The Use of Classic Design and Decorative Arts In Interiors as a Business Driver

In an increasingly competitive post-COVID, more financially cautious Interior Design market, it is important more than ever to have a USP that sets your business out from the crowd, and creates more opportunities to gain contracts based on something offered that is greater than a simulacrum of the previous project. The increasing reliance on fully bespoke work or ranges designed either for commercial roll-out or for a specific project is becoming well-trodden. Clients are increasingly knowledgeable but also demanding in terms of the quality-to-cost ratio, which as we all know can really start to eat into margins. While manufacturing in the far East or more obscure parts of Europe can certainly help to protect the profits, there is also another way, certainly not as frequently used as it might be.

Eco-friendly, Green, Renewable, Socially conscious – these are all phrases that more and more come into the planning of a build or a fit-out, and the environmentally astute designer will understand that many clients will be now building this into their considerations (though by no means all of them – to whom these concepts would be entirely alien..). One of the easiest and quickest fixes to this is to use antique, classic design, vintage and “retro” furnishings, underlining your green credentials but also opening up a world of other opportunities and ultimately, greater profitability. After all, no new materials are being used or manufactured, and items that already exist are being re-employed, repurposed and in many examples, aesthetically reconsidered and reaccommodated.

While the phraseology and terminology surrounding this concept can often sound trite and a marketing nightmare (“upcycled”, “preloved”, “retrostyle”) it is just the other side of a coin that has on the obverse “fine art”, “design” and “antique”. With over 30 years dealing in both new and old furniture and art, I would postulate that in general the quality of manufacture in particular of older furniture and design objects is considerably higher than that of today. As an additional bonus, many things were made in small or even unique numbers – equivalent to the dream phrase “Limited Edition” that is a gilt-edged chance to increase sales.

The very best classic design and antique pieces carry unique possibilities to the curious and canny Interior Designer – the layer of intangible “softness” that comes from years of patina on wood or glass for example, is almost impossible to reproduce with newer items. Who can resist a pier mirror of old mercury glass compared to a harsh modern example – it’s even more flattering in soft lighting. Finding and placing quirky, unusual or unique items opens up a world of choices, as well as adding a story to each individual item, at the higher end of the market, even remarkable provenance on occasion. These are the kind of objects that invite conversation, not just act as a backdrop or support.

With the rise of identikit interiors with a restricted palette and furniture and accessories that seem to disappear into the background, the bold and individualistic client will revel in this concept of “uniqueness” and this is most certainly a selling point for certain types of customer. The well-curated interior will speak of the owner’s intelligence, taste (if such a thing exists) and idiosyncratic approach. More often than not though, they will need some assistance with this, or certainly a collegiate approach.

Best of all for the canny client though, is the huge investment potential for their interior choices to become a sure-fire investment. The area of Fine Art is well covered and well-evidenced, but increasingly, Design and Decorative Arts are becoming (or already are!) a rich seam of capital gain. A case in point for example is the famous Jean Prouvé Chaise “Tout Bois”- a set of four in 2019 sold at Christie’s for 23,750 Euro, but in 2021 a similar set sold for 50,000 Euro – doubling the value in only two years. The joy of investments like this is that the individual items carry great value but lend themselves collectively to creating stunning and meaningful interiors.

Many Designers are cautious about introducing these elements into their schemes as they often lack the knowledge or confidence to utilise items from eras unfamiliar to them or are unsure of the market. I don’t believe that they are not employed simply because they are inappropriate. The subject is large and potentially complex, and it is absolutely possible to make errors. However, perhaps the biggest problem of all is knowing where to find these items and at the right price for the business and the client.

I would argue that there is actually huge potential to make greater margins or certainly to protect margins, by introducing a higher percentage of such items into a project, whether it is residential or hospitality. The integration of reclaimed or salvaged architectural elements is seen frequently in hospitality, and many of the very best projects in Europe and the USA at the highest level of residential are populated with exceptional examples of classic design – it must be impossible to move in California now without bumping into a Corbusier Chandigargh chair (original of course!!).

