Antique style furniture in England has seen various phases and designs over the ages: To select a furniture style, one should first understand the different styles.
Antique style furniture often heightens the mood of a British house, and adds a distinct sense of class to the existing interiors. If bought and placed properly, antique style furniture can change the appearance of a room or house. In order to purchase the right variety of furniture, one has to understand the different types of furniture and their functionality.
Basic Features of Antique English Furniture
Antique English furniture is mostly marked for its rich choice of wood and sophisticated designs. Traditionally, old English style furniture was mostly constructed from woods like oak, walnut and mahogany. The furniture design styles vary from elaborate to countryside-handmade. The wood chosen for constructing the furniture was mostly dark.
Different Styles of Antique English Furniture
There are different genres of antique style furniture that one can refer to while selecting; among them Baroque, English Renaissance, and Eclectic: Each adds a separate charm to interiors. However, one has to have a fair idea about these antique styles, and then decide whether they match the ambiance of the living units.
For instance, if a person selects an English Renaissance design, one will be glancing into the intricacies of Tudor furniture styles: This era was marked by its distinction from the preceding Medieval era. Furniture design of this kind mostly utilised oak wood, and was characteristically known for its imposing and heavy style.
Similarly, if one is interested in an antique style like Baroque, then one is looking for furniture designs from England’s Restoration Age. Baroque furniture used more mahogany and walnut in place of oak: The styles were very refined, and this kind of furniture is considered as among the best antique furniture.
English Country Style Furniture
English countryside furniture is yet another furniture style, and unique in antique furniture. English country style furniture is marked for its simplicity, and use of native wood like oak, elm, yew, and so on. The pragmatic aspect of the style was highlighted in the simple designs; excessive decoration was kept at bay. This style of furniture was the everyday furniture of the common people, or people living in rustic regions.
Palladian Table
A more extravagant design would be Palladian furniture, which appeared during the mid-Georgian era. Buzz Kaplan of C. Mariani Antiques in San Francisco writes, in an article titled “A Style Unto Itself: English Palladian Furniture,” that this furniture style was one of the most luxurious in antique furniture.
According to Kaplan; Palladian furniture was created specially for the upper crust of English society during the mid-Georgian era. He describes this style as “over-the-top ornate, huge, only barely movable, and typically embellished with lavish carving.” In addition, he mentions that many Neoclassical elements found space in this style of furniture. For instance, one could see carvings of masks, eagles and sphinxes.
With so many styles and varieties; English Antique style furniture definitely offers a wide spectrum of choice to the customer. However, which style best suits a particular kind of English home, is completely based on a person’s taste, and their understanding of the various antique styles.