Antiques for Small Spaces

By JONI FOERTER Owner Furniture Rescue

Say the word “antique,” and our minds often jump to something grand and imposing, a double-door armoire or a twelve-seat dining table. But palatially sized pieces are far from your only options. If you’re short on space, there’s no reason to rule antiques out. At The Furniture Rescue, we can help make tracking down petite pieces easier. We get in some fantastic small-scale furniture worth putting on your wish list. Small spaces sometimes call for niche pieces, like a two-seat bistro table, ladder-style bookcase, or a drinks/martini table.

While antique versions aren’t always available, there’s no rule against reimagining an antique to fulfill your needs. Consider using an antique center table or drop-leaf table as a two-seater dining table. Try an antique plant or candle stand as a drinks/martini table. With its upright back and thin profile, an antique Chippendale sofa can be reimagined as banquette seating on one side of a modern dining table. Or use a pew bench for the role of the banquette seating. Looking for a smaller coffee table? Try two antique stools or cut down the legs of a taller piece. If an antique textbook is not what you’re interested in, you know the type: brown wood, curvy legs, fancy woodwork. There are other options for space-saving designs to consider. Look for pieces that incorporate spatially conscientious details like wall mounts, drop leaves, and floating shelves.

When you are working with a small space, what you choose to pair with your antiques is almost as important as what antiques you select. In space-squeezed quarters, using too much dark, heavy furniture can visually close things in. To prevent your space from feeling too heavy, try pairing your antique furniture with slim modern pieces. Love your antique pedestal dining table, then pair it with some Ghost Chairs. They’re more modern but take their cues from classical designs.

Opting for a more colorful antique, a painted piece will mix more seamlessly with modern furniture’s vibrant finishes. Despite living in a small space, sometimes oversized antiques choose you. Whether it be a piano passed down from a relative or a street corner freebie that was simply too good to pass up, occasionally we find ourselves saddled with a more sizable piece than we bargained for. If you can relate, don’t panic. With a little Antiques for Small Spaces finessing, large antiques can be recast as more functional pieces. For instance, try treating an antique piano more like a console. Outfitting it with a vase, candlesticks, and a decorative bowl can tone down its commanding presence.

Topping it with art and outfitting it with a brightly upholstered chair or bench can mule its monumental qualities even more. Take a similar approach to a china cabinet. Remove its doors to make it feel more visually lightweight and create an accessible, open bookcase. Or take the top hutch o the base, and by adding legs, you have display or storage space, and the bottom buet can be used separately. Antiques that can swing double duty are well suited for small spaces. A secretary desk is a smart choice in small bedrooms requiring both storage and workspace. Bottom drawers can be allocated to sweaters and jean storage, while the drop leaf can be unfolded to accommodate a laptop. A secretary with a flat top (rather than an enclosed hutch) can also be used to pedestal a TV, if needed. In a kid’s room, try using an antique school desk as a nightstand. This will function beautifully as a bedside companion day-to-day but can be transformed into a workspace whenever needed. A stately Federal desk can also function as a buet in a dining room or a bar in a living room. Just because you’re not living in a large space, don’t rule out an antique china cabinet. It is possible to find small-scale versions of traditionally large antiques. A curio cabinet is similar to a china cabinet but often comes in small-scale sizes. Drop-leaf tables, which feature hinged drop panels on either side, can also be reimagined as small dining tables.

 The demilune is essentially a small-scale console masquerading as a table. A half-circle-shaped top set atop two or four legs makes it easily distinguishable, as does its taller-than-average height. Most demi-lunes have a depth between 10” and 16,” meaning they can go just about anywhere. Have an especially narrow hallway or entryway or smaller bedroom? A demilune is a great option. No matter your style or the size of your living space, upcycling vintage solid hardwood furniture and wonderful old antiques are not going out of style—they simply need to be restyled.