One of the challenges when designing a home with antiques is the blending of new and old furniture, as all well-designed rooms are a blend of both. On one of my buying trips to France, I fell madly, madly in love with this set of caned chairs. I really wanted to buy them, if not for the shop then for my own home:

My hubby had objected that they were too delicate; that people (especially men) would feel uncomfortable sitting on them. But I couldn’t stop thinking about them, and when I finally sat down to tell the dealer I’d take them – I fell through the chair! Imagine the awkwardness of saying No Thank You to the purchase after breaking the chair.

That episode just reinforced my belief that it’s not enough for a piece to be merely beautiful, it has to be practical too. When mixing antiques in my home or customers’ homes, I’m always thinking about the durability, stability and usefulness of a piece. I’m a very practical designer, and frankly I think we need to be able to use and live with these gorgeous items. 

One of my favorite antique pieces is the French buffet. Enfilades (buffets in English) are one of my favorite, favorite pieces to put in a dining room. I love these more than the dining table! They are both gorgeous and useful, and can be a beautiful little jewel in your dining room. 

Take a look at this pretty painted buffet paired with this lovely stained table. 

What I especially love about French buffets is their gorgeous carvings. You will often find the tulip motif, or baskets of flowers, which are very common in French antiques to signify bounty and beauty. Other fanciful carvings tell the story of a particular period, such as Louis XV, Louis XVI, and so forth. Beautiful cabriole legs hark back to the style of Louis XV –  and if you are drawn to a certain style, it probably says something about you!

Take a look at some of the gorgeous carved buffets we have right now:

Available at Village Antiques $4,295

I love the low luster on this piece, the worn patina is beautiful:

Available at Village Antiques $2,495

This is a classic French buffet and will add a touch of elegant style to your dining room.

Available at Village Antiques $3,200

Available at Village Antiques $5,900

Another common trend we are seeing right now is enfilades being used in bedrooms and great rooms to hold a a television. Though not originally intended for this purpose, this is a fabulous piece to add into your bedroom or great room and can even provide useful storage.

Here a few we have right now that would be lovely in a bedroom or great room.

Available at Village Antiques $8,900

Available at Village Antiques $6,995

Available at Village Antiques $1,895

When looking for an enfilade, measure the length of your wall. That will be the guide to tell which piece will fit when you start hunting. They can start from 48 inches wide all the way to triple length, up to 6-7 feet long. If you need help, bring your dimensions and we can always advise you!

Send us pics of how you’ve used your buffets, we’d love to see them!