Description:
With the plethora of antique malls popping up around the country and the enticing availability of on-line auctions, collecting antiques has reached a new height of popularity. Many are looking to decorate their homes with vintage furniture and fabrics--and hopefully for a song. Written especially for the amateur collector, Everyday Antiques takes you from learning how and where to shop to integrating your newfound treasures into your home. Author J.J. Despain began collecting antiques almost accidentally--but then got the bug. Now an expert shopper, she shares her experiences and offers helpful hints on spotting unusual and quality items in antique malls, flea markets, and yard sales, to mention a few popular venues. Despain encourages you to "buy whatever you fall in love with and use it in any way it fits into your home or life." A full-color "Gallery of Decorating Ideas" gives ideas on how to integrate antiques into a modern home. "One of the greatest discoveries you might make," Despain says, "is that what was created years ago, in many cases, is of better quality than what is created today." A solid brass reading lamp from the '20s probably works as well as it ever did (Despain does suggest that you consider a new cord as the old one is likely cloth-covered and frayed, making it a fire hazard). The combination of savvy shopping and decorating advice coupled with good old common sense makes Everyday Antiques enjoyable and inspiring to read. Often humorous, Despain's language is as comfortable and homey as a 1940s down-filled easy chair. --Dana Van Nest
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