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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Antique-e-fied

Scouring out the vintage and valuable is not a new urban ‘hipster’ phenomenon but for those of us that don’t know our Wedgwoods from our Staffordshires (and don’t particularly wish to learn!) it can be an expensive gamble into the well-worn foray. The good news is, alongside the plethora of antique, buy&sell, and local garage sales in your woods is the abundance of choice! In order to help you save, and score, I have put together an Antique Roadshow ‘how to’ (or rather, how to shop for Granny’s wears without forking out your future inheritance):

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Rule 1:
Know what you want: sounds straight forward but I have lost count of the times I have intended on hunting down a wooden ladder, a 70’s lamp or a bunch of beakers, only to come away with the kitschiest porcelain rendition of the Virgin-Mary-come-dust-collector. It may look awesome in store, and be a weekend ‘bargain’ but it is only going to clutter up your life! Stay ruthless.

Rule 2:
Know your space: take a tape measure. Yes, the 1950’s Blackwood drinks cabinet is amazing, but will it fit in your tiny weeny inner Sydney apartment? And, if you can (miraculously) manoeuvre it up five flights of stairs and puzzle piece it into your one empty corner, will it trump over all your other furniture? Measure your space to be filled, then (properly!) measure your lust new wares.


Rule 3:
Is it funky: not the disco kind. Be aware that mould, smoke and general moth-ball-living-in-a-dark-dewy-closet smells can actively linger – in your nose. You’re going to have to get in there and sniff it. There are methods of removing and/or disguising an array of mildewy smells (Google it) but you need to determine whether you can live with it and whether it is worth the effort.

Rule 4: 
Is it LOVE? Then get it! Or someone else will.



[images pinterest sourced]