<p>It is not uncommon to visit a friend’s new home and be hit by a deluge of antique artifacts popping out of every nook and corner. In fact, there is sometimes so much that is labelled antique that it makes you wonder about basics such as authenticity and even availability of these artifacts in bulk. <br /><br />Sabrina Britto-Hougaard, Director Spa Operations at Serena Spa is an avid collector of authentic antiques. She explains, “The term antique is used very loosely. Just because something is over 50 years old and may be covered in a bit of a dust and grime does not make it an antique. This is applicable to not only artifacts, but also to items like paintings, clothing and such. There are several mimics of an original antique and you need to be educated enough about them to recognise the difference. There are several stores that con you into believing you are buying an antique, when in actuality you are buying something that is antique-like.” <br /><br />Antique v/s antique-like<br /><br />“Authentic vintage costs way more, in direct proportion to the age of the piece and its workmanship. Very often, the quality of wood (for a piece that’s survived for a long time) would be excellent and not easy to come by anymore. A ‘vintage-like’ object could sometimes equal authentic vintage in beauty, but that is rare as some artisan skills are almost extinct. Tools have changed, and with them the flavour of workmanship too.<br /><br /> However, vintage-like objects do go a long way into setting a mood and evoking a bygone period. Not many people understand the difference visually, and even fewer would pay an arm and a leg that is sometimes the price tag for an authentic vintage,” says Juhi Santani, Interior Designer, Retale Design Solutions while explaining the difference between antique and antique-looking. <br /><br />What constitutes an antique can vary from textiles to stone to bronze, says Arati Monappa, Owner of Serenity, that deals with antique collectibles. She continues, “Artifacts can be dated, especially textiles and here, anything above 50 years can be considered an antique.” However, Sabrina adds a point here that when it comes to other artifacts, while internationally organisations such as Christies do work on dating, India does not have an organised system for that in place right now. <br /><br />Having said that, there is a clear distinction between what an authentic antique is and what can be passed off as antique. Deciding on the kind of artifact you want in your home is a personal matter of choice and whether you are a genuine collector or someone who would like to do up their home in an antique-like manner. There are several reasons why a person might want to collect antiques, peer pressure being topmost, according to Arati. However, being able to educate yourself on the antecedents of these artifacts requires dedication. <br /><br />Overdose of information<br /><br />Getting your information on antiques can seem easy enough considering the proliferation of information online. But how far does that translate into good decor for your home since that is primarily what such pieces are used for?<br /><br />“With social media and other sources of information, there is an overdose of information on this style of décor. In India there is a very annoying impact. People blindly trust interior designers with their homes and spaces and give them a free hand. They want an antique look and they tell their designers just that. This can result in some very bad choices in terms of material, furniture styles and designs, says Sharon Dsouza, antique lover and author of a popular interiors blog. <br /><br />Juhi adds, “With easy access to information, everyone thinks they know exactly what they want and that they need a designer to only ‘execute’ a project. This is as true as each one of us being an expert software engineer or an electrician or a sculptor. Good taste doesn’t necessarily translate into good space design. This results in disastrous choices occasionally, as most people do not think of the application of vintage into the specific space they have, or along with an existing piece that they may already possess.<br /><br /> One needs to weigh several factors such as volume and size of the room that the piece shall eventually go into, the accessories that may go with the vintage piece, and its application within the space.” <br /><br />What is required, says Arati, is a skillful blending of the pieces you own with the decor that you have. Ancient nutcrackers, spittoons, paan boxes, etc are not items of everyday use for us anymore and they have to be placed such that they become the starting point of a conversation. One should not blindly follow a trend simply because someone else is doing it. Sabrina adds to this point saying that collecting antiques and introducing them to your décor is an expensive hobby and not something to be discussed loosely at a kitty party. <br /><br />The only way to make an informed choice is to take the trouble to educate yourself on antiques. One of the best ways to do this is to get yourself a dealer who knows his goods. <br /><br />Says Juhi, “This is an eternal trend that keeps coming back. A lot of us have an emotional connect with vintage pieces - we relate it to something we loved as a child, or connect it to luxury and timelessness - and that connect doesn’t (like the vintage) quite go out of fashion ever. The interpretations and the ways of incorporating the vintage into a space keep changing though.” Sharon believes that it all depends on the way you style your home. Owning/ displaying antiques and vintage stuff is very fashionable at the moment. <br /><br />However, the current trend is getting the right style mix, blending the old with the new, creating décor focal points with this mix, etc. <br /><br />Trends change; perhaps the next trend will be a particular kind of furniture, perhaps almirahs from the British Raj days will hobnob with the latest designer furniture in living rooms. Antiques and old-world stuff will always find a place in trend-setting homes both globally and locally. The trick is to display it just so! <br /><br />How to do up your home<br /><br />Identify what you want exactly - it could be in terms of a certain period, or a material (a certain shade of wood for instance) or a culture (Moroccan, or Rajasthani or British colonial for example). <br /><br />Research and look for images/visuals which talk about a mood and not just focus on a piece of furniture. Accessorise around your piece of choice. These accessories need not be vintage, just complementing. Could be curtains, mats, rug, vases, candles, frames etc.<br /><br /> Take colour and texture tips from the period/theme of your choice. Speak to an expert, at least initially. Don’t buy on impulse. When buying vintage, shop around. Ask people for tips who may have already invested in vintage. Work with your interior designer and put together the knowledge you both have to come up with an interesting scheme.</p>
