Page 110 - Homes & Antiques (February 2020)

The Essential Antiques

In Polly’s living room, the
impressive overmantel
mirror draws you in.

OVERMANTEL MIRROR
POLLY FERN, illustrator and ceramicist

I would have to choose a statement overmantel
mirror. I "nd it’s the heart of the room and the
"rst thing you set your eyes on when you walk in.
It pulls everything together and I think antique
mantel mirrors can lend themselves well to many
di#erent styles of interior. To style my mirror I
have a pair of my handmade ceramic Venus shell
sconces hanging either side. I think symmetry is
important when it comes to striking mantelpieces,
so I have my Romantic vases at each end and some
candlesticks and Sta#ordshire "gurines.

LEFT 19th-century English
wingback armchair
reupholstered in wool
fabric, £1,900, Brownrigg.

WINGBACK CHAIR
KATE WATSON-SMYTH, stylist and author

The longer I live in my house the more antiques I
acquire and the more I think they are the key to
making a house a home. I have antiques in every
room, but the one piece I think you should always
include is a wingback armchair. It doesn’t ma!er
how ba!ered it is when you buy it, you can always
have it repaired and reupholstered – that’s part of
the joy. An antique wingback covered in modern
fabric is perfect in a house of any period. They
are angled nicely at the back – the rake – which
makes them very comfortable. Also, I have
a small sofa that belonged to my great-
grandmother, then it went to my mother (who
re-covered it twice in 20 years) and now I have ABOVE This Georgian-
changed it again. I wouldn’t part with it style wingback armchair
for the world. c1910 recently sold at

Doe & Hope.

110 Homes & Antiques February 2020