With the looming climate crisis, sustainability is the watchword of the day. More than ever, we must pay attention to where our food and furniture come from, question how it is produced, packaged and transported, and make our choices accordingly.
At times it can feel dispiriting to discover that the things we love are actually part of the unhappy cycle of consumption and pollution. There is good news, however, for all antiques lovers: antiques, and their vintage cousins, offer the most sustainable way to shop for furniture and interiors accessories. A report published by Carbon Clear in 2010 (commissioned by LAPADA and other antiques trade bodies) found that an antique chest of drawers can have a carbon footprint up to 16 times smaller than its brand new equivalent.
Available in infinite variety, at prices to suit all budgets, antiques often come with fascinating stories and usually hold their value. Of course, we aren't saying you need to furnish your home exclusively with antique and vintage furniture - rather that by choosing old over new, when you can, you really will make a difference. As you will see from our tips on the following pages, the fact that antiques rarely come with an allen key, or take an entire weekend to construct, is a wonderful bonus!
1 CHOOSE OLD OVER NEW
As a reader of H&A, this one should be easy! Whenever you need to replace something, first ask yourself whether there might be a vintage or antique alternative. With the rise of antiques portals, not to mention apps such as Depop and Vinted, the search has never been easier. From Etsy to Instagram, The Hoarde to 1st Dibs, there are thousands of dealers online - browse their stock from the comfort of your Georgian wingback chair.
2 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DEALER
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Special 2022 من Homes & Antiques.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Special 2022 من Homes & Antiques.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME - Tess Newall
The decorative artist and homeware designer shares her love of patina and a treasured childhood flower press
A Victorian Vision
There's a magical, story-book feel to this 19th-century manor in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where much-loved antique and vintage collections and a sensitive restoration have brought it back to life
Farm FRESH
Filled with painstakingly sourced primitive antiques and Welsh decorative pieces, Dorian Bowen's atmospheric farmstead is an authentic homage to bygone times
THE WOMEN OF MODERNISM
In the Modernist era, when clean lines, geometric forms, and functional design reshaped the world, a group of often-overlooked visionary women defied convention, pioneering innovations that laid the foundations of modern design, says
Global Treasures
Amber Clery has created a cosy, bohemian home filled with unusual finds gathered from her travels across the world
A blazing SUCCESS
This Georgian home in Northern Ireland, once ravaged by fire and time, has been reimagined for the modern age with vibrant colour, joyful patterns and a perfect balance of old and new
HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE SHANNON CLEGG
The botanical sculptor talks to Dominique Corlett about finding her niche and how her creative practice connects with the landscape of her childhood
48 hours in FROME
A cloth town of great importance from the 15th to the late-18th century, Frome in Somerset is now on the map for its vintage fashion and sustainable clothing, as well as its buzzing antiques scene, discovers Rosanna Morris
Island HOPPING
The traditional fitted kitchen island now faces competition from more flexible, modern alternatives
ON THE COFFEE TABLE Art through the ages
Explore 700 years of art history through the paintings of The National Gallery, with people at the heart of every page
