Up Close & Personal with Carmen Matthysen from Delos Antiques

If you’re on the market for beautiful and rare antiques, then Delos Antiques is your one-stop shop for timeless pieces to elevate your home. We spoke to manager Carmen Matthysen about what to consider when buying antiques and what the public can expect to find at Delos Antiques.

What inspired you to set up Delos?

Delos was inspired by travel and the love of all things beautiful and unique.

What makes Delos different?

At Delos, one can find 200-year-old antiques from a castle in Spain, a mid-century modern iconic piece, such as an Eames chair and very quirky and different pieces. Delos is a smorgasbord of different tastes and influences and you never know what you will find.

At Delos, we have a large workshop/manufacture department and are able to manufacture bespoke lighting, as well as paint and update furniture pieces.

What has been one of the most dramatic furniture pieces that have been sold?

The most incredible 200-year-old chandelier with original rock crystal, huge, heavy marble lions and of course the antique pharmacy from Belgium.

What excites you about sourcing products?

We never know what we will find, and just about daily an incredible, unique piece of furniture or lighting crosses our paths. It is also really exciting to be able to share this with our valued clients.

How would you like Delos to further develop in the sustainability world?

We will continue to source beautiful antiques which can be passed on from generation to generation, and find new and exciting ways of revamping old pieces which are no longer fashionable.

What’s the best advice you can offer us on authentication in purchasing chandeliers and antiques?

Do your research. Get multiple opinions from dealers, and always buy the best quality that you can afford. If there are multiples of something, it is more than likely not old. Antiques are not made from flimsy materials and should have weight. The seller should be able to tell you where the piece comes from and what it is made from.

Ask questions, and don’t be afraid to ask the seller to change elements to suit your space. For example, shortening a chandelier’s crystals to suit a space, or painting a table in a funky colour,

What is your personal style preference?

A hodgepodge of soft colours, pinks, whites and greys, with a splash of greenery. A little OTT, quite soft and feminine. Lots of texture, metals, such as brass and copper, velvets, silk, and natural materials such as cotton, sheepskin and leather and raw oaks – quite unlike the interior of Delos!