Posts in category Decorating & Design Inspiration

Entertaining with Antiques: The Versatile Gateleg Table

Antique French EngravingAutumn has arrived! And with it comes many wonderful opportunities to entertain with friends & family. The antique gateleg table is a perfect versatile addition to any home this time of year. Use them in your kitchen, living room, or just about anywhere as extra serving space and as dining tables for authentic European country style. Smaller gateleg tables make perfect side tables for lamps to cozy up with a good book or for kids tables around the holidays. Keep one folded behind your sofa for a unique sofa table that is easy to convert into a serving piece for appetizers. They even serve as charming, rustic entry way consoles in between entertaining!

Antique gateleg tables 2 Antique gateleg tables

Antique Gate Leg TableAntique-18th-century-gate-leg-drop-leaf-table-1

We are fortunate enough to have a wide selection of 18th & 19th century European antique gateleg tables available right now. From petite side tables to full dining tables, these versatile pieces can be used in every room in the house!

Antique-country-french-gate-leg-drop-leaf-tableClick to shop antiquesAntique-gate-leg-drop-leaf-table

Antique-drop-leaf-gateleg-table-6 Antique-drop-leaf-gateleg-table-7 Antique-barley-twist-gate-leg-table

Wishing you all a lovely fall season!

Inessa Stewart’s Antiques & Interiors

 

Antique Buffets ~ Practical & Stylish Antique Furniture

Antique French EngravingAs fashion and fads come and go, one incredible type of antique furniture has evolved into a timeless storage option.  With boundless versatility in both style and function, antique buffets have prevailed over the centuries, remaining a cherished staple in our homes.

Centuries ago deriving from simple shelving and trunks, antique buffets progressed into beautiful storage pieces with enclosed doors to serve as objects of practicality, craftsmanship, and artistic expression. As one of the oldest case pieces, antique buffets dating back to the 17th and 18th century started out as just two door cabinets, later evolving into three and four door models. Buffets of that era are legends in styles of Country French, Italian Renaissance, Louis XV, Louis XVI and Baroque. Antique buffets can be found in many styles, making them the perfect asset for setting the tone of any room. Certain styles are perfect for the casual surroundings while others are ideal for more formal settings.

Moreover, these amazing works of art are as striking in appearance as they are useful. The buffet was a profound addition to dining room décor, skyrocketing to popularity through each generations’ continued reverence for sharing meals with family and loved ones.

Using carefully curated local european wood and select exotic imports, master craftsmen created buffets in all shapes, sizes, and styles. With numerous variety in both appearance and practicality, antique buffets are no longer just for the dining room. Today they can be seen in cottage kitchens, townhouse dining rooms and even in bedrooms; as entertainment centers, elegant clothing storage, and proudly upholding holiday feasts. No matter which period or style you choose, the antique buffet or sideboard will be an integral part of any room in your home.

If you haven’t started adding antique furniture to your decor, an antique buffet is the perfect way to start. Below you will find a small sampling of dozens we have in stock in every style, with over a hundred in total to choose from at all times. We hope our selection inspires you to branch out with your use of buffets in your own home decor, continuing the rich history each piece holds with the lives of you and your loved ones.

Country French Antique Buffet

This grand marble top solid oak Country French Buffet is perfect for creating a rustic Provençal decor that can serve as a grand setting for family gatherings and take center stage in the kitchen or keeping room.  Hand-crafted from solid old-growth oak, this handsome Antique Country French Marble Top Buffet boasts a gable front contour, which is followed by the beveled marble above, with shell and foliate carvings dominating the cabinet and drawer fronts below. Boldly carved and molded, it has been stripped to a weathered oak for a more casual effect, and yet is perfect for elegant and carefree entertaining!

Antique Italian Neoclassical Marquetry Buffet

Truly a wonder to behold, this stunning Italian Neoclassical Marquetry Buffet made by “De Capitani Roma” was produced by master artisans from exotic burl woods and a variety of contrasting species inlaid into the door panels to create the appearance of two sets of mirror-image of cornucopia urns bursting with flowers.  Even the bordering is inlaid with several woods to create an interesting trim.  Imagine the skill required to shape the base wood behind the marquetry then overlay the marquetry in place with such a fine seam between the two all while producing a work of art in the process!  The bronze ormolu adorners this buffet like fine jewelry, adding to overall opulent yet elegant effect.  Four cabinets, four drawers and a generous serving surface make this a particularly useful work of art! Circa 1930s.

Antique Engraving Flourish

Antique Gifts for Mother’s Day~ Treasures to Remember

A mother’s love! O holy, boundless thing!
Fountain whose waters never cease to spring!
Falling like dew, when all beside is sleeping,
The flowers around in life and beauty steeping:
O Love! the lord of many springs thou art;
Thy deepest, purest, in a mother’s heart!

Exert from Affection, a poem by Marguerite Gardiner, countess of Blessington (1789-1849)

Antique French EngravingMother’s Day is coming up this Sunday, which means most of us are running around finding the perfect gift to express our love and gratitude for the special mother-figures in our lives. Consider antiques and antique accessories as the perfect answer to convey your appreciation for all their years of  love and support with a one of a kind treasure. We all know she deserves much more than a silk scarf or coffee mug.

Antique Accessories  French Furniture Store

The giving of antiques, even with the smallest pieces, symbolizes a long held promise of joy and splendor frozen in time with history captured and extended through new memories.

Antique Furniture Store Mother's Day

How about adding to her existing antique box collection or starting one for her, which you can add to on future special occasions? Antique boxes are as useful for storage as they are beautiful to behold.

Antique Accessories  French Furniture StoreAntique Accessories  French Furniture Store Antique Accessories  French Furniture Store

Instead of the tired traditional flowers or candle, why not encompass those beautiful temporary gifts with everlasting treasures like an antique vase, candle holder, or beautiful frame? Something as simple as antique plate, pitcher, or vase can give your mother years of enjoyment as she arranges flowers in the vase or pitcher and displays her collection of antique plates proudly in her home.

Antique Accessories  French Furniture Store Antique Accessories  French Furniture Store

Flowers fade, candles burn out ~ but these treasures live on, and with them, our messages of cherished love.

Visit our online store www.inessa.com or our Dallas and Baton Rouge locations as they are brimming with classic treasures to make your Mother’s Day divine!

Inessa Stewart's Antiques

 Inessa Stewart

Antiques in Style is a source of joy for me to create, and hopefully will be a source of inspiration for you! The variety, artistry and history of the antiques and vintage pieces that surround us every day provide pleasure, beauty and sometimes even intrigue.

The classics never go out of style, and each era, country, and even artisan's interpretations create an environment that is always full of surprises.

It is truly a pleasure to bring such timeless style together for every client and follower of my blog. And of course, your input is always welcome!

Archived Posts