Antique buffets: examples in the interior and restoration ideas

Passion for old buffets is becoming more and more widespread. But it is not enough just to study ready-made examples in the interior. It is required to consider how the ideas of restoration or the use of imitations can be implemented in a particular case.

Using a sideboard or antique sideboard is attractive because this piece of furniture has the following advantages:

• allows you to make the atmosphere more original;
• emphasizes the luxury of the room;
• adds convenience;
• allows you to divide zones of space visually and physically;
• can be placed in almost any, even a relatively small room;
• satisfies the taste of the most conservative people.

However, the buffets in general (not only the old antique ones, but also the newest ones) cannot boast of a large capacity. They cannot be used in every interior. To emphasize the merits of the buffet itself, you will have to set it apart from other items. In addition, real furniture antiques are invariably expensive. The way out may be the acquisition of more modern furniture, only semi-antique, in aesthetic terms, it will be no worse.

Unlike modern versions, antique and antique sideboards are necessarily made of wood. There is no place for chipboard and even MDF, metal and sturdy plastic. But there is an undeniable difference between real antiques and modern imitations of it... In the second case, solid wood products are usually impregnated with substances that increase the resistance to moisture and fire. Such treatments do not affect the aesthetic properties of the structure, because the reagents and modes of their use are selected very carefully.

But wood can vary greatly in its appearance and practical characteristics... Traditionally, oak products are considered the standard of an old sideboard, which look emphatically chic and serve for a very long time.

Also, semi-antique kitchen furniture can be made from other types of wood:

• larch;
• yew;
• beech;
• walnut;
• ash;
• birch.

It is customary to divide kitchen cupboards, first of all, into linear and corner categories. The linear design is usually quite wide, while the angular design is much narrower. But it rather depends on the characteristics of a particular product. The design of the corner sideboard can include 1-3 edges. Sometimes there are models with an almost round shape or in the form of a hexagon cut into 2 parts.

Sideboards can be made in the form of a monolith or represent a wall and floor cabinet, which are connected by side walls. There are options with a blank facade, which does not allow you to see what is inside. This solution will appeal to the champions of severity and order, who want to see more space in the room.

The difference between the buffets can also relate to the following parameters:

• using legs (sometimes they are not);
• number of supports;
• the number of modules;
• geometric shapes;
• style.

Classic style involves the use of light colors, gilding or stucco elements. Often there are "golden" handles or ornaments of the same color. The classic sideboard is sometimes arched. White and pastel colors predominate. Important: only products from expensive wood species fully correspond to the spirit of the classics.

The retro approach is slightly different: in this style, it is desirable to use bright rich colors. We'll have to maintain an optimal balance between traditional and modern motives. In fact, the task of the designer is to reproduce the spirit of an era (which is chosen individually). The Provence style is quite widely in demand, which is expressed in the following:

• carved legs;
• openwork inserts of forged metal;
• light color (most often white, snow-white and ivory);
• artificial aging of wood.

Let's say you already have an antique old buffet. But time does not spare this furniture, and therefore it is important to correct various shortcomings. And even if the furniture is well preserved, its appearance may not fit into the interior of the house. There are a number of tricks that can be used to update the old buffet and give it freshness and additional appeal. It is quite possible to do all the work with your own hands.

Most people are able to paint a product in bright colors so that it decorates the interior. But if we are talking about an old wooden sideboard, and not about a modern imitation of it, painting is not recommended. In this case, the value of furniture will be significantly less.

An alternative solution is to focus precisely on the antique character of the buffet. The style of Provence is emphasized with specially created abrasions. They can be formed in several ways:

• grind with sandpaper;
• apply craquelure varnish;
• apply decoupage.

But before using any paint or varnish, you will first have to perform certain actions:

• sand the surface with sandpaper;
• wash it with soap;
• cover with a primer.

Sometimes it is advisable to disassemble and remake the old sideboard. The upper shelves are used for storing kitchen and decorative utensils, tea boxes and various accessories. The lower shelves are reserved for large kitchen utensils. To fit the sideboard into the environment helps to cover it with a countertop that is about the same as on the other lower cabinets. A step-by-step technology that allows you to decorate furniture is as follows:

• the buffet is being dismantled;
• wash off the varnish with acetone;
• the remains are removed with a rag soaked in the same acetone;
• clean the carved elements with a separate cloth;
• cover the surface with acrylic tinting varnish;
• dry the product in the sun;
• paint (if necessary) the smallest curly elements with a thin artistic brush.

A self-polished sideboard can look no less attractive. Important: polishing will have to be repeated from time to time so that the furniture does not tarnish. For work, use a small amount of polish, which is smeared with flannel cloth. Some people advise using flaxseed oil. You need to deal with scratches like this:

• rub the damaged areas with walnut kernels;
• wait 10 minutes;
• polish the surface with a cloth cloth.

Small defects are eliminated with shoe cream. Important: you need to select it strictly according to the color of the furniture. If this is not possible, it is better to look for another way. For example, use a marker of a suitable color.Sometimes it is worth consulting with specialists, because the consequences of ill-considered actions can be irreparable.

An antique sideboard can look amazing in a rustic setting. The photo clearly shows how beautifully this furniture is combined with a table with forged legs. Other decorative elements also work well with the sideboard. A rich woody color favorably sets off a light, discreet wall. The feeling of fading, which it would create by itself, disappears.

A chic old sideboard can also be part of a room decorated entirely in the old-fashioned spirit. The chandelier and the painting, the table lamp are fully compatible with it. Graceful decorative elements complement the created look. And even an unfinished, emphatically rough wood floor looks good. Moreover, the carpet, which would otherwise look awkward, has a logical application.

The combination of a very dark antique sideboard with lighter modern furniture will definitely decorate the interior. The contrast is emphasized not only by the color, but also by the clear difference between the straight shape of the old part and the unexpressed angle of the new typeface. A pleasant woody floor is the third component in this combination. The chic look of the old sideboard is only made fuller by well-chosen decorative items. But, of course, any of these and other ideas must be reworked and adapted for a particular room.

The restoration of the 19th century buffet is presented below.