Cabinet Furniture

There is no doubt that most antique furniture is well built and made to last, which is obvious given the fact that it has lasted over the centuries already. However, it is also fairly expensive to buy, usually costing much more than a similar-sized contemporary piece made from the same material. One area in the home that particularly suits antique style furniture is the kitchen. Antique kitchen cabinets, for example, can impart a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a kitchen, and an old antique wood stove definitely reminds one of an era long gone.

However, unless you are willing to pay a considerable amount of money for antique kitchen furniture you may not be able to outfit your entire kitchen with antiques. One idea, if you are able to afford it, is to purchase a genuine antique kitchen cabinet. These are usually free standing, not made to be built in, and as such they come in various shapes and sizes. Providing it matches with your existing kitchen décor an antique cabinet can add that extra charm and warmth to your kitchen. Many antique cabinets were made from oak, walnut or pine. Some have glass doors, however most are closed cabinets. You should expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 for an antique kitchen cupboard, with the price depending largely on how old the piece is and what condition it is in. You may be able to pick one up for less, providing you are willing to refinish the cupboard.

Another type of cabinet to consider for the kitchen is the antique china cabinet.  Antique china cabinets can show off all your valuable kitchenware (no matter how modern it may be!), while still preserving that antique look are you going for.  These can also be very expensive if you get a full freestanding unit instead of a wall mounted cabinet.  Antique china cabinets are certainly pieces of furniture that will make a bold statement in your kitchen, or possibly even your living or dining room.

If that is too expensive, another alternative is to turn your modern kitchen cabinets into antique style cabinets. This is becoming very popular and providing you have a few basic refinishing or carpentry skills it is quite simple to do. A very simple method of doing this is to re-stain your cabinets. You simply apply a stain to the stripped down cabinet and then leave it to dry. Repeat for a second and third coat. With the fourth coat, you should wipe some of the stain off with a soft sponge before it is completely dry, giving it a slightly uneven and thus antique appearance. Another method that does not require staining is simply to use a piece of soft sandpaper and sand your cabinet unevenly in parts, giving it a worn appearance. Change your door handles and knobs and even your hinges if you can find antique style hinges and you will have your own lookalike antique kitchen cabinet.  Those of you that like antique kitchen cabinets should also check out antique sideboards for their home as well.