That's not unusual, though, since there are antiques all across the country...
While it's true that every part of the country has a history behind it, some areas of the country are a little more attuned to their past, their historic homes, and the antiques that go in them.
This is an interior shot famous mansion in Columbus, MS, called Riverview. It's in the same neighborhood as my house! |
As my finances improve and I continue to get settled into my Victorian Cottage, here are just a few towns within 30 miles or less from Columbus that have antique stores:
Aberdeen, pop. 5,432
Amory, pop.7,107
Caledonia, pop. 1,027
West Point (the Mississippi West Point), pop. 11,093
Starkville, pop. 24,886
Macon (this Mississippi Macon), pop. 2,647
And a fun fact about antique stores is that they usually take you into historic parts of any town. The store owners, of course, go for places where the rent is less costly, so when you're antiquing, you're also treated to areas of town that are old and funky and fun.
Yes, almost every town of any size in any state probably has an antique store, so that's nothing new or unique, but I do think that southerners above all others still hold their historic homes in high regard. They can be renovated to have all the modern features, but they don't ruin the houses by gutting their character...no glass brick showers in a house that's over 150 years old, no destruction of the winding staircases to replace it with some "hip" and modern metal thingy. A fully restored historic house here is truly like walking back in time, even though it's got new wiring, updated kitchens and bathrooms, and will house flat-screen TVs and Internet services, etc. Even the famous and beautiful Waverly Mansion (daily tours) hides a flatscreen TV in one of the bedrooms occupied by one of the family members)
Aberdeen, pop. 5,432
Amory, pop.7,107
Caledonia, pop. 1,027
West Point (the Mississippi West Point), pop. 11,093
Starkville, pop. 24,886
Macon (this Mississippi Macon), pop. 2,647
And a fun fact about antique stores is that they usually take you into historic parts of any town. The store owners, of course, go for places where the rent is less costly, so when you're antiquing, you're also treated to areas of town that are old and funky and fun.
Yes, almost every town of any size in any state probably has an antique store, so that's nothing new or unique, but I do think that southerners above all others still hold their historic homes in high regard. They can be renovated to have all the modern features, but they don't ruin the houses by gutting their character...no glass brick showers in a house that's over 150 years old, no destruction of the winding staircases to replace it with some "hip" and modern metal thingy. A fully restored historic house here is truly like walking back in time, even though it's got new wiring, updated kitchens and bathrooms, and will house flat-screen TVs and Internet services, etc. Even the famous and beautiful Waverly Mansion (daily tours) hides a flatscreen TV in one of the bedrooms occupied by one of the family members)
This is the picture I sent my partner from my phone taken at the antique store, which caused him to faint. The medallions are metal with engraved images. |
Even modern, brand new homes in the South are often built in classical Southern styles and, hence, real antiques will easily fit into them without appearing to jump out at you at their appearance. And as clever designers know, real plants can be supplemented with fake plants, and the casual eye will never guess. The same can be said of antiques, living side-by-side with new furniture. The only modern piece of furniture I have in my house is my bed.
Cliff Schlothauer, an award-winning designer and home renovator also says that with antiques and old houses, you should avoid keeping the same style of furniture throughout the house, which gives the home an antiseptic look and feel. Instead, you can have an eclectic mix of periods of furniture styles, getting away with adding Chinese antique cabinets with neoclassical furniture. Old paintings, which don't have to be expensive, also add a certain charm to a room.
So part of the fun of following the antiques trail in and around Columbus is finding just the right piece to complement a room with a blank area.
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