An Introduction to Italian Antique Furniture
There’s no doubt about it — Italy is a beautiful country with a variety of delights to enjoy. The amazing scenery, delicious food and gorgeous fashion are just a few highlights. Another great thing about Italy is the furniture, especially the antiques. There is no shortage of incredible Italian antique furniture for collectors to choose from. Not only are there plenty of authentic antiques floating around, there are also great reproductions that can add beauty and sophistication to any room of your home.
You will find a wide variety of styles represented in the world of Italian furniture from days gone by. For example, during the Louis XV era furniture was made in gleaming dark woods like mahogany and walnut. The pieces indicative of this time period were not overly ornate but featured attractive curves and molding. Another type of Italian antique that you may come across when shopping is Venetian. I recently saw a set of Venetian chairs from the late 19th century that were ornately carved and luxuriously gilded. At the same antique shop, I was able to also look at a Venetian chandelier from the early 19th century that, in the hallmark style of Venetian antiques, was also fabulously ornate.
Baroque is another popular Italian style of antique furniture. Baroque furniture is heavy and rich, with dark woods and luxurious carvings. The pieces from this time period could be described as rectilinear in nature. An even more extravagant style is Rococo, which features lots of curves and carvings which represent plants, flowers and shells. Yet another popular type of antique furniture which hails from Italy is Tuscan style. Tuscan furniture is sometimes hand painted and often uses woods such as cypress and chestnut. You will often find other materials like metal and leather worked into the pieces.
Italian antique furniture is a dream come true for many collectors. It is beautiful and of high-quality, which is why so many antique lovers desire it. If you cannot find the furniture you want or cannot afford it, perhaps a reproduction furniture piece is a good idea. Today’s reproductions are made to look exactly like the antiques they are modeled after, but offer the benefit of being brand new. Some antique furniture centers deal in reproductions. You can also have pieces custom made in any style of your choice. If you’re not sure where to begin in this process, the Internet is a valuable tool for locating both antique and reproduction pieces.
