Antique Furniture - Styles & Features

One of the many questions people ask about antiques is how to take care of valuable antique furniture. Here are a few tips on how to preserve these prized possessions. Avoid exposing furniture to extremes of temperatures which can accelerate cracking, dulling the finish and loosening the joints and veneer. Curtains or shades should be used to diffuse or block sunlight whenever possible. Quite often clear finishes will turn yellow or opaque from the exposure to sunlight.



Be very careful not to place beverage glasses, flower vases or any other table-top items on surfaces without a coaster or mat for protection. Make it a point to periodically wipe or dust with a soft cloth. Occasionally use a barely dampened cloth with a solvent-based cleaning wax to wipe the surface in order to pick up more dust.

Antique bed frames are good investment for the future. Two materials, of which the bed frame is made of, are wood and iron. People's preferences are different, some want a warm feeling, which is offered by wood, and some prefer royality, which is provided by iron.



It is very difficult nowadays to find a decent wooden frame which is also well preserved. There is also a strong possibility that the wooden frame is a pretty expensive piece of antique furniture. If you are looking for bed frames, it is easier to find a frame made of iron, because iron is more durable.

Actually, being able to tell the difference is not very hard...you do not need to be an expert. There are many signs that let you know if a piece is a genuine antique, fake or a reproduction before you buy antique furniture. If you do your research beforehand and look carefully at each piece, you'll be able to quickly spot fakes or reproductions based on several factors; wood, patina, style, etc.


From the 18th Cetury on, most furniture designers marked their pieces with either a signature or label. But, there are some pieces that do not have these marks and if so, we need to find other signs in order to measureage.

Many architects and designers are making good use of the natural resources to craft useful pieces of furniture desks for consumers. They have full control of the design and exact materials to use for impressing in looks, durability, and in functionality. Those that manage to craft quality furniture desks that stand the test of time may be considered antique furniture desks.



Popularity of Antique Furniture Desks

In this growing computer age, having a desk at home is needed for people not only to setup their desktop computer or laptop but also any other computer accessories or peripherals. Others may desks with drawers and trays to be more preferable so people can store documents, papers, and other small items while staying organized.

Antique furniture are quality pieces of furniture that may be used to complement a home décor theme or style. They can be used as functional and decorative pieces for the whole house or for some rooms, or could be used as accents to a home's furnishings. They can also be used with different types of modern or contemporary and old building structures and styles.


To effectively match some antique furniture to a home décor, each homeowner will need to have some idea about the different types and styles of antique furniture they can use in their homes. Some common antique furniture types are Victorian, English, Asian, European and French furniture. For the most part, the different types of furniture and styles that were available in some of the antique eras were generally influenced by the styles and designs in some other previous eras.

We often forget when attempting to determine the furniture styles and/or periods that collectors and decorators separate into periods of design or manufacture but that no one period of design or craftsmanship has a well defined time. Changes in furniture styles is always blurred with transition periods, except the few times when an event in the history of a nation, such as a change of government, war, or succession of a new sovereign accelerates or defines the change.



It requires time and acceptance for change to work it’s way through the buying and collecting communities. While a great master may be struck with a new idea for a style or design, it requires time to develop the details and is always modified by what his buying public demands. This change takes place much faster for some cabinet designers or makers than for others.

Collecting antique furniture can be quite different from collecting other antique items. It differs in that it's more a matter of  personal choice and utility than in amassing a large or rare collection. Certainly you can see and admire your latest acquisition, but these are pieces you'll be using and living with along with admiring them. 


It would not be common, nor even affordable, for most of us to acquire a collection of 18th century  French armoires or commodes, and there certainly would not be enough room in most average sized homes for two or three large antique bookcases. Although antique furniture can be seen and admired, it is also made to be seated on, slept on, seated around or utilized for storage. Once you buy a piece it becomes part of your home and lifestyle...it is meant to be used and enjoyed.