It is possible to create large margins with informed and intelligent purchasing, while also offering the client the possibility of a return on investment, something that is impossible with a bespoke site-specific sofa for example. Older pieces can even be bespoked of course, through reupholstery, readjustment and gentle intervention. Clients will be aware of the market prices of brand new standard items but won’t necessarily know the price of classic design, and in certain instances may be pleasantly surprised. There are rich pickings in the market still for undiscovered gems and unappreciated designers to become household names. The value for instance of Eames, Wegner, Juul has all absolutely rocketed as they take their place in the Pantheon (or “Premier League”) of design stars, but there are plenty who are brilliant but considered “1st Division” It’s important to find new avenues for increasing profitability and a few well-sourced items will add character and interest to a project as well as increasing value to both the client and the business.

All images courtesy of Modernforms.

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SBID Accredited Designer and Founder of London-based design firm Ana Engelhorn Interior Design, blends the old with the new to create charming and characterful interiors. Ana’s practice utilises the imperfections of natural building materials such as a original hardwood floor and emphasises rich textural sensations like silk, cotton and oxidised metal; combining the innate authenticity of a room with its objects through antique furnishings and traditional features. Read more to discover Ana’s secrets to sourcing antiques for her ‘rough luxe’ interior designs. 

At Ana Engelhorn Interior Design, we take a perfectly imperfect approach – uniting old with new to create fresh, timeless interiors for residential and commercial properties. We approach all of our projects with a sustainable mindset and love working with natural materials and furniture in its raw state. Celebrating imperfections found in natural objects and building materials, we especially love antiques – and have become somewhat of an expert in pieces of furniture from the 18^th and 19^th centuries and the 1950’s and 1970’s.

This past month I headed over to Madrid to discover some of their antiques. Although I’m half Spanish, half German and was born in Switzerland, I have always been drawn to British antiques so don’t have much knowledge of the market in other countries. Antiques here in the UK, where we’re now based, are highly prized and shops exist in abundance. The price, as you might expect, is high, so it can be a challenge to find amazing pieces with the right price tag.

I was thus very keen to explore abroad and see what I could find. Travelling through Madrid and making contact with suppliers there, I was amazed to learn the quantity as well as quality of what is there. As interior designers, we are only as good as our suppliers, so we spend a good deal of time finding like-minded crafts and tradespeople who sell or produce quality products or salvage and up-cycle older items. We try to encourage our clients to restore and reuse their furniture or donate it to charities or who will re-purpose it, so going to Spain was a real opportunity to potentially expand the number of pieces we could recommend and learn more about sourcing antiques in other countries.

When young people in Spain leave their parents’ home, they usually want to make their own mark. The last thing they want, therefore, are interiors that look like their grandparents’ house. They tend to live in apartments that are more contemporary or lean toward furniture from the 1950’s, which is highly coveted across the country.  Thus, those from wealthy families who inherit large stately homes or palacetes often find antique dealers like Anticuarios Alcolcer to buy their heirlooms and resell them in stores across Spain and the United States.

I was delighted to find that the prices for antiques are generally lower in Spain – you can find truly beautiful pieces, well-preserved and documented but at much more accessible prices. The biggest barriers to finding these suppliers are usually time, money and lack of knowledge. However, with the internet and in the globalised world we now live in, these hurdles can easily be overcome.  One particularly straightforward option is to use a Travel Consultant like La Españolita. They will organise the trip for you and make introductions. Your days are then clearly mapped out and you can really make the most of your time.

Another way to find antiques dealers is to search for Architectural Digest guides on the specific region you want to visit. Usually, where there is one there are many. For example, when I visited El Modernario, the owner recommended two other stores: Tesla Antiques and Concha Ortega. I found it heart-warming how eager most owners are to share their clients with their competitors. In this industry, there really are people who believe that when one does better, everyone benefits.

Antique shop owners are also keen to have coffee or a drink to talk about the trade and swap stories. I speak Spanish so it makes that part easier!  I find that with antiques in general, and Spain specifically, people want to get to know you and find out who you are – you can then start to build a relationship and work together to help each other.

Sourcing antiques from foreign countries doesn’t need to be daunting. The antiques mission I just underwent in Spain is one I will try to repeat for France, Sweden and Italy (my current favourite countries for older pieces). I’m looking forward to what I might find!

This article was written by Ana Engelhorn of Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

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