My love for antiques and vintage is no secret. Whenever I feel like I need to get out of the studio — for inspiration or just to take a break after working intensely — I like to visit my local antique and thrift stores.
Antique shops are so full of inspiration, from framing techniques to colors, to materials and textures. It feels like a mini museum visit, and I only have to drive five minutes to get to a really wonderful antique store in our town. It is the perfect quick afternoon break.
Actually, some of my most frequently asked questions are about the antiques you see in my product photos. These are objects and art I choose for my home and style to my own taste.
If you’re hoping to artfully integrate antiques into your space, here are a few style tips I recommend considering:
• Strike a balance when mixing vintage and antique items
Most of the furniture and decor in our home is either antique or vintage, but nothing about it feels stale. In each room, I blend objects from different decades — and even different centuries — with varying but complementary proportions and textures. Mixing antiques and vintage can provide a nice range of shapes, a mixture of lines, patina, and more. These contrasting objects come together harmoniously through classical furniture arrangements and curated focal points in the room.
• Stick to one statement piece
Older items, particularly antiques, were created to fill larger spaces of homes in the past. Thus, antique artwork and furniture can feel oversized in our smaller, modern-day homes. This play on proportionality can be stylish when one piece — such as an oversized painting or large object — is placed in an otherwise understated, modern room.
• Use lighting to your advantage
When you find a piece you love, consider where it would best fit in your home in terms of intended use and proportion, of course, but also light. If the object is a dark wood, as many antiques furniture pieces are, place it in a bright, airy room and complement the piece with soft textiles. In a small, dark room, a grouping of dark furniture could create a sense of heaviness. A trick to lightening up a dark or heavy room is to place a mirror opposite a light source, such as a window, to reflect light around the room, further opening up the space. On the other hand, if you’re creating a gallery wall down a hallway or showcasing antique books on your shelves, use task lighting or sconces for a moody vibe.
• Only buy items that speak to your style
Last but not least is the obvious: only buy pieces that really excite you. When you find the right piece, you should be passionate about it and see it fitting into your home well. Antique and vintage pieces should make your space feel more like yours by exuding your personality and aesthetic.
Danielle Demers Antiques
For the longest time, I have dreamed of selling antiques. And now it’s a reality: Danielle Demers Studio is officially expanding to offer authentic antiques available to purchase online! I hand-pick beautiful objects that catch my creative eye and inspire my art and design, and curate collections for you to browse on my digital shop and arrange in your home.
Equestrian and English countryside motifs from England and New England
Though horses and equestrian themes are most often the subject of my work, my artistic aesthetic has long been historically inspired by the English countryside, antiques, and vintage. While many of the antiques are sourced around New England — from antique stores, to estate sales, to charming thrift shops — several of the pieces I have curated were made in England in the 18th and 19th centuries.
I’m excited to share this passion with you. I invite you to explore the antique and vintage pieces currently in stock. I will be regularly updating the page with new treasures, so keep checking back for the piece that speaks to you.