How to find antiques and incorporate them into your home!
Designer Patricia McLean is a Buckhead-based interior designer who has been in the industry since 1985. For more than 40 years, she has built a career around the artful integration of fine antiques into her spaces, and she understands how these pieces add depth and personality that new furnishings cannot replicate. For homeowners intimidated by the prospect of mixing old and new or who are unsure where to begin their antique journey, McLean advises to start small, trust your instincts and remember that the hunt itself is half the joy.
Why do you think antiques still resonate with homeowners even in modern or newly build homes?
Antiques add a dimension that is not attained with new pieces. The patina is one of the most important aspects of fine antiques. That comes with time. They glow because the finish has been cared for over centuries.
What role do antiques play in developing a home’s personality?
That goes back to the hunt. Most times, people can remember the exact moment they spotted something they just could not live without. Atlanta is rich with antique shops and small and large markets. Many dealers and designers shop the European markets. The pieces chosen and collected help develop the narrative of the home. Beautiful gilt-framed art and mirrors, mahogany chests with just the right shine and sconces dating back for generations all help tell the story.
How do you balance antiques with contemporary pieces?
The antique anchor pieces can be sideboards, chests of drawers, library tables, end tables, dining tables and chairs. The upholstery can also be antique, but most people today want comfortable sofas and chairs mixed with antiques. I love to use antique barometers in my work. A gilded one could easily stand alone in a room full of contemporary furnishings.
What is an easy place to start? I used to always begin my projects by asking my clients to invest in one nice mahogany chest to begin decorating. It can be used in a living room, dining room, den or bedroom. It is something useful and beautiful that works in any setting and can move to different rooms over time.
Where do you recommend Atlantans shop for antiques?
Miami Circle has one of my favorites, William Word Fine Antiques. The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center has many showrooms with beautiful antiques, including Travis and Company. For antique rugs, both Moattar and Keivan have gorgeous inventories and are two of my trusted sources. Scott Antique Markets is shopped by the whole nation, and you never know what you might find.
MCLEAN INTERIORS
mcleaninteriors.com
@patriciamcleaninteriorsin
