BJORN WALLANDER/OTTOIn an age where fast fashion has given way to fast furniture, a welcome shift is underfoot. Interior designers and discerning homeowners are shirking mass-produced items in favor of well-made antiques with classic silhouettes and a singular hue. Once the scourge of the design world with resounding cries of too dark or too dated, pre-1940s stained and unpainted wood furnituremahogany, in particularis having an honest-to-woodness renaissance. Folks are flocking to the soul and substance of time-honored pieces such as secretaries and highboys. (Incorporating dark wood furniture is also one of our favorite ways to help ground a colorful country house.) Still, there are a few tricks to making it feel fresh, not fussy, so peruse these ideas for embracing these stately statement-makers.Rethink the Dresser.COURTESY OF TIM SALISBURY/ANNA SPIRO DESIGNA mahogany dresser grounds a pretty pattern-filled bedroom designed by Anna SpiroTo maximize space and storage, consider subbing in a mahogany dresser (American-speak for a low chest of drawers), for a standard nightstand. (In the UK, the term dresser refers to a kitchen cupboard where you prepare, or dress, food.) For bed-height compatibility, look for a piece 26- to 30-inches tall. In the pretty art-filled room above, the dresser helps break up all the playful pattern. RELATED: 70 Bedroom Ideas For Designing a Dreamy MakeoverDivorce the Suite.Ryann FordA mahogany dining table paired with slipcovered chairs in a space designed by Meredith EllisPining for Sunday suppers around Grandmas hand-me-down dining table but still thinking it feels a little...gran? Swap the matching chairs for non-coordinating seating (or a banquette, even). Itll instantly loosen up the look, giving you the soul, sans the stuffy. RELATED: The Top 6 Dining Room Trends for 2025, According to DesignersEmbrace the Side Table.Illustrations by Joe McKendryWhile so-called serious brown furniture is typically associated with hire-a-mover-type behemoths, you can also infuse a room with ample character and charm using nothing more than a handsome side table in a unique shape. Some of our favorite styles to plop alongside a sofa or chair include a cricket table, a barley twist table, a gateleg table, and a Pembroke table.Warm Up the Bathroom. John EllisA wooden sink base in a bathroom designed by Alison Kandler.With all that chrome and tile, bathrooms can veer coldquickly. But add an unexpected antique as a linen closet or a vanity, and the room will feel awash with warmth. RELATED: Our Favorite Ways to Add Old Soul to a BathroomMove the Sideboard to the Living Room. Becky Luigart-StaynerSideboards, which typically stand taller than a dining table and feature a series of shallow drawers, were historically used in dining rooms as a means of serving food and drink. But theyre equally at home in a living room, where they provide a spot for displaying objects dart (or, okay, storing the remotes).RELATED: 95 Living Room Ideas Youll Love for Classic, Rustic, Traditional, and Modern Family SpacesPut Your Best Foot Forward. Illustrations by Joe McKendryGet a leg up on fellow antiques shoppers by knowing the names of these common foot styles. Score a Secretary.Mark RoskamsA mahogany secretary in the Connecticut home of designer Erick EspinozaIn the 18th century, the French secretaire (also known as a desk with a fall front) gave way to the distinctly British and American secretary: a slant-front desk with a chest of drawers below and a bookcase up top. Thanks to its vertical design and narrow footprint, it's equally practical in a dining room (think bar), living room (think bookcase), and bedroom (think home office). Its no wonder youre one of the more coveted pieces in the antique-furniture world. RELATED: The Best Home Office Ideas to Inspire You While You WorkSpot a Dovetail Joint. Joe McKendry for Country LivingEmployed in furniture-making for centuries, dovetailing (flaring, wedge-like projections that interlock to hold together the sides of drawers and internal components of case goods) is a sign of quality craftsmanship.(Psst: The size of the keysanother name for those flared componentscan help date a piece, as machinery introduced in the 19th century allowed for much smaller and more precise cuts.)Related Stories: