Colors for Antique Furniture

Working With Antiques

• Antiques are not just furnishings -- they also impart a bit of the history and culture of their time to any space where they're found. Understanding when and where your antique was made can help you to showcase it in a way that enhances the piece and gives the room a distinctive feel. Antiques can require an Art Nouveau, Georgian, Colonial or Victorian treatment and each of these styles require a different use of color to enhance the presence of the piece in the room’s décor.

Period-Appropriate Wall Paints

• Fortunately, today’s paint manufacturers offer a variety of paint colors, and many of these are inspired by decorating styles of the past. You can choose a wide range of Colonial blues and Victorian lavenders to paint the rooms that house your antiques. These colors will show off your antiques to their best advantage, according to writer Lindsey Thomas at the Old House Journal website.

Rich Jewel Tones

• Many antiques come from times when the use of rich, jewel colors were part of the decorating style, such as the Edwardian or Georgian periods, when these shades were used extensively in home furnishings. Dark red, forest green, royal blue, deep purple and vibrant gold were used in rugs, tapestries and other textiles. These colors go well with the rich wood tones and extensive carvings found in many antique cabinets, tables and chairs.

Cool Pastels

• Though the use of rich colors is appropriate for older historical period pieces, others need a lighter treatment, such as the Art Deco style, which uses pastels, metallics or iridescent tones that suit the whimsical themes of the furnishings.

Neutrals to Highlight

• Neutral colors help to highlight unique carved cabinets and other furnishings and provide a feeling of more space in areas that would otherwise feel cramped and congested, according to writer Ritika Puri at the Ideal Home Garden website.

Use of Colorful Prints

• Decorating with colorful prints that are appropriate for the time frame is a good way to enhance the look of an antique. Selection of the right prints requires a good eye and some knowledge of historical styles, however. It needn't be an authentic antique textile, simply one that suggests that period in time. If the antique itself contains some color, choose a print that repeats that color in some small way to tie the room together.