To learn more about the Art Deco period, check out books like Art Deco Furniture by Alastair Duncan, one of the period’s foremost experts.
Arts & Crafts from Classic to Contemporary Furniture  by Kevin P. Rodel and Jonathan Binzen is a wonderful guide to period pieces.
You’ve probably been in homes — or perhaps own one — lovingly decorated with treasures from the past, pieces of furniture and accessories that display centuries-old craftsmanship and grandeur. If this style of decorating interests you, you’ll be happy to know that Kansas City is home to some top-notch antiques dealers, who have advice on how to get started on (or add to) your collection.

Linda Pearce, owner of Linda W. Pearce Antiques, has definite ideas of what a client should buy — it begins and ends with sheer ‘style.’  “As a dealer, I try and fulfill what a client wants,” Pearce says. “But it must be something they like, love — something with absolute style,” she stresses. Pearce owns an impressive gallery of large-scale antiques that have endured time and maintained their personality and charm. Based out of her West Plaza home, Pearce invites prospective buyers into her residence that serves as a canvas for her creative energies.

“I appreciate style and construction in any piece I own or sell — that’s what’s important.  Be sure you purchase something you’ll never tire of,” she advises. Also,  recognize style in every part of your life — how you entertain, dress, even travel — and follow that very personal sense of the life well-lived when hunting antiques. Pearce encourages buyers not to be preoccupied with the pedigree of an antique, but instead focus on how it will enhance its environs.

Rick Villa, assistant manager of the Mission Road Antique Mall in Prairie Village, calls Kansas City home after owning antiques shops in Santa Fe and Los Angeles and loves doing business in the Midwest. “Our market is a terrific place to find regional items, and actually, a little bit of everything,” he acknowledges. He adds that shoppers shouldn’t necessarily be fixated on the price tag, but rather keep in mind the economical sense of purchasing a good antique: The quality of one-of-a-kind workmanship, the beauty of different veneers, finishes and carvings that makes each antique unique, timeless and an heirloom for future generations.

The burgeoning Crossroads Arts District boasts Webster House, which features the Midwest’s largest selection of fine antiques. The impeccably restored former school house has galleries overflowing with sumptuous 18th and 19th century European, American and Asian treasures, and turn-of-the century jewels.

Joe Haas, Webster’s in-house interior designer, says both the beginning collector and the advanced antiques aficionado will find suitable buys at the store. “Our collections cover the whole gamut, but not everything is ‘expensive,’” Haas notes. “The early pieces are always going to be pricey, but we can help a buyer looking in the mid-range, too.”  Like Pearce and Villa, Haas says that Kansas City is an attractive antiques market because it’s so affordable when compared to the coasts.

Haas has been in the antiques industry for almost 40 years, and speaks from experience when he says “the look is very important — you have to have the trained eye when shopping for pieces.” He encourages first-time or inexperienced shoppers to follow their sensibility on what they like in antiques, and then visit reputable dealers who will act as a guide.