Try installing old, 17cm skirting-boards, period over-doors and door-jambs, and picture- and/or dado-rails -- it's these little details that will harmonise the two, as much as that is possible at all ~ like your prints in the living-room; swap your rugs for Persian carpets on the wood floor; and with the television, put it out of sight in an antique cabinet. And don't forget to use period colours -- nothing makes antique furniture look more jarringly wrong than modern, plain white walls. If you really want to keep the white, you can tie the two together with white-painted timber panelling, not tongue-and-groove, up to dado height. A chalky white-wash, instead of modern gloss/semi gloss, is another trick you could try, as is adding timber accents, ie on the door-jambs. Fully panelled walls, in a gloss, works beautifully too -- it's the plainness of the walls that's failing you. Also try sconces for lighting. Buy a nice armoir for CDs, DVDs, stereo, etc; and try your photos individually in Art Nouveau silver frames for the small, and large, ornate gilt frames, on good mats, for the large. If you use "hide all the mod-cons" as a general rule of thumb, your antiques will work much better. Another idea, if you like the look, is to be more eclectic and try adding 'transitional pieces' ~ from eras/styles between your antiques and today. Your front door has a very Art Deco feel to it, so you could capitalise on that and bring in Deco city-skyline photos - black and white only - a Deco sculpture lamp and a good Bauhaus chair in black leather and chrome might be just the things to tie the two eras together ~ because these are antiques now, but have a cold, sculptural feel that looks modern.

For harmonising fabrics, canvas stripe works wonders as a transitional link; but the only way to save that dining-table (in the sense of harmonising it with your antiques!) would be with a white, Irish linen table cloth, and - I think - a floral pattern dinner or tea-set, like Royal Albert's 'Old Country Roses', or similar, leaving the table permanently half-set ~ as if you're about to sit down to afternoon tea; and a soft-coloured bunch of flowers would help too. And it's old-school, but drapes and wall-paper can also work miracles in harmonising such divergent styles -- a very subtle damask/flock print, ie in softest cream and white, might be just the thing you need on the walls.

Good luck.

By the way, I love your long-case clock!

Such a difficult line to straddle. Any update on your progress?

Sorry typing has gone astray and I can't edit my comment in the app. :(

Make that stuff just plonked down and pictures up high and tv down low

And regarding the placement of furniture, I agree with Fiona -- that lovely Louis XIV settee should be mid-space, not against a wall, as that ruins the very elegance of the piece; and it certainly should not between two DVD-towers. Group those in a corner with a Deco chair and wall-photo ~ a la a NYC skyline (if you can't hide them altogether). Also issues with colour -- what's your colour-way/s? That would go a long way towards harmonising the space: first harmonise colour, texture and shape.

Hi all, an update. I started by moving everything out of the room. (Picture 1) I plan on putting up a 3D wall print if a library. The room with the clock is an electric log heater not a TV. I have since moved the towers into the entertainment room. Which has worked nicer. I purchased a round black daybed and have that facing the two chairs, with brown throw rugs over the edge. It has harmonised it nicely. I plan on putting a lot of Robyn's advice into practice. I already have the old country roses set. Thank you all for your advice it has helped me immensely I wanted to change the wall colours but Hubby is absolutely stuck on the White. Wall scones to tie in the chandelier is also an option I am looking at. Update with pics soon.

Pics of the wall scones ideas and the 3D library.

3D library

Hi Gov14, I would be careful going with the 3D library -- it's a great effect, but it could age poorly, fading and peeling as any wallpaper can. Are you able to see a room it's been in for years - say about ten - before you buy? The supplier should offer that.

Robyn that is something I hadn't thought about. Thank you. I'll probably go back to getting a floor to ceiling one made for the wall on the left. What do you think?

Duh! Now I look at the photos agin it is obviously a fire. It think to make this wall work you either need something to anchor the fire or go with a gallery wall.

I'm not sure about the 'library' wall, but if you like and think it would work....

Fiona I'm not sure about the library either it is a very weird shaped room. Here's a pic.

