Antique silver carries elegance and history, elevating any party and brightening many festivities.
But, all too often, that silver is put away in a cupboard once the guests leave.
Don’t do that! Let’s use our silver throughout the year, giving our living spaces a touch of fancy.
Show Off Your Silver
“I get a lot of compliments when I decorate with antique silver,” says Kathy Biro. “Our friends put their silver away, which is a shame. We put ours out and use it for seasonal decorations around our home.”
According to a handful of interior decorators and designers, we’re on to something.
First things first, they say, it’s essential to make sure the silver is polished and looking spiffy!
Some folks prefer a polished look, while others love a patina on vintage pieces. Yes, there is a way to polish silver while maintaining that old look.
Second, consider the season.
During the spring and summer, Kathy will use big silver vases for sunflowers or champagne buckets filled with beachy grasses. “I just put this together, and it’s the centerpiece on our dining room table,” Kathy reports. “I love the look with the seashells. It makes it feel like summer to me.”
Even if you’re not a seasonal decorator, you can use your silver for everyday decorations.
Ramona Afonso, an international interior designer, is an avid fan of this style.
“I love to use antique silver in my everyday life,” she describes. “I use it in very practical ways; for example, I have a beautiful antique silver dish that holds my oil jars. I also have some vintage silver at my coffee station, and a creamer holds all my vintage mix and match silver spoons that we use daily.”
Think outside the box, Ramona says. “Antique silver has a unique beauty that can elevate the everyday. Use a simple antique silver dish to hold your eggs on your kitchen countertop or use an old creamer to hold some spoons.”
Move beyond the obvious, she urges, and avoid doing things like setting out a tea set on a tea tray with a tea cloth. “Mix it up,” she says.
We love the idea of old world antiques merging with modern-day living.
Protect Your Silver
There are some essential things to keep in mind when you start using a champagne bucket for flowers, for instance.
Rather than pouring water into the vessel and then putting the flowers in, fill a cottage cheese or yogurt container with water and then put your flowers in that.
“Flowers from many stores contain fertilizers or chemicals that will damage the silver,” Rick Biro explains. “Using a container like that will keep those chemicals away and maintain the integrity and longevity of the piece.”
Use Your Silver!
Pull those beautiful pieces out of the cupboard and show them off.
“The idea is to use antique silver in non-traditional ways that will bring new life to an old piece,” Ramona says.
We can’t wait to see how you decorate with your silver. Message us your pictures so we can share them and encourage others to use their silver!