Ep. 402: Antique Hunting Tips & Tricks with Debbie Mathews

How to Decorate

Ballard Designs

Arts, Business, Design

4.2 • 785 Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2025

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Caroline, Taryn, and Liz welcome back Debbie Mathews to the show, an antiques expert & dealer with over 30 years of experience running her showroom and design business in Nashville, Tennessee. Debbie shares her valuable insights on selecting timeless antique pieces that can seamlessly integrate into any home. Debbie also addresses essential pieces for newcomers to the antique world, provides practical advice on what to look for when buying and caring for antiques, along with tips for identifying current trends in the antique market. This week's episode is packed with expert tips and fundamental knowledge essential for anyone interested in antiques or looking to enhance their home decor. Join us for a delightful conversation filled with practical insights and a lively discussion on antiques! Watch this week's episode in video format on Ballard Designs' YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZEyirzhTWWg What You’ll Hear On This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to the How to Decorate Podcast Podcast 00:35 Welcoming Antiques Expert Debbie Mathews 01:22 Key Pieces for Young Antique Collectors 02:41 Versatile Antique Furniture Recommendations 13:11 Shopping for Antiques: Tips and Tricks 24:26 Understanding Antique Pricing and Value 41:04 Dealing with Infestations in Antique Furniture 42:35 Exploring Antique Lighting Design 44:36 Collecting Vintage Lamps and Mirrors 48:23 Challenges of Rewiring Antique Fixtures 55:41 Trends in Antique Furniture 59:49 Solving Kitchen Seating Dilemmas 01:10:08 Conclusion and Farewell Decorating Dilemma: Hi Jess, The hosts empathize with your kitchen seating dilemma, highlighting the cozy nook as a beautiful feature in your home. Debbie offers several insightful suggestions to improve your space. First, she emphasizes the importance of comfort, noting that the current banquette seat depth is insufficient for enjoyable dining. Debbie recommends either rebuilding the banquette to provide a deeper seat or removing it altogether and incorporating a standalone table and chairs, allowing for greater flexibility in the space. For the table, she suggests considering an oval design, which can enhance movement around the area and better accommodate the flow of your kitchen. Debbie also addresses your lighting concerns, recommending that you either center the existing fixture or consider using a ceiling medallion to create a polished look while covering any patch jobs. Ultimately, Debbie encourages you to trust your instincts and make the changes that best suit your comfort and style, ensuring that the space serves your needs. Best of luck with your kitchen updates! We hope these tips help bring a fresh approach to your seating area. - How to Decorate Also Mentioned: Shop Ballard Designs | Website DebbieMathews.com | Website @debbiemathewsdesigns | Instagram Debbie Mathews Antiques | Instagram Debbie Mathews Antique & Design Shop | Chairish Ep. 177: Debbie Mathews | Prior Appearance on Podcast Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone. Happy Decorating!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to How to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home.
0:09.1	I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team. And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer. I'm Liz. I head of the creative team.
0:14.8	We're your hosts. Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks, and tales from interior designers, stylists,
0:20.9	and other talents in the design world. Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each
0:24.8	episode. We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email us at podcast at balauredesigns.net.
0:30.5	Now on with the show.
0:34.4	All right, we are excited to welcome back to the show today. Antiques expert, Debbie Matthews. Debbie has been selling antiques for 30 years. She's got an antique showroom and a flourishing design business in Nashville, Tennessee. She weaves classic antique pieces into her client's collections in a way that feels livable, comfortable, and timeless. Deby, welcome to the show.
0:54.8	Thank you. I've been so looking forward to chatting with you both again. Yes, I should say
0:59.8	welcome back to the show because I believe it was probably three or four years ago we had you on
1:05.4	when we opened a store in Nashville. So we did several different designers in the Nashville area.
1:12.1	And we got to hear all about your antiques business, but we're about, we're excited to hear, you know, hear from you
1:16.3	again, have you back again this time in person. Well, thank you again for thinking of me.
1:22.0	Yeah. So, okay, I wanted to mostly gear the conversation, or at least open the conversation,
1:28.8	with a question that we recently got around pieces to get early. Maybe when you are first starting
1:40.0	out, you want to buy some pieces that you're going to have for a long time, but you don't necessarily, you're not in a forever house. You're not in a house you're going to be in for a while. And I felt like this was a great conversation for you just because buying antiques is really all about finding things that you're going to keep for a long time. But how do you know what's something that will be
2:02.6	versatile enough to have now, but also down the road? That is a great question and one that I
2:09.2	actually get asked regularly, especially by young people who just don't know where to start.
2:15.9	They might be in an apartment, a condo,
2:19.2	but yet they've got the itch. And I always come back with the same answer. I feel like there are two
2:27.1	key pieces that maybe a young person should get started with. And that's because they're
2:33.8	multifunctional. And to me,
2:35.9	that's really what it's all about, what can grow with you, and move with you. So the first piece I
	...

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