<p>It is not uncommon to visit a friend’s new home and be hit by a deluge of antique artifacts popping out of every nook and corner. In fact, there is sometimes so much that is labelled antique that it makes you wonder about basics such as authenticity and even availability of these artifacts in bulk. <br /><br />Sabrina Britto-Hougaard, Director Spa Operations at Serena Spa is an avid collector of authentic antiques. She explains, “The term antique is used very loosely. Just because something is over 50 years old and may be covered in a bit of a dust and grime does not make it an antique. This is applicable to not only artifacts, but also to items like paintings, clothing and such. There are several mimics of an original antique and you need to be educated enough about them to recognise the difference. There are several stores that con you into believing you are buying an antique, when in actuality you are buying something that is antique-like.” <br /><br />Antique v/s antique-like<br /><br />“Authentic vintage costs way more, in direct proportion to the age of the piece and its workmanship. Very often, the quality of wood (for a piece that’s survived for a long time) would be excellent and not easy to come by anymore. A ‘vintage-like’ object could sometimes equal authentic vintage in beauty, but that is rare as some artisan skills are almost extinct. Tools have changed, and with them the flavour of workmanship too.<br /><br /> However, vintage-like objects do go a long way into setting a mood and evoking a bygone period. Not many people understand the difference visually, and even fewer would pay an arm and a leg that is sometimes the price tag for an authentic vintage,” says Juhi Santani, Interior Designer, Retale Design Solutions while explaining the difference between antique and antique-looking. <br /><br />What constitutes an antique can vary from textiles to stone to bronze, says Arati Monappa, Owner of Serenity, that deals with antique collectibles. She continues, “Artifacts can be dated, especially textiles and here, anything above 50 years can be considered an antique.” However, Sabrina adds a point here that when it comes to other artifacts, while internationally organisations such as Christies do work on dating, India does not have an organised system for that in place right now. <br /><br />Having said that, there is a clear distinction between what an authentic antique is and what can be passed off as antique. Deciding on the kind of artifact you want in your home is a personal matter of choice and whether you are a genuine collector or someone who would like to do up their home in an antique-like manner. There are several reasons why a person might want to collect antiques, peer pressure being topmost, according to Arati. However, being able to educate yourself on the antecedents of these artifacts requires dedication. <br /><br />Overdose of information<br /><br />Getting your information on antiques can seem easy enough considering the proliferation of information online. But how far does that translate into good decor for your home since that is primarily what such pieces are used for?<br /><br />“With social media and other sources of information, there is an overdose of information on this style of décor. In India there is a very annoying impact. People blindly trust interior designers with their homes and spaces and give them a free hand. They want an antique look and they tell their designers just that. This can result in some very bad choices in terms of material, furniture styles and designs, says Sharon Dsouza, antique lover and author of a popular interiors blog. <br /><br />Juhi adds, “With easy access to information, everyone thinks they know exactly what they want and that they need a designer to only ‘execute’ a project. This is as true as each one of us being an expert software engineer or an electrician or a sculptor. Good taste doesn’t necessarily translate into good space design. This results in disastrous choices occasionally, as most people do not think of the application of vintage into the specific space they have, or along with an existing piece that they may already possess.<br /><br /> One needs to weigh several factors such as volume and size of the room that the piece shall eventually go into, the accessories that may go with the vintage piece, and its application within the space.” <br /><br />What is required, says Arati, is a skillful blending of the pieces you own with the decor that you have. Ancient nutcrackers, spittoons, paan boxes, etc are not items of everyday use for us anymore and they have to be placed such that they become the starting point of a conversation. One should not blindly follow a trend simply because someone else is doing it. Sabrina adds to this point saying that collecting antiques and introducing them to your décor is an expensive hobby and not something to be discussed loosely at a kitty party. <br /><br />The only way to make an informed choice is to take the trouble to educate yourself on antiques. One of the best ways to do this is to get yourself a dealer who knows his goods. <br /><br />Says Juhi, “This is an eternal trend that keeps coming back. A lot of us have an emotional connect with vintage pieces - we relate it to something we loved as a child, or connect it to luxury and timelessness - and that connect doesn’t (like the vintage) quite go out of fashion ever. The interpretations and the ways of incorporating the vintage into a space keep changing though.” Sharon believes that it all depends on the way you style your home. Owning/ displaying antiques and vintage stuff is very fashionable at the moment. <br /><br />However, the current trend is getting the right style mix, blending the old with the new, creating décor focal points with this mix, etc. <br /><br />Trends change; perhaps the next trend will be a particular kind of furniture, perhaps almirahs from the British Raj days will hobnob with the latest designer furniture in living rooms. Antiques and old-world stuff will always find a place in trend-setting homes both globally and locally. The trick is to display it just so! <br /><br />How to do up your home<br /><br />Identify what you want exactly - it could be in terms of a certain period, or a material (a certain shade of wood for instance) or a culture (Moroccan, or Rajasthani or British colonial for example). <br /><br />Research and look for images/visuals which talk about a mood and not just focus on a piece of furniture. Accessorise around your piece of choice. These accessories need not be vintage, just complementing. Could be curtains, mats, rug, vases, candles, frames etc.<br /><br /> Take colour and texture tips from the period/theme of your choice. Speak to an expert, at least initially. Don’t buy on impulse. When buying vintage, shop around. Ask people for tips who may have already invested in vintage. Work with your interior designer and put together the knowledge you both have to come up with an interesting scheme.</p>
