You love the look of antiques, but you don’t want your home to look stuffy or stodgy. It can be difficult to create a balance between new and old items in your decor, but these simple tips from the pros will show you exactly how to incorporate antiques into an otherwise modern space.

• Pick the right items. Instead of buying something at an antique store just because you like it, consider whether or not you can actually use it in your home. A large antique bicycle is probably not the best choice in an apartment, but an antique mirror certainly is.
• Don’t spend too much. Browse thrift stores and yard sales to find low prices on hidden gems instead of making an impulse purchase at an overpriced antique store. That way, you’ll feel good about saving money on something that you really need.
• Choose furniture. Antique furniture is a great investment because it’s often higher quality than modern pieces from big box stores. Things like dressers, credenzas, and desks are all great options that will stand the test of time.
• Be sure to contrast. If you’re worried about your antiques making your home look dated, spread them out and use modern elements in between as contrast. Place a vintage coffee table near a modern sofa, or hang an antique frame in an updated bathroom.

Add Antique Accents To Your Modern Home Décor [The Accent Wall]
How To Mix and Match Antique Furniture In Modern Spaces [Build Direct]
Can You Mix Antique Furniture with Modern Furniture? [Savvy Examiner]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr LOLren

To take home a piece of days gone by, head over to Spring Antique Mall, located off of Spring Cypress Road. Its inventory spans high-end collectibles, china and crystal, and furniture dating as far back as the 18th century, as well as fine vintage clothing kept in excellent condition. However, if it's a black-and-white portrait of George Michael you seek, look elsewhere, as one very lucky Yelper managed to score this one-of-a-kind find back in 2012.

To proponents of “Retrocycling”, i.e. the “reinventing, repurposing, refurbishing, refashioning and recycling [of] antiques and vintage collectibles”, Spring Antique Mall is the ideal place to score new wares. The mall's website showcases several genius ideas, including the repurposing of a hollowed-out television set into a cozy indoor dog house, the refashioning of an old sink into an outdoor bird bath, and an impressive staircase crafted from old-timey crate boxes.

Spring Antique Mall
1609 Spring Cypress Road
Spring, TX 77388
www.springantiquemall.com
www.yelp.com/biz/spring-antique-mall-spring

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/stockerre

Located off of Spring Creek Drive and part of the Spring Creek Greenway, the sprawling 380-acre spread of Pundt Park is the perfect venue for your outdoor activities of choice. Saddle up to traverse the park's many equestrian trails, or lace up your hiking boots and hit the 10-mile trail linking Pundt Park to the Stahl Preserve and the Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Centre. If you prefer to kick back on a lazy summer day, pack up a basket and post up along the picnic loop with 10 tables, two covered pavilions, and convenient restrooms nearby.

Pundt Park’s two lakes are ideal for fishing with white bass and crappie ready for catching in winter and year round catfish, but guests should keep in mind that swimming, boating, canoeing, and kayaking are prohibited.

Pundt Park is open 8 a.m. to dusk to year-round.

Pundt Park
4129 Spring Creek Drive
Spring, Texas 77373
(281) 353-4196
www.hcp4.net/parks/pundt/index.htm
www.yelp.com/biz/pundt-park-spring

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