People are the lifeblood of our industry, and in the November/December 2023 issue, we highlighted people that we believe will have a significant impact on the design business in the year to come in a feature called People to Watch. We focus on one of these people online every week; this week, it’s Margaret Schwartz.
Margaret Schwartz first fell in love with interiors while working at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and later acquired an antiques and home décor store in New Caanan, Conn. But her “light bulb moment” occurred when she took a one-day tour with The Antiques Diva during a trip to London, buying enough items to fill a container.
While she was previously intimidated by antiques, that trip “gave me the encouragement to pursue the dream of becoming an antiques dealer,” she said.
And that’s what she did. She closed the retail store and opened Modern Antiquarian in 2018. Through her website as well as her showrooms at the New York Design Center’s Gallery at 200 Lex and the Antique and Artisan Gallery in Stamford, Conn., she offers a range of antiques and will help people find something specific. “I am constantly on the hunt.”
One area she’s expanding is outdoor antiques, from the late 19th-century up to mid-20th-century from England, France and Belgium, in particular. “The more age and patina those items have, the better!”
Schwartz takes about four sourcing trips a year, and among her favorite fairs is the Round Top Antiques Fair in Texas, which she considers the future of antiques fairs in the U.S. “People are starting to realize how powerful that show is.”
Her first choice when headed overseas on antiquing trips is England, which includes her favorite fair, the Bath Decorative Fair. “I prefer to buy in England because everything is showroom-ready. No surprises come off the
container.”
Personally, she favors the Swedish Gustavian era, and when it comes to Dutch bombe furniture, she can’t control herself. “There is something about that particular style of bombe that utterly captivates me. I adore every iteration.”
Now six years into Modern Antiquarian, she can’t imagine doing anything else. “I love what I do.” – Andrea Lillo
See also:
See who made Designers Today’s list of People to Watch 2023
Mark Sage | People to watch
Bria Hammel | People to watch