The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair

The Spring Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair presents a wealth of opportunities to search out unusual antique and vintage garden ornament, an important element of the Fair. Statuary, urns and planters, stoneware, architectural elements, seating and smaller decorative items are all found here. Mirror-backed metal window frames, especially with an arched shape, are very popular with designers of small town gardens as judicious positioning to reflect the garden back on itself can double the perceived space. Stone architectural fragments, carefully placed, create an air of antiquity and intrigue. Elegant marble statuary brings an element of classicism to urban and country gardens, large or small.

At the Spring Decorative Fair, works of art dealer Robert Barley will create one of his popular garden displays celebrating the Jubilee. Expect a traditional idea, but with a difference; he will be incorporating quirky objects and elements of sculpture from around the world in to the display. Around 140 antiques dealers and specialists in 20th century design gather from around the UK and Europe to exhibit a well-curated selection of stock with the emphasis on pieces for interior decoration. Their search for the best examples saves customers’ time in trawling the countryside or internet for choice vintage or antique design. Affordable decorative accessories rub shoulders with fine Georgian furniture. Find unusual and practical, well-priced antiques for country and town houses; elegant glassware; pictures and works of art of all periods; textiles and cushions: mirrors and lighting are particular specialities.

Each year, the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair takes place in January, April and October. It is a friendly, relaxed and approachable event, and draws a crowd of regular customers including interior designers, antiques trade buyers, private buyers doing up houses, and younger couples seeking out a select piece of art or modern design to bring an individual accent to their home. Launched in 1985 to cater especially to the needs of interior designers, The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair is now one of London’s largest antiques fairs, and the only event of its kind in the UK. www.decorativefair.com

The Winter fair closed last Sunday 29th January, with evidence that traditional mahogany and other dark wood furniture is making a come-back. Regency breakfast tables, mahogany bookcases, side tables in satinwood and oak, and upholstered pieces in both the English and Continental taste were selling well. Decorated European commodes and cupboards also sold well, but darker woods were holding their own against lighter-coloured woods and painted pieces, which sold in great numbers. “Good quality, hard-to-find items at a fair price sold well”, said Toby Lorford of Lorfords, Tetbury. “It was one of our best ever fairs.”