Just a thought ...
Who keeps the same wallpaper up for
10 years anyway....
Not in our house..
By the time the wallpaper paste is on
It's time toooo change the wallpaper ..
It's driffent ...if you like and can do it
Go for it
Modern can sit along side vintage /antique
Living in harmony so tooooo speak
And not looking dated
I also like your long case clock ...
Along with your display cabinet
You just need toooo edit
A few things from it ...
Good luck
Can't wait tooooo see your room evolve
Pics please :0)

Excuse the windows on the side they are the next project. I am changing the Ria soon as the windows go in.

I am somewhere in between, I like some antique things but the ultra mod stuff I do not like at all. My decor/design thing is "coastal chic", with a touch of Hamptons, throw in some french provincial in the bedroom, a touch of country but distressed white. All together in my timber cottage style house that is now painted white, with 2 dormer windows & high cathedral ceilings. All walls are gradually being painted white. I am loving my house much more now. Just patiently waiting for the kitchen to be redone. Slowly...

I find the room a bit cluttered. I know you have the idea of modern meets antique. The balance seems wrong. The eye is all over the place trying to find somewhere to linger. The fireplace, the pictures the decal on the wall, the chairs, even the fan on the ceiling seem to scream out to be heard! That electrical cord is making me rather narky! Move the pictures lower. They are much too high. Also bring them closer to the fireplace and the wall decal. Make the pictures stand out by painting the walls deeper tones. A large floor rug would be terrific in a traditional pattern. Is it possible to put a large indoor plant on the left and move the chairs more inwards and away from the corners a bit? Or put a lamp in the right corner and move the chairs inward and away from the corners. Just my ideas.

I agree with bringing the chairs in from the corners just a bit -- it will make the room seem larger; but I think the height of the prints is just right -- it makes that squat ceiling look higher by having space above the chairs, and you do not want to close this space. What's wrong is that they are too far apart -- balance the space between the corners and each print ~ in this case think in terms of visually-balanced fifths: wall-print-wall(including decal)-print-wall. It's the faux fire that's brining this room down (have you tried lowering it to the floor?), but Junipergirl is right ~ the room needs to be anchored, and the perfect rug would do that. I too would usually choose something traditional (that's my personal taste), but for this space, to harmonise styles, I would suggest something more modern, and something with texture as this room is texturally very flat. A shaggy white rug (seeing your husband insists on keeping those white walls, and in a space this size I am inclined to agree with him), with touches of the rose-pink echoed in the prints would anchor the whole scheme beautifully. I agree that the finishing touches of a table-lamp (think of that classic 'Ritz/Savoy' pleated shade, in white, with a gold-tone pedestal to match the print-frames, possibly on a very light-looking round Deco occasional table), and an indoor palm - something texturally variagated, not smooth - and I think this room will work very well ... it's much better than you seem to think Gov (I feel very Cockney saying that!), and all the features - except the heater - are good and work well together.

PS I would not go with any 3D wall-art in this little room -- it would totally overpower the space and your furniture, and seem awfully oppressive in very short order.

And if that's a ducted-heating vent in the floor to the right, is it possible to change it's colour? The pink doesn't work! ;) Also, the Frederick McCubbin print tends to work better as three separate panels (I have the same set! :) I've grouped the two side panels together, and have the centre on it's own in my dining-room).

Something like this...
(please excuse the crudity, I just did it quickly on the PC. And note that in the pics the far wall seems to be a soft, pinky-beige-white ~ almost like a 50% Haymes Cream, and it works very well).

Robyn Douglas Fletcher you are so right I love that rug... THANK YOU

You're most welcome Gov -- I love helping people, especially with interior decorating and design. And please, feel free to call me just Robyn.

Hi. Looks like you've got some helpful advice. One great way to modernise antique furniture and integrate it into a modern setting is to get it reupholstered. You don't have much (any!) pattern or colour in the room and if you want to keep the walls white, then a coloured patterned fabric on the chairs could look spectacular! I'm worried the only accessory colour you've mentioned is brown! If it's too pricey to get the chairs recovered, at least go for colour/pattern in some large throw cushions! :-) But how about a great coloured deco style rug?? The possibilities are endless…
(photos are from ApartmentTherapy.com and DesignerRugs.com.au)

I can understand your dilemma, but there is nothing wrong going for a healthy balance here. You obviously love rustic, so opt for a few key pieces. (vintage books and typewriter?) Modern furniture such as a lounge from matisse will restore the balance.