Copyright © 2021 – 2024 Village Vintage. All Rights Reserved.
Web Design by Chaos.
Antique lighting is a brilliant way of adding timeless beauty, character, and warmth to your home. Whether you're drawn to the opulence of Victorian chandeliers or the rustic charm of early 20th-century industrial lamps, antique lighting offers a broad spectrum of styles to suit various interior designs. If you’re looking to incorporate antique and vintage lighting into your home, this guide explores the history, types, and tips for choosing lighting, as well as how to blend it seamlessly with contemporary decor.
Antique lighting brings a unique charm to your home that modern style lighting often lacks. Lighting goes far beyond just illuminating a space; it’s about creating ambiance, warmth and creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for all. Lighting has the power to instantly change the atmosphere in the room and antique pieces are not only a statement focal piece but allow reflection of the craftsmanship and design trends of its time.
The materials used in antique vintage lighting, such as brass, wrought iron, and hand-blown glass, often have a patina that adds to their warm charm. Unlike mass-produced lighting fixtures, antique lights are often one-of-a-kind or part of a small production, offering a sense of exclusivity.
The Victorian era is known for its opulence and grandeur. Lighting from this period often featured intricate details, heavy use of brass, and elaborate designs, including gas-powered or oil-burning lamps converted to electric. Common fixtures include large chandeliers, ornate sconces, and kerosene lamps with frosted or etched glass shades.
Art Nouveau lighting is characterised by its organic forms, often inspired by nature. You’ll find fixtures with flowing lines, floral motifs, and the use of materials like glass and bronze. Tiffany-style lamps are one of the most iconic examples from this period, with their colourful stained-glass shades and intricate metalwork.
In contrast to the fluidity of Art Nouveau, Art Deco lighting is defined by bold geometric patterns, sharp angles, and a focus on modern materials like chrome, steel, and glass. Art Deco pieces are often sleek and streamlined, reflecting the optimism and luxury of the Jazz Age.
Mid-century modern lighting is known for its minimalist designs and functionality. The style often features clean lines, organic curves, and the use of materials like teak, brass, and glass. Pendant lights, sputnik chandeliers, and floor lamps from this period are highly sought after for their understated elegance.
Initially used in factories and warehouses, industrial lighting has become a popular style in modern homes. These fixtures are typically made from rugged materials like steel, iron, and copper, and feature utilitarian designs. Exposed bulbs, caged shades, and pulley systems are hallmarks of this style.
When selecting antique lighting, there are several factors to consider:
Consider the scale of the light fixture in relation to the room. A large Victorian chandelier, for example, might overwhelm a small dining room, whereas a delicate Art Nouveau pendant could look lost in a large foyer. Make sure the fixture complements the size of the space and the height of the ceiling.
While antique lighting can work in almost any setting, it's important to strike a balance. If your home has a modern aesthetic, a few well-placed antique fixtures can add contrast and warmth. For example, an industrial pendant light could look stunning in a minimalist kitchen, or a pair of mid-century sconces could elevate a contemporary living room.
When incorporating antique and vintage lighting, don't rely on it as the sole light source in a room. Antique fixtures often have lower wattage capabilities or may not provide as much light as modern fixtures. Layer your lighting by combining antique pieces with other sources of light, such as recessed lighting, table lamps, or floor lamps, to create a balanced and functional space.
It’s also important to assess the condition of your lighting. Antique fixtures may need to be rewired to meet modern electrical standards. If you're buying a fixture that was originally gas or kerosene, it should be professionally converted to electricity. At Village Vintage, we can advise of your best next steps in this instance.
Tiffany Style Dragonfly Table Lamp: This vintage Tiffany style table lamp in the famous Dragonfly pattern, is in excellent condition. With its beautiful array of colours, the heavy shade is all glass with the Dragonfly pattern detailed and complex. Raised on a tapering patinated bronze style base with organic foliage decoration. 44cm in height and 30 cm shade diameter.
Mid-Century Stone and Silver Lamp: In excellent condition, this striking lamp is deep orange in colour and made from exotic polished hardstones. The thick shade and small areas of the base are decorated in highly detailed silver mounts (probably solid silver, typical of the Moroccan area where we believe this originated), the base is also a solid one-piece casting in silver. This lamp stands at 67cm in height.
