Decorating with Antiques!

Decorating your new home can be a challenge, not to mention a large expense. There are many ways you can beatify a space and leave your wallet intact. If your heart aches for antiques, or you've got a unique idea that requires something old, you've come to the right place! So after you've found the perfect wall paint or wallpaper, start looking for antiques, your first stops are thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales.

These venues are the perfect place to find unique, antique or unusual décor. Often people are not aware of a treasure and are just looking to get rid of it. I've been to dozens of yard sales and many times there are pieces of painted furniture or broken down pieces that look like junk, but for the savvy shopper are actually antiques that with a little tender loving care can become show pieces.

Wood furniture has some unique characteristics to look for. Dove tail furniture is a dead giveaway that you've got an older piece on your hands. If you see dove tail anything and it's cheap, buy it! Even if the piece turns out to be not worth much, remember it cost you nearly nothing. You can refinish them with stain, or a new coat of paint can be antiqued to give it an older look and new hardware will spruce up the drawer fronts. With a little work it will become a work of art. For just a few dollars, that ugly piece of furniture can be transformed into a lovely piece. Remember; with any antique wooden furniture to do a bit of research because refinishing or painting might devalue the piece.

Antique silver is another great find and really is a dime a dozen. Some pieces can be very elaborately decorated and be worth quite a bit of money! If you find silver tea pots or creamers and they're cheap grab them! With a bit of elbow grease and silver cleaner, they shine up like new and make a wonderful centerpiece to a hutch or table top.

Looking for unique pieces for a shelf? Look no further than antique flour sifters, egg beaters, mashers or graters. Any older kitchen tools clean up well and look divine on shelves or hanging from hooks, cabinets or on table tops. Look for worn, wooden or aluminum handled objects, these are often the oldest. Don't stop at kitchen wares, look for old tools, wash boards, or saws to clean up and hang on walls. You might even be surprised to find such items in Grandpas garage!

Old signs are a wonderful way to add character to any room. Not only do they look great, but are awesome conversation pieces. Look for any metal signage and don't pass over the beaten up signs, these are often worth the most money! John Deere and Coca Cola are some of the most collectible.

Now that you've got an idea of what you want to use to decorate that space, now's the time to go find it. Don't overlook thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets or yard sales. With a bit of digging you'll find awesome pieces and your home will look amazing!