Antiques: Furniture that fits your budget

Are you thinking of buying a new dining table? Perhaps you need bedroom furniture or just an occasional table. If so, you're probably spending your weekends going in and out of the furniture shops on your local high street or visiting the nearest retail park. Did you know that you could get some antique furniture for the same price as you're thinking of spending on something brand new?

Antiques: furniture isn't always as expensive as you think

People tend to think that antique furniture is tremendously expensive – and for some of the larger and rarer pieces, this can be true. In general, however, antique furniture can be very competitively priced, so if you haven't considered it, perhaps now is the time to look. If you have a character property, antique furniture may fit in beautifully and, because many antique pieces were made for smaller spaces, you may find that they are easier to have in your home than their modern equivalents. Tables with folding leaves, or gatelegs can be especially useful, and slim cabinets and multi-drawer sideboards could be the answer to you space and storage problems. Today's modern furniture or reproduction furniture can be very expensive and antique furniture not only gives you the opportunity to own a bit of the past, but also gives you the benefit of handcrafted wood and years of care.

Choosing your antique furniture

Just like any piece, you have to make sure that your antique furniture is practical as well as beautiful. Make sure it's going to fit in the space you have, and that it will be fit for the purpose you need it for. Will the table sit enough people? Will the chest be big enough for your linen? Will the wardrobe fit through your front door? If you can, browse antique furniture online and then make a trip to the antiques centre to take a good look at the piece and to touch it. Antique furniture is very tactile and if you can see yourself entertaining at a beautiful dining table or envisage your hall with a simple antique console table, you'll find that it's worth every penny – and may even grow in value, which many reproduction items will not.

Sunnyside Antiques specialises in 17th-19th century furniture, textiles, clocks and other items. Based less an hour away from Edinburgh and Glasgow, in South Lanarkshire, we have a wide range of antique furniture in stock; from dining tables to writing desks. We only stock good quality furniture and we're able to help you with any restoration or upholstering that you need. To find out more, browse our website, call us on 01899 850 552, email info@periodantiques.net or call in to see us.