The Philadelphia Antiques Show returns to town April 13-15 to showcase a wide selection of furniture, art and decorative pieces for the modern American home.
Aside from being able to browse through a fine selection of antiques, attendees can also interact with local experts, like openly gay interior designer Gregory Augustine of the firm August Interiors. For last year’s show, he designed one of three interior-designer rooms for the show floor, and this year he will lead talks on highlights of the show with guests.
“I will select a piece out of the show that I find to be interesting and inspiring for creating a design scheme and I will give a discussion on how I would utilize the piece or why the piece is so special,” Augustine said. “This antiques show really has the highest-quality, best examples of antique pieces that are out there. It’s the best of the best, really. It’s the finest-quality antiques out there that you can view and have the accessibility to purchase.”
The show caters to antiques experts and neophytes alike. Augustine suggests that people who are newer to antiques should follow their instincts when picking out items.
“My best advice is to go with an open mind and not necessarily have anything they are looking for but just to explore, see what’s there and feel what they respond to emotionally and see what develops in that respect,” he said. “I’m a big believer in that there is no right or wrong. It’s really what the individual enjoys living with. The beauty of antiques is that they mix with pretty much everything. Don’t be afraid to break the status quo and mix them with modern furniture and eclectic items.”
Augustine added that interior design and antiquing don’t have to be extravagant to be worthwhile.
“It really depends on the client, the taste level and their budget,” he said. “But ultimately, my goal is to seek the best quality of antiques or pieces that budget will allow for my clients. I offer my clients suggestions and, based on the feedback, that really drives what avenue I go through to find them what they need.”
With the increasing number of home-improvement shows on television, consumers make interior design seem easy.
But, Augustine says, sometimes you need the help of a professional.
“I think a popular misconception is that good quality interior design can be produced in a nanosecond,” he said. “That is quite the contrary. Anything in life that is worth having and that has longevity and lasts takes time to develop, to procure, to manufacture. The misconception that has been created is that you can have it all in a day. It all depends on what your desired results are. People feel that interior designers are potentially expensive or a luxury. But at the same time, in the end, based on working with one, you will spend your money wisely and you’ll make really good decisions the first time around instead of having to go back and spend money making corrections.”
For more information on Gregory Augustine, visit www.auginteriors.com.
The Philadelphia Antiques Show runs April 13-15 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St. For more information, visit www.thephiladelphiaantiquesshow.org.