This month the Fine Art department initiated a collaborationg with interior designer, Carlos Garcia, on an unique project to curate antiques at his beautiful home near Holt, Norfolk. The aim of the photoshoot was to prove that furniture bought at auction is accessible to all and relevant for a multitude of interiors, whilst consistently representing value for money. Having played second fiddle to new furniture for some years now, antiques are definitely back in fashion, however many buyers are still unsure on how to make them look beautiful in their own homes and find the auction process daunting. This is where Carlos Garcia comes in. A sought-after designer, working throughout the UK and based between London and Norfolk, he is known for his creation of English Country House schemes. In this project Carlos has brought his sensational design skills to dress two rooms of his Norfolk farmhouse completely with antiques which are available at the Cheffins Fine Art Sale on the 6th and 7th March. The curated images, shot by renowned interiors photographer Christopher Horwood, create inspirational ideas on how to furnish a room with antiques bought at auction and how to use these pieces in everyday settings. Carlos handpicked his favourite items from the upcoming sale and compiled two room sets using furniture, paintings, rugs and ceramics exclusively from Cheffins.
Luke Macdonald, Director, Cheffins says: “Carlos has worked tirelessly to create a classic, English Country House look but with modern touches, and his use of colour and pattern has been second-to-none in really bringing these antiques to life. The aim of this project was to prove that antiques from auctions can create the most homely of interior design schemes, whilst being able to be bought at a fraction of the price of much of the new furniture on the market. We have seen a definite uplift in the number of purchasers at auction who are looking for furniture to fill their homes bidding alongside dealers and collectors. At Cheffins we want our auctions to be as accessible as possible for all budgets and for diverse buyers, from those looking for 20th century artworks for a retro flat right through to the most traditional of mahogany furniture for country homes.”
Carlos Garcia says: “I was approached by Cheffins in Cambridge, one of the country's leading firms of independent Auctioneers and Valuers to curate a room with items from their Fine Art and 20th Century Art sale. Having at your disposal a wonderful array of antiques as well as a fantastic collection of 20th century British art was no doubt enticing enough. The objective however was, not only to produce a beautiful room set, but to look homely, approachable, accessible and to encourage and inspire people to use auction houses to buy antiques. Hence why the proposal of using one of the rooms in my own country house seemed perfectly suitable.”
Carlos can be contacted at https://www.carlosgarciainteriors.com/
The cushions and lampshades for the project were kindly loaned by Susan Deliss and photography was by Christopher Horwood.
Check out our instagram feed @cheffinsfineart where we will be distributing the final images.