Beautify Your Home with French Antique Furniture

When I was a bit younger, I didn't pay much attention to home furnishings. Plastic minimalist tables and chairs from a place like IKEA were just fine. They were functional and cheap, which was all I was really looking for. But now that I'm older and more established, I'm definitely interested in implementing a classier interior decorating scheme. I've recently had my eyes opened to the wonderful world of French antique furniture, so I want to start by acquiring a few pieces for my living room and bedroom.

I am by no means an expert on French antique furniture. I'm not sure what is most sought after by professional dealers and collectors, and I can't even identify the period that some of these pieces come from. There are probably some snobs out there that believe my lack of knowledge should automatically disqualify me from being able to purchase French antique furniture, but I don't really care about that. I'm not out to impress anyone; I just want to buy some nice armchairs, dressers, wardrobes, and decorative accessories for the house.

From what I've seen in catalogs and online, I like 18th and 19th century French antique furniture the best. There are some amazingly beautiful pieces available, including a Louis XV desk that I've had my eye on for quite some time. Of course these are reproductions, as there's no way I would ever be able to afford an original item like that. But that's ok, I don't mind starting with baby steps!

There are a couple of different ways I can go about purchasing the merchandise I want. First, I can buy French antique furniture reproductions from reputable domestic dealers. This would mean either combing the countryside and stopping at every antiques store I happen to come across, or spending some time on an internet search engine looking for a dealer that can ship for a reasonable cost. I have no desire to waste my weekends doing the former, so online searches it is.

Another option would be to buy from international dealers. This might be necessary if I'm after a particularly rare reproduction or certain curios or paintings that aren't readily available here in America. Again, I would use the internet to find someone who has the item I want and can import it directly to me. Sure, that would be more expensive than buying from a shop in the United States, but I'd be willing to sacrifice the extra cash to get that armoire I've been dying to own!

I'm anxious to start building my own French antique furniture collection in the near future. They may not be originals, but they'll still look terrific in my home. As long as I can find a few trusted venues to buy my furnishings from and as long as the pieces arrive intact, I'll be happy!