Decorating with rustic garden antiques

By Joe Feehily

Published: Sunday, 05 June 2022 at 12:00 am

Though it’s not quite the full blaze of summer, the weather is certainly warming. And why not accelerate the alfresco mood by decorating with garden antiques that give your home and garden a fresh, organic feel?

Even if pots, trowels and planters are really made for manual labour in the garden, they also make brilliant decorative accessories, and can be used both outside and in.

Here are 9 easy ideas for using garden antiques to lend a stylish, rustic – and summery – touch that you can enjoy in your home and garden all year round.

Display houseplants in decorative antique planters

A large weathered planter filled with a houseplant or indoor tree makes a fun play of scale next to an elegant armchair.

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Make a surprising display using a chest of drawers

Open up an antique chest of drawers and add in houseplants and gardening accessories to make a surprising and standout display.

Use salvaged garden seating in the dining room

Decorative garden chairs give a dining room a relaxed, unhurried feel. Continue the theme with a hessian or hemp table runner.

Pair rusted garden antiques with elegant floral fabrics

Fresh floral fabrics contrast with the antique patina of terracotta pots, old workbenches and vintage soil sieves – like this charming living room mantle display.

Make a statement with shapely garden furniture

Victorian wrought iron garden furniture can add sculptural shapes to your home, and this curved seat would look beautiful in an entrance hall, or as an occasional seat in a bedroom.

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Create a quirky sink area in a utility room or cloakroom

You can create a stylish sink area from an old Formica table and a brass garden tap. Use tiles to make a splash-back and, for a truly vintage look, you could repurpose an old stone trough for the sink.

Create a relaxing area in your garden

A wrought-iron garden bench makes a beautiful focal point and creates a relaxing area in your garden. Vintage watering cans and tools make interesting display pieces as well as being practical items.

Create points of interest in the garden

Unusual garden accessories are the perfect way to create a decorative, vintage look in the garden. Bench ends, pot stands and painted garden chairs all add visual interest among potted plants, especially when placed to the front of an outhouse or shed.

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Bring personality with an old-fashioned plant stand

An antique plant stand is an easy way to bring height and character to your garden, no matter what its size. Simply stack with herbs and flowers in reclaimed terracotta pots to create a fragrant and beautiful display.