{"id":20342,"date":"2023-04-14T14:00:16","date_gmt":"2023-04-14T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=37157"},"modified":"2023-04-14T14:36:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T12:36:37","slug":"are-antiques-green","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/are-antiques-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Are antiques green?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By choosing old over new, shopping locally and restoring what you already have, you can fill your home with beautiful things, whilst remaining sustainable. Illustrations Matilda Berger <\/p>

By Tallulah Rushaya\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 14 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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With the looming climate crisis, sustainability is the watchword of the day. More than ever, we must pay attention to where our food and furniture come from, question how it is produced, packaged and transported, and make our choices accordingly. At times it can feel dispiriting to discover that the things we love are actually part of the unhappy cycle of consumption and pollution.<\/p>\n

Are antiques sustainable?<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s good news for all antiques lovers: antiques<\/a>, and their vintage<\/a> cousins, offer the most sustainable way to shop for furniture and interiors accessories. A report published by Carbon Clear in 2010 (commissioned by LAPADA<\/a> and other antiques trade bodies) found that an antique chest of drawers can have a carbon footprint up to 16 times smaller than its brand new equivalent.<\/p>\n

Of course, we aren\u2019t saying you need to furnish your home exclusively with antique and vintage furniture<\/a> \u2013 rather that by choosing old over new, when you can, you really will make a difference. Plus, the fact that antiques<\/a> rarely come with an allen key, or take an entire weekend to construct, is a wonderful bonus!<\/p>\n

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How to make sustainable choices with antiques<\/h2>\n

Choose old over new<\/h3>\n

Whenever you need to replace something, first ask yourself whether there might be a vintage<\/a> or antique<\/a> alternative. With the rise of antiques portals, not to mention apps such as Depop and Vinted, the search has never been easier. From Etsy to Instagram, The Hoarde to 1stDibs, there are thousands of dealers online \u2013 browse their stock from the comfort of your Georgian wingback chair.<\/p>\n

You can find your local antiques stores and centres in our guide to the best antiques and vintage shops around the UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Buy from your local antiques dealer<\/h3>\n

Although you can shop the world online in search of pre-loved and antique furniture and accessories, choosing to shop locally and supporting your closest antiques dealer will reduce carbon emissions related to transport and packaging. A quick look online will lead you to your nearest antiques shop<\/a>, reclamation yard or auction house<\/a>, and our listings will keep you up to date with fairs in your area.<\/p>\n

Trade organisations such as The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers (LAPADA) or The British Antique Dealers\u2019 Association (BADA) have online directories of their members, so you can easily find a dealer nearby. \u2018When buying antiques, it\u2019s best to look for a dealer who is a member of a reputable network or who is exhibiting at a vetted fair,\u2019 advises Freya Simms, CEO of LAPADA. \u2018Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions and engage with dealers, as most are very happy to share their knowledge and give advice. Buying antiques allows you to buy something unique and individual, with the added advantage of minimising your carbon footprint.\u2019<\/p>\n

Shopping locally for anything is a powerful way to invest in your community; buying the odd pair of candlesticks<\/a> or a side table from your local antiques dealer or antiques centre<\/a> is no different from supporting your local grocer or baker. This sense of community is as life-enhancing as the antiques themselves. Returning customers are often the people who keep small dealerships in business.<\/p>\n

\u2018We regularly buy items back from clients who are moving and who are looking for different items for their new home,\u2019 says Louise Phillips, owner of Elaine Phillips Antiques and current chairman of BADA. \u2018In some cases, we have bought and sold the same items three or four times over the years.\u2019<\/p>\n

If there is something specific you are looking for, many dealers will be happy to help you in your search; all the more so if you have taken the time to build a friendly relationship through regular visits.<\/p>\n

Go green while you clean<\/h3>\n

As with most old things, antiques will bear signs of wear and tear. This is usually part of their charm \u2013 a chip here or a scratch there suggests a life that has gone before. But dirt and grime that is obscuring detail can often be fixed with gentle cleaning \u2013 though take care not to destroy the natural patina that has built up over centuries of use. When in doubt, ask an expert \u2013 your local dealer, again!<\/p>\n

Fittingly enough, the old ways are often the best ways when it comes to cleaning antiques: beeswax for polishing wood; salt and white wine vinegar mixed with baking soda to remove tea stains on china. Avoid harsh and abrasive cleaning agents that are also bad for the environment, and turn to natural alternatives instead. For detailed guides on how to clean specific items, visit our series on \u2018How to Care For Antiques\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Restore and repair<\/h3>\n

For antiques that need more than a clean, you will need specialist help. Although re-caning a chair might end up costing more than you paid for the chair in the first place, it\u2019s worth remembering that you will not only have a unique piece of furniture, but you will have saved it from landfill and supported a traditional craft. Each year, the Heritage Crafts Association publishes its Red List of endangered crafts.<\/p>\n

In 2021, basketwork furniture-making was flagged as critically endangered, along with parchment and vellum, watch-dial enamelling, and over 50 others. Passementerie and japanning are on a long list of crafts about which there are serious concerns. The Institute of Conservation (Icon) is an excellent source of information about specialist restorers and can point you in the direction of the right person for your job. You can check online for details of your nearest upholsterer or antiques restorer, or consult a local antiques dealer and ask for a recommendation.<\/p>\n

Rescue and repurpose<\/h3>\n

The idea of throwing away something because it was surplus to requirements, no longer up to the job, or had simply fallen out of fashion was anathema to our thrifty predecessors. Look closely and evidence of early repurposing abounds: it is not uncommon to find that a cabinet or chest of drawers has been spruced up with the addition of a marble top that once graced another piece of furniture. Likewise with the advent of electric lighting, ginger jars and other decorative vessels were reborn as lamp bases.<\/p>\n

There are so many things that we no longer use in the modern age, yet they remain full of character and charm. Huge dinner services with their pickle plates and tureens feel outmoded: few people entertain on such a lavish scale, and those who do find the incompatibility with the dishwasher frustrating. Yet these are exquisitely decorated works of art, and it would be wrong to throw them away.<\/p>\n

The solution is to repurpose. With ceramics, which are often naturally decorative, that\u2019s easy: hang plates on the wall, use saucers as soap dishes, cups to hold tealights and tureens can be planted up with spring bulbs. When it comes to larger objects, a little lateral thinking might be required. Old clock cases, their working parts long gone, make lovely cupboards, for example. Fix a missing seat on an inexpensive dining chair with plywood, finish with a coat of paint and add stylish stencils from Annie Sloan, and you have a unique bedside table.<\/p>\n

\u2018The possibilities of what you can create using repurposed antiques are endless!\u2019 says Natascha Dartnall, founder and creative director of ND Studios. She sees salvaging pieces that might otherwise end up in landfill as an opportunity to be uniquely creative. Tom Cox at H\u00c1M Interiors agrees. In a recent project, an old draper\u2019s table was transformed into a kitchen island unit with the addition of a practical brass top. Like many interior designers, antiques are at the core of their work and are used to \u2018offset the uniformity of modern furniture.\u2019<\/p>\n

Useful sources<\/h3>\n