When guests or clients visit Judy and Dennis McCarthy's downtown home and office, they are pleasantly surprised. The McCarthys have converted an old office building into their law offices and their home, creating a country loft with a down-home feeling that is warm and welcoming. The McCarthys have kept the space open and airy but have filled it with antique furnishings, country fabrics and textiles and accented it with a collection of looms and spinning wheels.
Antique Toys
Whether your home is in the city, in the country, or in-between, adding antique toys to your decor is one fun way to create a little country charm. At the Heart of Country show in Nashville, toy expert Rich Garthoeffner shares some great advice for collecting and decorating with antique toys:
- Any toy made before the turn-of-the-century is considered antique, however, Garthoeffner suggests that toys made as recently as the 1950s are considered valuable collector's items.
- Get expert advice. Toys from the mid-1800s to the turn-of-the-century were rarely marked. Companies first marked their toys in ink, then began to incorporate their name into the toy with cast iron molds. Since many of the reproduction pieces made today look like the real thing, you'll want to be careful in your selection.
- Antiques toys come in all different price ranges, so don't be intimidated. Garthoeffner says the price can reach into the thousands for certain toys, but many of them are still affordable.
Guests Rich Garthoeffner
Antique Dealer, Garthoeffner Gallery Antiques
122 E. Main St.
Lititz, PA 17543
Phone: 717-627-7998
Also in this Episode
)
)
)