The Secret Hunting Ground of an Interior Designer

Many things have come and gone from Chelsea over the years and since 1979, Lots Road Auctions has opened its doors every Sunday to welcome a wave of Chelsea interior designers seeking their ultimate gem finds from a vast emporium of beautiful antiquities and second hand furnishings that each document a story. This treasure trove of classic and modern pieces for home interiors has furnished beautiful properties since it first started trading to become the largest of its kind in Europe today and today it’s a staple resource for key finds for interior designers in London and worldwide thanks to the online catalogue.

Whether hunting for a collectors piece or a decorative finishing touch to a client’s interior design scheme, Lots Road features the finest of antiques in interior design, London, with over 500 lots every week including Bank Holidays. Starting at 12pm the sale for contemporary and traditional furnishings and decorative items takes place in the ground floor auction room followed by the Antique Furniture, Paintings, Carpets and Works of Art sale at 3pm in the upstairs auction room. Leading interior designers are frequent visitors of both auctions. SigmaLondon can often be found frequenting both auctions to meticulously source an array of interior furnishings for private residential projects, from beautiful oil paintings and other works of art to continental furniture and fine antiques.

Even if you’re an amateur with the process of buying art, if you have a keen eye for design, discover a passion for buying antique pieces to fill your home with. They can really bring character to an interior design scheme and are interesting talking points for guests. If you’ve ever been in a home where the interior design has been professionally executed, it’s likely there’s at least one piece that’s been sourced from the auction. For those in the know, experienced in finding some real gems, head to the auction – but it’s open to anyone and even has a number of high profile celebrities scouting the catalogues. For the more experienced of buyer’s, a specialist sale is held nearly every month, including a Russian art auction that’s held three times a year. A fully illustrated catalogue is also available online, which is uploaded every Thursday after 6:30pm.

Ensure the favourite pieces you have your eye on are the real deal and look out for original markings and hallmarks, most items purchased will be supplied with certificates of authenticity but it’s worth checking in the first instance. You do have some reassurance if you’re a novice as experts scour the fair prior to its opening to validate authenticities. Find out as much as you can about any item you are thinking of buying, anything that’s been restored can effect its value if it hasn’t been carried out in the correct way. It’s certainly worth putting insurance in place and most dealer’s will already have this covered. There is nothing worse than finding your treasure in pieces after transportation other than realising you’re not insured either.

Proving that antiques are far from humdrum and musty, those in their droves visit the auction sales every week, particularly professional interior designers. Treasured items purchased can be true investment pieces whether you want to add to an existing art collection or start one. The beauty of these auctions is that anyone can fall in love with a piece that can be passed down as an heirloom from generation to generation. Alternatively, the wide selection of second hand items from Chelsea homes can be upcycled and even recycled back at the auction. With the revival of traditional antiques the listings are not necessarily expensive either. The objet d’arts of these sales may please the wave of local antique lovers, but it’s also a sign that antiques are cool again. An antidote to contemporary clean lines and open plan spaces, the catalogues are full of interior furnishings and art that translates characterful living spaces abundant in memoirs. For an interior design touch and a slice of historic design, head to Lots Road. To catch up on all the latest SigmaLondon news follow us on Facebook.