Antique it up!

We all have those really antique pieces of furniture that take up space. As trends come and go, the pieces become old and outdated. The good news is, there are many ways to upcyle your old furniture.

Sheila Baru, co-founder of  a furniture store believes that wood is evergreen and can be upscaled. Interior designer Rosey D’Silva says, “Buying something new equates mindless consumerism. You cannot keep filling your house with new pieces and leave the old ones behind, creating clutter. It’s best to revamp your decor,” she says.

Here’s how you can give your old furniture a new lease of life…

Redo the upholstery

Sometimes, something as simple as the upholstery can change the look of the furniture.  Rosey advises, “Go in for geometric patterns or floral designs. These have made a comeback and is a repetitive theme in most contemporary furniture designs. It is a economic and fun way of giving your furniture a new look. If need be polish the wood. It will last for long.”

Repurpose the furniture

There are plenty of pieces that can be repurposed and given a new lease of life. Rosey suggests converting a chest to a coffee table. It looks beautiful, she states, and if polished and arranged well into a unit with seaters, it makes for a stunning conversation piece. Sheila believes that bench chairs can be used as chairs in the room, many prefer to use these as room dividers too. Unique design and upholstery give these old seaters a stylish edge. Adding to this, Rosey points out that now people incorporate cabinet-like storage within old benches to give it a dual function and to save space.

Mix modern aesthetics with traditional styles

Rosey believes that antique furniture breaks the monotony and adds warmth to a space. When asked about the common concern that people share between mixing antique and modern furniture, she responds with an example of her own home, which is a mix of Chinese chairs, Chettinadu furniture and Victorian tables that share space in harmony. “Make sure the fabric matches and the colours complement each other. Two solid colours are a disaster. Mix and match different styles well,” she advises. The beauty of wood is that it can always be reworked up on, polished and repaired. Having worked extensively with old wooden furniture, “Wood is very forgiving. And it is important to have a relationship with the furniture,” she concludes.