has never been as easy as it is now with the advent of the Internet. Some antiques stores offer a virtual tour from all angles so you can manoeuvre around the store yourself and examine the pieces in high detail, just as if you were there. This is in fact the next best thing because it is in real time rather than being pre-recorded. If you are completely satisfied with an item and have to have it, you can then purchase it online and have it delivered to your door.

Anyone looking for French antique furniture in the UK should take advantage of any opportunity they get to actually examine valuable items. They are extremely popular and so technology may ensure that you are able to purchase an item more quickly than someone in the store. Take every opportunity that comes your way because often French antique furniture in the UK will have you falling head over heels in love

You can also find more info on Antique Oak Furniture and Antique pine Furniture. Antiquefurniturersource.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Antique Funiture.