Antique meets modern: The ultimate guide to successfully combining furniture styles

The designers shared some essential tips to keep in mind for those planning to mix traditional and modern furniture pieces.

Playing with the proportions:

When contrasting styles blend into each other, there is a call for balance. “The much essential visual harmony can be brought in with the 80-20 rule where 80 per cent of furniture stays modern and 20 per cent stays antique. It can be anything from a colossal Queen Anne console table taking the company of minimal shelving and accessories, to a towering almirah pairing with solid ottomans and a seamless vanity mirror,” Kalra explained.

Accentuating the textures:

She added that a mixed media palette drawn from the style concoctions gives a unique signature to the space. “Underlining the textural quality of time-worn teakwood, brushed brass, and more in a modern, minimalist canvas can add a stimulative touch to the interior scene,” she added.

These tips will amp up your space (Source: Pexels)

Bringing in a colour theme:

The interior designer highlighted that a true eclectic meaning can only come from a meaningful pairing of pieces with the common language of colour. “Play with repetition and tie things together with colour-coordinated pieces, complementing colour schemes and neutral bases that draw the assortments closer to each other,” Kalra suggested. Agreeing, Ojha advised pairing your antique pieces with modern furniture and setting a colour palette for the décor, dedicating it to the timeless elegance of the antique pieces. “It will help in setting balance and contrast to your home décor.”

Giving a fresh face to fabrics:

Furniture and accessories marking a particular style needn’t always come in their original guise. “Artistic details from an antique Turkish carpet can become a wall tapestry, the hand-embroidered finesse of zari throws can get framed like an artwork and the elegance of premium 80s lace can get into the wall plates to give a new meaning to the contemporary elements,” Kalra said.

Featuring personal collections:

Finding that personal touch can come through a freestyle pairing of furniture–free from judgement and thumb rules, she said. “Even a 150-year-old vase can sit on a shimmering marble table if it feels right. Such smaller yet deeper connections to the space make its style experiments exciting and aesthetic, all at the same time,” Kalra said. Ojha also believes that any antique piece installed in houses is a reflection of ourselves. “Whenever we are selecting any piece, we must consider which piece speaks to us and what will be the most appropriate choice for our space.”

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