Town guide / Wirral and Merseyside
Antique cabinets and the Prenton house
Prenton, on the south-western side of Birkenhead, has a good share of Edwardian and interwar houses along its quieter roads. Those houses tend to offer a decent hall and clear walls, which widens the choice of cabinet.
i.
The houses
Bay windows, picture rails and fireplaces flanked by recesses are common in houses of this age, and the rooms are often squarer than a Victorian terrace parlour. That suits a tall glazed or panelled cabinet, which needs an open wall rather than a recess. Many such houses have suspended timber floors, so a heavy, narrow piece is happiest against a wall where the boards feel firm underfoot.
ii.
Antique cabinets in that setting
Cabinet is a broad word: a glazed display cabinet, a Welsh oak cupboard on a stand, a painted pine kitchen cabinet. Before you settle on one, check how the glass is held, since old glass with slight ripples is fragile and hard to match, whether the shelves are fixed or adjustable, and whether the piece will need fixing to the wall for stability. Ask Sara for internal shelf depths as well as outside measurements.
iii.
Buying from Caernarfon
Prenton is a long way from Caernarfon, and Life: Full Colour has nothing locally.
Buying works the same way from anywhere: find a piece, ask Sara about it by the enquiry form or on 01286 400155, and buy through Creative Caernarfon.
Visiting and delivery
Life: Full Colour is based at 9 Segontium Terrace, Caernarfon LL55 2PN. Ask Sara whether delivery or viewing is possible for a particular piece.
iv.
Questions for a Prenton buyer
Many tall, shallow cabinets become top-heavy once their shelves are loaded, and a fixing is sensible in a house with children or pets. A discreet bracket to the back board is generally reversible. Ask Sara whether a particular cabinet has old fixing holes or a back board sound enough to take one.
Original glass is part of a cabinet's character, and slight waves or small bubbles in it are normal. It is also thinner and more brittle than modern glass. Ask for close photographs of each pane, look for cracks along the putty or beading, and handle the doors gently once the piece is home.
A clear wall in a dining room or a wide hall often suits a tall cabinet better than a fireplace recess, which can be too shallow. Check what would sit behind it, such as sockets or a radiator, and allow room for the doors to open fully without catching nearby furniture.
A hanging cupboard is a small cupboard made to hang on a wall, so it takes no floor space. People use one for spices, keys, medicines or odds and ends. It must go on a wall that can carry its weight when full, and the door needs room to swing.
Put heavier items on the lower shelves and lighter ornaments above, and keep pieces off the glass. Leave space between objects so you can lift them out without knocking others. Check the shelf spacing against your tallest pieces before you commit, since shelves are not always adjustable.
Old glass is thinner than modern glass, so a hard knock can crack it. Keep a cabinet out of ball-throwing range, teach children to open doors by the handle, and look over the putty or beading from time to time for any cracks or looseness.
It can, if the hall is wide enough to walk past comfortably. Measure the depth and add space for the doors to open. A cupboard on a stand lifts the cupboard off the floor, which leaves room beneath for baskets or boots.
A painted pine cabinet brings colour and a worn, handmade look, and it can hold crockery, tins or linen. Paint on old pine often chips at the edges, which is part of its character. Keep it away from the cooker and wipe it with a barely damp cloth.
Old glass sits in putty or beading that dries and loosens over time, so a firm door close can set the pane buzzing. Close doors gently, and if the rattle persists, have a glazier or furniture maker look at the beading. Do not press the pane to test it.
They can, because fixed shelves cannot be raised or lowered, so tall vases may not fit and small items may leave wasted space. Measure the clear height of each shelf against what you want to display. Ask Sara for the inside shelf heights, not just the outside size.