If you own an older home and want to restore its original look, or if your home is newer and you want to add some old-time charm, antiques can provide a wonderful decor opportunity. Antiques come in many shapes and forms, and they are often far more detailed in design than modern decor products. Utilize antiques to get the look and feel you want in your home. These tips will show you how.

Ornate Antiques for the Ritzy Home Decor

Want an ornate look for your home decor? Silver, gold, bronze, and cloth antique products can do the trick. And it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Use antique table linens with embellished designs to enhance your coffee table, end tables, or night stands. Decorate with those antique family heirlooms that are hidden away in the attic or basement. Use antique-style photo frames to frame those really old family portraits. You can hang these on the wall with a couple of shabby chic wall sconces to create a wonderful antique look in a room. Or, set your old photos on tables along with an antique lamp to set the mood.

Be sure to shop garage sales, thrift shops, and flea markets to find great bargains on antique lamps, figurines, vases, and furniture. You can often find brassy or silver antique items for a bargain and polish them up to remove tarnish. They'll shine like new and give your home the antique look you want.

Another idea is to replace cabinet and doorknobs, faucets, and other fixtures with antique-style fixtures made of bronze or silver. Pay attention to the details in every room. This really makes a difference. Set off any room with lavish drapes and beautiful rugs.

Antique Country Decor

If you go for the rustic antique look, there are plenty of wooden antiques to fill any room. Try wooden antique lamp tables or end tables, an antique wooden fireplace mantle, bookcases, wooden rocking chairs, stools, and chests. Add antique wooden figurines and knick-knacks to any room, such as wooden shoes, rocking horses, animal figurines, clocks, a rustic antique floor lamp, or wooden photo frames. Country wooden antiques create a rustic look, and a beautiful, creative decor.

A Soft Vintage Look

Certain antiques, such as homemade quilts, pastel-colored furniture, and lacey linens can give any room a soft vintage look. It's antique without the rustic or ornate look. It's elegant, but comfortable. Soft-colored antiques can work well with floral-colored wallpaper and pastel-colored rooms. Vintage rose, yellow, light green, and baby blue colors give a room a spring-like touch every day of the year. Beautiful ceramic lamps and wall sconces can provide soft light to set off this decor.

No matter what look you're trying to achieve, antique decor items can be used to dramatically change a room's look and feel. Frequent thrift shops and garage sales, or read the classifieds in your local newspaper to decorate your home with beautiful antiques for less.