SHOP LIKE A PRO AT AUCTION

Designer and dealer Benedict Foley collaborated with Cheffins at its 2021 Fine Sale. Here he offers his top tips on buying antique furnishings at auction

- Boz Gagovski

BE PRACTICAL

Buying utility furniture for things like storing clothes and books makes a huge difference to daily life, but an item doesn't have to be the piece of your dreams. Think about decent construction, and measure your space at least twice. If you buy a workaday piece such as a chest of drawers or coffer, you can make it sing with a great lamp and a new shade.

THINK VERTICAL

Don't be afraid of your walls - choose a good wall colour, then decide where key items will hang and the rest will follow through. Investing in a painting of a good size over a sofa, or a mirror over a fireplace, might seem obvious, but they provide focal points and a framework for more incidental purchases later. Size-wise, over-scale is better than too small, and makes the room look more spacious.