Antique Mahogany Sideboard Buffet

Some antique mahogany buffet servers come with mirrors. Not only is this a great last place to check your hair and makeup as you scoot out the door, but it can reflect light making a small or narrow dining room seem bigger! If you've got an antique sterling silver or Waterford Crystal collection this is the perfect display spot.

Ebay sellers have a fantastic selection of antique Queen Anne mahogany buffets available. When I'm checking out Queen Anne furniture the first thing that I look for is the quality of the Cabriole leg. It's easiest to think of a Cabriole leg as an "S-shaped" curve. The top part of the curve must bow outward, while the bottom of the curve bows inward. Usually the curve ends in a pad foot or club foot. You can think of this as a smooth claw foot if you want. Queen Anne reigned for just 12 years in the early 1700s and that's when this furniture got its start. You'll see lots of sweeping curves and rounded edges on Queen Anne furniture. Furniture designers in this style were more concerned with the overall shape of the furniture rather than detailed ornamentation. So when you see Queen Anne furniture it looks lighter than many earlier styles.

I am somewhat whimsical in my home decor. Just like in my wardrobe I'm not a matchie-matchie person. I'm more of a goes with person. Rarely will my hat and scarf match, let alone my shoes. It's the same way with my furniture. I pick up antique pieces as I go and find things that I can afford. Generally I stick with darker and heavier woods like mahogany, so that's a unifying element in my furniture. I also prefer curved lines to angular. The amount of ornamentation changes depending upon the furniture period and designer.

Thomas Chippendale was another cabinet maker turned furniture designer that lived in the 1700s. He worked in a lot of different styles and eventually became the hottest interior designer for the aristocrats to work with. In the mid-1700s he even published a catalog of his designs for others to use.

I have noticed that Chippendale-style sideboard buffet tables tend not to have shelving and mirrors on the top. If you want cleaner lines in your dining room, you can just polish it and add a few silver candlesticks with a crochet doily.

Yes ebay is for buying large and expensive items. It's one of the most trusted and respected online stores, so you can shop there with confidence. If you're new to the ebay experience and still a bit nervous, then stick with Top Rated Sellers. These folks get that designation because they sell a lot of stuff on ebay and consistently meet ebay customer service guidelines. You can also check out their Positive Feedback Rating and read comments from previous customers.

Buying antiques anywhere means you have to ask lots of questions. The big one is what is the condition and how much has it been repaired and restored. There are people who want to see the honest and original condition with no repairs or restoration. There's actually a big debate going on about restoring antique furniture. So if you're buying antiques as both furniture and investment, you've got to think about this.