A large antique clock stands in beautiful contrast to today's sleek furniture.
Interior design expert Carey Karlan of Last Detail in Darien, has decorated her home and those of her clients with antiques over the years, finding unique pieces that help to personalize a space, whether it is traditional or modern.
“Even though the trend in interior design is to show increasingly pared-down, ultra-streamlined rooms, I find that few people can really live comfortably in these environments,” she says. “The addition of contrasting vintage or antique pieces not only elevates a more modern interior but also energizes it with unexpected interest. There is a history and story behind every antique that is whimsical, mysterious or intriguing.”
“For example, she says, “a lovely secretary or tall clock can stand in splendid contrast, almost like a sculpture, to sleek-styled furniture frames. That touch of gravitas simply makes an interior more enduring and timeless.”
Carey has shopped extensively over the years at the Annual Darien Antiques Show, which is celebrating its 45th year, one of the longest running shows in the Northeast. The show runs March 2 through 4 at the First Congregational Church of Darien.
“There is a charming atmosphere at this delightful, accessible show,” she says. “I have enjoyed the thrill of hunting for treasures, and each piece is connected with a wonderful memory of how I found it.”
Last year at the show, she found a butterfly print in startling contemporary colors and paired it with a mirrored Swedish plate in her otherwise modern bedroom. “People should not be too concerned that antiques are too fragile for family life,” she adds. “Every nick just adds to the patina! It’s really the ultimate in recycling.”
One of Carey’s favorite ways to use smaller antique items and collections is to repurpose them as accessories to fill bookcases. “Avoid the predictable look of decorating with mass-produced items,” she advocates. “Put your personal stamp on your home.”
Art is another way to incorporate antiques into any décor and in a range of price points, recommends Janet Soskin, who has managed the Darien show for over 20 years. “Vintage posters can liven up a kitchen, botanicals look great in a bedroom and oils are perfect for a more formal setting,” she says.
Favorite art dealera returning to the show this year are David & Donna Kmetz of Douglas, Mass., who specialize in the New England impressionists of the late 19th- through mid-20th Century. Other favorites include Nicoll Fine Art & Antiques of Newcastle, Maine, exhibiting American paintings, formal furniture, and rugs; John Saradjian Antiques in Stamford, specializing in period furniture, carpets, paintings, and collectibles; Martin Chasin Fine Arts of Fairfield, bringing Irish cut crystal and British silver; Find Weatherly of Westport, specializing in marine and equine art and 18th- and 19th-Century American furniture; Susan Barr Antiques of Fairfield, exhibiting English and French furniture and accessories and English copper and nautical items; and Lyn Ward Antique Prints of Rowayton, bringing antique botanicals and other natural history and architecture prints.
“We have wonderful, friendly, approachable dealers in our show,” Janet continues, “who are more than willing to teach people about why antiques are important and desirable.” Each dealer has been carefully vetted, she adds, not only for the great quality items they sell, but also for the integrity they bring in guaranteeing the authenticity of their pieces.
“This is a milestone 45th year for our show, and one of the best times to buy antiques,” says Patricia Hedlund, who co-manages the Darien Antiques Show, “because you will find pieces of quality and value.” As an example, she cites Georgian furniture (characterized by simple, clean-lined, mahogany sideboards, secretaries and library breakfronts), which can be purchased for some of the best prices in decades. In the end, she adds, if you buy what you love, you can’t go wrong with anything you find at this show.
Dealers exhibit their wares in decorated booths set up throughout the historic First Congregational Church of Darien, dating from 1736. The show opens to the public on Saturday from 10 to 5, and Sunday from 11:30 to 5. Admission at the door is $10; $8 for seniors and discount card/ad holders. A café, open Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 4, provides lunch, tea and desserts.
An elegant Preview Party kicks off the event on Friday night. This year, the party proceeds will benefit A Better Chance in Darien, a not-for-profit organization that provides four-year academic and boarding scholarships to six promising female minority students from inner city areas. Party hours are 7 to 9; tickets are $50 at the door and include weekend admission to the show. Party-goers will have the opportunity to make early purchases before the show opens to the public, bid for silent auction items and enjoy jazz, fine wines and hors d’oeuvres.
The First Congregational Church of Darien is located in Darien at the corner of Brookside Road and the Post Road, just south of exit 13 from I-95. For more details and to view photos of the 2011 show, visit: darienantiqueshow.org. become a fan of the show on Facebook; for more information, call the church at 203-655-0491.
