Decorating Your Garden With Antiques

Gardens can be one of the most inspiring and calming parts of the home - but when it comes to decorating them, why do we often find ourselves simply using items from the garden centre?

Take a look at your garden and identify any areas that you feel are missing something, or could benefit from an added feature or focal point. Using vintage or antique furniture and decorations can add character and new elements of interest to these spots (and the garden as a whole) and really make the space feel complete.

Stone Statues

If you want to add a bold, but low maintenance, focal point to your garden, an antique stone statue could be the perfect choice.

If you have the space for a larger piece, but want to maintain an overall overgrown / natural atmosphere in the garden, take note of any particularly lush corners there might be. Tall Roman inspired statues work well in areas that have lots of tall, leafy plants to create a more natural, but still impactful feature.

Alternatively, if you want to create a more eye-catching feature, choose the spot that you want to bring attention to and place a large, tall statue in the centre and plant small shrubs and flowers around it.

Fountains

Fountains and other water features are fantastic in any garden. They’re beautiful, relaxing and the moving water adds a layer to the overall landscape that makes the garden feel more alive.

Whether you opt for something more detailed and ornate (great for more formal gardens), or a simple trough filled with water and plants, there’s a water feature that works for every style of garden. And because every fountain needs a physical container on show to hold all the water, this is where antique stone pieces such as troughs and mill stones come in. For some ideas on how to transform your antique finds into unique water features, see our previous ‘how to’ guide here.

Smaller Decorative Antiques

If you don’t have the room for a larger piece (or if you simply don’t want to commit to one), strategically placing smaller antique items can be a great way to subtly, but effectively, work in some character to your outdoor space.

For the front garden, if you have a large boundary wall or gate posts at the end of your drive, placing smaller statues (like our favourite pair of British Bulldogs or Chinese guardian lions) on either side of your gateway will add a layer of interest to an often forgotten part of the home. You could even use a smaller statue like this on your front porch if you have the space, alongside some antique lanterns or potted plants to make the entry to your home feel warm and inviting.

Not necessarily smaller, but simpler (and a staple in any garden) is seating. Instead of the standard plastic options you might find at the garden centre, try looking for an antique bench that you can place in a sunny spot overlooking the lawn or the flowerbeds (or your newly built water feature).

West Yorkshire Architectural Antiques are specialists in genuine, reclaimed garden antiques. We never sell reproductions, so if you’re looking for a truly unique addition to your garden design, take a look at our current stock of garden antiques.