Vintage Herbert Terry Anglepoise Desk Lamp: An iconic piece and an important piece of history, this Herbert Terry desk lamp was trade marked by Terry as the name synonymous with this type of lamp, ‘Anglepoise’. Versatile, useful and beautiful, this is completely original and comes with the sought after ‘two step’ base, great for any room in the house. In original condition, standing at 90cm in height.
If you’re looking for an antique piece to light up the room, we’d love to help! At Village Vintage, we’re passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
Art Deco furniture is one of our favourite categories here at Village Vintage. Hailing from Paris in the 1910’s and filtering into Europe and the United States throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, these vintage pieces are bursting with character and charm, perfect to bring a little alternative style into your home or business!
This week, we delve into Art Deco, its key features and the beautiful pieces our Essex antique dealer has available to purchase.
Short for the French phrase ‘Arts Décoratifs’, Art Deco emerged in the 20th century and was the predominant decorative art style around the WW1 era. Appearing in visual arts, architecture furniture and other product design, it is characterised by strong colours and geometric shapes. The ‘Art Deco’ style truly reflects the rapid industrialisation of the era. It's often associated with luxury, glamour, and exuberance!
The Art Deco movement continues to captivate with its sophistication, bringing a touch of vintage glamour to any space. If you’re newcomer to this iconic style, knowing the characteristics to look out for will help you on your journey to finding the right pieces. Distinctive features include:
Geometric Patterns: Geometric motifs are a hallmark of Art Deco furniture design. Look for pieces with inlaid wood patterns, angular metal accents, or carved details that emphasize symmetry and repetition. Other design patterns can include zigzags, chevrons, sunbursts and floral patterns.
Luxurious Materials: Furniture from this era showcases luxurious materials. Use of exotic woods like ebony, mahogany, and zebrawood are frequently used in Art Deco style. Incorporation of materials like chrome, glass, mirrors, lacquer, ivory, mother-of-pearl and shagreen (stingray skin) are also common here. This adds a sense of uniqueness and refinement to each piece.
Bold Colours: Deep saturated colours like black, gold, silver, ruby reds, emerald green and cobalt blues are often paired with glossy black or metallic finishes. These vibrant hues and reflective surfaces create dramatic statement pieces. There is often a high contrast between colours to enhance any geometric patterns.
Streamlined and Sleek: You’ll find that Art Deco furniture pieces often have a streamlined shape, with clean lines. Key features for pieces like sideboards, armchairs, and coffee tables include polished surfaces with smooth, curved edges or sharp, angular profiles. This creates a striking visual impact.
At Village Vintage, we’re passionate about Art Deco style and its culture. We have collected some beautiful pieces from Europe that we know our customers will love!
A set of five amber glass finger bowls. Each 13cm diameter and in very good condition! Beautiful accessories for any kitchen or dining room table.
A stunning French Art Deco vintage cocktail making and pouring jug, in a classically designed heavy crystal base, with a rare integral handle. The Silver Gilt mount is exquisitely decorated around the mounting collar. The spout is perforated to collect any unwanted residue upon pouring your cocktail! This piece is in original and unmarked condition and measures 25cm in height and 19cm wide.
A covered dish made from solid marble with and Art Deco detail on the front. Stylish and dainty, this is perfect to hold little trinkets or jewellery.
A stunning classic vintage 1950 wall clock, in excellent condition. A very rare find with a contrasting crackled varnished face and rich waxed Pitch Pine frame, with twenty-four hour numbers on the face.
A pair of decadent Amboyna veneer finish bedside tables in very good condition. Elegant shaped tops, with under tiers joined by three curvaceous legs. Versatile and useful for any room, these are an understated yet striking design.
A French Art Deco bistro table, with round glass top set over a striking red coloured ground. With a polished metal edge, set upon a three-facet column, which itself is set on an Art Deco stepped tripod base. The makers cast stamp can be seen on the column. This is a real statement piece and could be used as a lamp table or an indoor or outdoor drinks table. 71 cm in height and 48cm in width, this is very good condition with the base being painted over sometime during the 1920’s/30’s.
This stunning and rare piece is a genuine late Art Deco period round pedestal coffee/centre table from the renowned designer Reiners Mobler, of Mjolby, Sweden. Inlaid with vibrant flame mahogany veneers radially, with a contrasting centre medallion of satin Birch. This design and style is typical of this high-end designer.
The heavy tabletop sits upon a concave tripod centre column with stylised split turning Ebonised Corinthian columns. The table is stamped on the top support plate with an ‘R’ and ‘MJOLBY’. It's surrounded by three crowns inside a triangle and ‘1942’ on the underside of the top edge. 58cm in height and 110cm in diameter, this Art Deco coffee table is in good condition for its age. It comes complete with a bespoke protective 8mm plate glass top.
