It becomes harder to seek inspiration and find unique pieces to capture the essence of your design flair. You may want to reflect your own quirky nature, or perhaps bring together different aspects of the personalities within your family, but you are unlikely to really capture this in an off-the-shelf flat pack number, despite sometimes paying a hefty price tag.
If you really want to harness your individuality and find something truly unique and interesting, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Beyond the high street, there lies a hidden world of off-the-beaten-track antique shops and markets that provide a wealth of opportunity to seek out a focal point for a room that is personal to you, not just because you chose it, but because it won’t be available in rows in every DIY store in the country.
This approach to shopping requires an element of bravery because we’ve become conditioned to shopping ‘off the shelf’ over the years and it’s easy to forget how to choose something completely individual. Buying from a commercial establishment doesn’t require a vast amount of decision making, quite often items are grouped in styles, or placed in displays that suggest how they could work in a room, but where’s the fun in that? An eclectic approach shows individuality and flair.
Fireplaces London
If you are considering a significant feature for a room, such as a fireplace, London is the place to go. With a wealth of shopping areas and markets dedicated to antiques, such as Portobello Road, there is a wonderful atmosphere that absorbs you, as well as a wealth of inspiration to help you harness your style.
In any home, a fireplace is often a focal point in a room. As well as keeping you warm it can be a significant design feature, and will often influence the arrangement of furniture. So for an individual look why not go shopping for an antique fireplace?
Some people can find antique shops a little intimidating but if you are not feeling brave enough to begin your adventure into the world of antiques alone, consider taking someone with you to bounce ideas off and help you decide what you really like. It's a great idea to spend some time looking through magazines or online to see what era might suit your taste and budget, before you go.
This example fireplace is Victorian, in the Tudor-revival style, but the plain lines mean it could fit into a more modern home.
If you are considering a significant feature for a room, such as a fireplace, London is the place to go. With a wealth of shopping areas and markets dedicated to antiques, such as Portobello Road, there is a wonderful atmosphere that absorbs you, as well as a wealth of inspiration to help you harness your style.
In any home, a fireplace is often a focal point in a room. As well as keeping you warm it can be a significant design feature, and will often influence the arrangement of furniture. So for an individual look why not go shopping for an antique fireplace?
Some people can find antique shops a little intimidating but if you are not feeling brave enough to begin your adventure into the world of antiques alone, consider taking someone with you to bounce ideas off and help you decide what you really like. It's a great idea to spend some time looking through magazines or online to see what era might suit your taste and budget, before you go.
Once you get the hang of antique shopping and finding what your personal style looks like, it will become easier and with experience finding that individual unique item will soon become an enjoyable one. You may even find a bargain.
Of course with antiques, you also get amazing history and provenance. Digging around in a shop full of character and curiosity, such as Westland London, which is situated in an old church in Shoreditch, your hunting instinct will soon take over as you seek out the perfect focal point for your room. Once you find the perfect piece, you will have it forever and it will always be a talking point. Where you found it, where it originally came from, its history, there is really something wonderful about owning your own piece of the past.
Have you ever browsed antique shops?
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