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Step 1
Sit down with a modern style decorating magazine and identify what specifically about modern styling appeals to you. Is it the minimalist styling, the clean lines of the furniture, the solid colored schemes or the bold accent colors? Cut pictures out of the magazine that appeal to you and create a collage of images on a sheet of posterboard. This helps you visualize your ambition for your space.
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Step 2
Repeat Step 1 with an antiques catalog. Find pieces that are meaningful or simply aesthetically pleasing to you, cut them out, and add them to your idea collage board. As you do this, you'll begin to see how classic antique pieces can work well against a modern styled room, creating depth and interest with contrasting elements. If you already own antiques you would like to integrate into the room, visualize the piece in one of your selected magazine pictures. Look for ties of color and finish between your modern and antique furnishings to bring it all together.
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Step 3
Base your room with antique furnishings, but top it off with a modern color scheme and contemporary art pieces. For example, recovering a classic "gossip bench" with a geometric patterned fabric and placing it in a brightly painted room creates a wonderful juxtaposition of styling.
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Step 4
Reinvent your antique "odds and ends" to serve modern purposes. For example, an old silver teapot makes a fantastic flower vase. A vintage cigar box on the coffee table not only looks good, but provides a place to conceal entertainment equipment remote controls. And pretty much any piece of antique furniture can be given new life with just some basic reupholstery. Use your creativity to mix up the original intended uses of antiques to create surprises for your modern room.