All items are available to view with our team at our secure storage facility, Monday-Friday by appointment only. Collection in person or UK and international shipping can be arranged for ultimate convenience.
If you’re interested in any of our vintage Art Deco furniture, the team at Village Vintage would love to help! We are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
Are you looking for a reputable Essex antique dealer? Then you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Village Vintage , a family run, father and son business who are passionate about our vintage collections and of course, our wonderful customers. In this week’s blog post, we thought we’d introduce ourselves, discuss exactly what it is we do, why we’re passionate about the antiques and vintage industry and how we could assist in finding your next unique piece for your home.
Here at Village Vintage, we specialise in sourcing, unusual vintage/antique furnishings and decorative items for around the home. We cater to all styles and budgets, and guarantee that our products have that unique difference that you are looking for! If you’re looking to make an impact in your home, Village Vintage is there to help you achieve this. If it’s not in stock, we’ll do our best to source something for you.
As Essex antique dealers with years of experience under our belt, not only are we extremely skilled and respected in our field, but we have built trusting relationships with credible suppliers across Europe. This ensures that our customers get the premium quality, one of a kind home furnishings they’re looking for.
When it comes to customer service, we are dedicated to delivering the best and always strive to go above and beyond in all that we do. We have a very in-depth knowledge of the marketplace and trends and try to focus on design led pieces with well-known names as well as the more unusual, quality items that we may come across.
We sell individual pieces to the public and also supply high end hotels and other hospitality venues who are always searching for quality, one off pieces. Our team are very proud that our field of work is so environmentally friendly, and with our in-house expert restoration, we make sure that pieces carry on being loved and admired for years to come.
At Village Vintage, we predominantly trade online, however, we know just how important it is for you to get a feel for the item you’re interested in. There’s nothing quite like seeing an antique in all its grandeur for yourself! Located on the Essex and Suffolk border, we offer viewings with our team at our secure storage facility, Monday- Friday by appointment only. This way, you’re able to physically see the item, talk to our professional team and ask any questions you may have.
Furthermore, our customers are welcome to collect items in person, or we can organise both UK and international delivery. We want your purchasing experience to be as seamless as possible for you, so we give you the option for ultimate convenience.
In our industry, trust and credibility is everything. Our Essex antique dealer are leading the way with our upfront and sincere approach. For every quality piece, we guarantee assurance that the items we distribute are genuine, providing accurate provenance and verification whenever possible. We want you to shop with confidence; for many, vintage and antique items are often investments, so purchasing from a trusted reputable source is absolutely key.
Village Vintage adhere to ethical standards, which includes fair pricing, honest disclosure, and responsible sourcing. We also have our clear, no quibble 14 day return policy and guarantees, providing additional peace of mind for buyers. We understand that a good reputation fosters customer loyalty and long-term business relationships - we want you to leave us feeling informed and above all, satisfied with your purchase!
We have hundreds of beautiful pieces available on our website, with new items consistently added to our collection. Should you have any queries, our team would be happy to help! Some of our most popular categories include:
Did you know that our Essex antique dealer specialises in antique restoration? Restoring antique furniture is a wonderful way to prolong the life of furniture, as well as refreshing the item. It’s one thing having an eye for vintage items, but restoring antiques takes our expertise to a whole new level. This intricate skill truly sets our business apart. At Village Vintage, we restore antique and vintage pieces that we purchase, only if needed, with great care and precision.
Village Vintage Essex antique dealer are extremely passionate about the sustainable offerings of our field and pride ourselves on our environmentally friendly commitment to only supply pre-loved, quality items.
Today, it’s increasingly difficult to find quality items that can withstand the test of time with minimal upkeep. With pressure on designers, manufacturers and suppliers to minimise costs, quality is often sacrificed, which certainly rings true in the modern furnishings industry. Cheaper materials are now being used to craft products, which means the customer will need replacements much sooner.
Choosing vintage and antique pieces over newer options not only supports sustainability efforts but also ensures high-quality furnishings that last longer than the alternative.
Here at Village Vintage, we love what we do and are passionate about delivering the best results for our valued customers. If you’re looking for unique vintage and antique pieces for the home, we’d love to help! Simply get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and one of our friendly team will get back to you. Don't forget to join our community on Facebook.