Acquiring Antiques 101

Antiques are a thing of beauty, adding value, character, and sense of history into your space. They’re generally good buys as they increase in value over the years—just hold on to your antique dresser and see how much appreciates in the next 10 or 20 years.

Long story short: If you want to add class, interest, and design to your home, add an antique into the equation.

Now first you have to realize that antiques are different from vintage. For a furniture piece to be called antique, it has to be at least 100 years old. Vintage items are at least 20 years old.

Identifying an antique item requires careful scrutiny and a bit of history. Most American antique pieces are from the late Victorian era, characterized by irregular screws and thick veneers and are made from olden trees. Pre-1820 antiques will have erratic saw marks on the wood, while items from 1900 will have more refined and less visually disruptive marks.

As antiques are built to last, never settle for a piece with wobbly legs, poor construction materials, or prominent stains. One way to get quality and authentic antiques is to source them from trusted stores like Padua DK Designs in Alhambra.

Padua DK Designs is home to eclectic antiques and other sorts of elegant furnishings, home accessories, and objects d’art. Their collection is impressive—visit the store and see for yourself. Opening hours are Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Happy antique hunting!

Padua DK Designs is located at 821 S Raymond Alhambra. For more information, call (626) 441-5061 or visit http://www.paduadkdesigns.com