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April15
Think that antiques belong to the past? Think again, says
MARIE-HÉLÈNE VAN HOUTEN of
The Past Perfect
Collection
, just the right person to show us how to
create a contemporary home that oozes style – colonial
style, that is.
A
ntiques are a great way to enhance any living space,
believes Marie-Hélène, from homes to offices to public
spaces. Incorporating one or more pieces into your home
is not difficult, and it can make a huge impact on any room.
“That holds true regardless of the style of the building,” she
continues. Provided its size suits the space, an antique can look
just as good in the sleek, austere confines of modern condos and
houses as it will in a more traditional house, such as Singapore’s
covetable black-and-white bungalows.
We’re sitting at her desk in the gorgeous Bukit Timah showroom,
surrounded by a vast collection of the exquisitely restored colonial
furniture and contemporary accessories that she and her husband
Peter havemade a business of bringing in from India since 2007. (Even
this work-station is a thing of beauty: I make a rather self-conscious
point of not placing my cup of Dutch coffee on its gleaming surface.)
Mix and match
“Remember that you don’t have to aim for a houseful of antiques,”
says Marie-Hélène. “In fact, it can be incredibly effective to mix and
match the old and the new.”
Clicking through her comprehensive website, she points out
examples of how current designers are using a solitary, stunning
antique in an otherwise contemporary environment. One of her
favourites is the US designer Darryl Carter, who has perfected the look.
Examples include:
• An antique dining table surrounded by modern grey upholstered
chairs and a stunning artwork portraying Maria Callas against the
wall
(pictured middle right)
• An elegant antique secretaire chest of drawers in an entrance hall
full of light and whitewashed walls
(pictured bottom right)
• A Louis Ghost chair that seems to hover in front of a distinctively
ornate lady’s antique writing desk
• A single, stylish antique chair taking pride of place in an otherwise
modern living room.
Colonial
By Verne Maree
Left:
Marie-
Hélène van
Houten
Below and
opposite:
Dorothee
ter Kulve’s
black-and-white
house; see our
May issue for a
full showcase