Clash and create: Decorating with antique furniture and timeless period pieces

Kya deLongchamps looks at five vintage and antique possibilities to introduce to a contemporary interior

A gorgeous pair of gilded bronze bunny bookends from Art Deco and Art Nouveau London specialist hicknet.com (sold).

This year’s most interesting decorating is all about clashing eras and making idiosyncratic marriages. Let’s lose the fear and cause a stir - introducing one or two period pieces into those glittering acres of brand new everything.

Drop some drawers. I know we all love our mid-century sideboards, but there is other elder furniture that still earns its place, including a great chest-of-drawers. Both authentic antique chests and bold vintage reproductions from the early 20th century are widely available. My choice would be a curvy-swervy double-serpentine French or Gustavian (Swedish) bombe. These commode chests on elegant bandy legs with their rich veneers and marble tops really are the bomb in a hallway, corridor, or putting pretty Parisian manners on a bedroom. Taken from the era of Louis XV, look out for revival Rococo at auction in pretty inlays, stringing and ormolu gilded bronze mounts. If you prefer something less fussy, more angular Georgian/Victorian cabinets in toffee dark mahogany or rosewood veneers are well priced for a great piece of character storage furniture. Top tips: Ensure drawers in any cabinet run or budget for some gentle restoration (a rub of a candle to the base of the drawers may help). Don’t over-brighten old timbers and veneers with clumsy restoration as they look tacky when dolled up to a nail varnish shine. Let honest character poke through.