Antique Coat Racks and Home Décor
By Megan Cherry
If you’re interested in antique coat racks, you have a very
wide range of designs and eras to choose from.
Clothes closets are a relatively recent invention; before the
20th century, most homes used pegs, freestanding racks, and
clothes chests to store all their linens and clothing. One of
these freestanding racks was the humble coat rack, which often
became quite ornate.
In older homes, antique coat racks may be particularly
appropriate. These old houses don’t have coat closets near the
door, so you’ll need a place to store coats anyway – and a
beautiful restored antique coat rack may be the perfect touch to
complete your foyer or entryway. After all, older homes were
designed with extra space in this area in consideration of the
need for coat racks.
Your choice in antique coat racks depends heavily on what
impression you want visitors to have of your home. In gracious
old plantation homes, coat racks were often built into an
all-in-one sort of hallway furnishing that functioned as a
wooden bench, a place to brace your feet when putting on boots,
storage under the bench (usually cedar so wools could safely be
stored without fear of moths), a mirror, a shelf or multiple
shelves for calling cards, and along the top below the mirror
pegs for coats. Some also had an umbrella stand built in on the
side.
The problem with coat racks of this sort is that they are very
large and bulky. Plantation homes traditionally had wide, airy
halls with high ceilings to encourage air flow, keeping the home
cool; these large pieces worked well in the large spaces
available.
If you need something smaller, look to the Victorians. Coat
racks at this time took the form of the gracious tall lamp stand
style, with multiple curving hooks at the top; if not made well,
these coat racks were prone to tipping over, but they worked
beautifully in small spaces and corners. A few were made so that
the top part with hooks swiveled, making it simple to reach the
coat you wanted. You’ll also find examples of these coat racks
with umbrella stands at the bottom, giving you an additional
option for storage; just examine these carefully, as poorly made
umbrella stands don’t allow adequately for drainage and may
suffer from rot or other damage.
You may want to think about something else when you’re going
with an antique coat rack. Consider: what Victorian coat rack is
complete without a men’s bowler hat on it? Or if you’re a
mystery movie fan, what about vintage coats and hats reminiscent
of those films you love? The great thing about coat racks: they
don’t have to be just about a place to hang your hat and coat.
They can be lovely decorating statements. Can’t find the perfect
antique coat rack? Find the one you like best in pictures, and
look for a craftsman to build it for you. There are plenty of
skilled furniture makers who specialize in antique replicas who
can help you not just create a good lookalike, but even use the
same methods and materials in creating it, ensuring you a truly
quality piece for your home.
About the Author: Megan Cherry writes for
www.pegandrail.com If you are looking for a high quality
well made coat rack stop in and check us out, we manufacture a
complete line of wall mounted coat rack from a shaker peg style
coat rack to a modern wall coat rack with brass or satin nickel
hooks.
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
www.isnare.com/?aid=266307&ca=Arts+and+Crafts
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