Antiques, antiques and all about buying things that look old

Many people like the feel and look of older things. It can be a good conversation or complement the rest of the modern furniture in your home. For those of you who move to Playa del Carmen, we often recommend that you do not skip so much from your home country because of the climate, the cost of moving, and the style of many condos and homes on the Riviera Maya. At the same time, you may want to add a piece to your home or enjoy looking at antiques. Here are options on the Riviera Maya and other parts of the Yucatan Peninsula, where you can find antiques.

Why is it so hard to find antiques

There are many reasons why antiques are a rarity on the Riviera Maya. On the one hand, most of the construction is newer and the style does not match. Even if you want antiques in your home, the weather becomes an important factor. Some woods, fabrics and leathers do not withstand our climate well. Third, the Riviera Maya area has been sparsely populated and did not become a state until 1974. In areas where there are older communities, most of the older things could, ended up in a museum or were bought for haciendas and old houses.

Because the Riviera Maya is a fairly new area, there is very little antiquity in the area. The older areas of the peninsula have more to offer in terms of older things. Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and also the oldest largest city in the area. Merida has the best options for making antiques. However, you will not find as much and as cheap as you want. Because finding antiques is difficult, you can try to make or counterfeit them.

Fake it or make it

If you can’t find anything you like or dislike, why not? Start with two options: look for used furniture or make something new. Here are some tips to fake it or do it.

Fake it

Buying used furniture in Mexico is not as easy as you might think. It is not common to sell used things and people move much less than other countries. This means that there is much less amount of furniture available and that Mexicans often try to sell used things with an almost complete value. So how do you go about finding and buying used furniture? Well. There are a few markets like the Sunday Market around 10th Avenue with 52.54, 56th Street. This area has furniture, but not much. There are some places where you can buy hotel renovations. Some of the furniture is “colonial” and may look old.

Do it

Most local carpenters can make furniture from photos. This means you can make older styles and use old hardware or painting techniques to make it look old. Jako is a local hardware store that has a variety of antique-looking hardware. Chances are you’ll have to order them because they don’t have much in stock. Alternatively, you can order the hardware from Amazon Mexico.

To annoy furniture by making them look older or vintage, this is a simple process with many tutorials on YouTube.

Antique online shopping

The Facebook market will have some items for sale. You can move your location to see other areas of the peninsula. It is best to look at the Merida area. The only problem is getting people to stick to a price and agreeing on a time to get it. You often have to send a message, go see it the same day, and buy it if you like. Sometimes people raise the price or try to offer something else, and it’s not a good experience.

There are areas of Mexico that have more antiquities. Puebla, San Miguel De Allende and Queretaro are good places to visit or buy online. Since they are often not visible, it is best to only use a trusted dealer who will handle the shipping. Personal online posting is where we draw the line and don’t take risks. There are also many reproductions that can look good in photos and not so good in person. Many bells, iron door tools and candle holders are reproduced. Cheap gold paint is often used to cover items and may look correct in photos, but cheap in person.

Places to buy older things near Playa Del Carmen

Playa Del Carmen has no antique shops. You will have to go to Tulum to do anything bigger. In Tulum you will find a mix of semi-old, Bali-style doors and imported things that look old, and some older pieces from Mexico. Here are some shops you can visit.

• Attica House. This is one of the best options that will give you good ideas. It is a mixture of design elements and some furniture. You can get an idea of ​​what they have on their Instagram page.
• Mr. Tlacuache is a store with things from all over Mexico. You can get an idea of ​​what they have on their website here.
• The road between Tulum and Coba has a lot of shopping, but only a real place with old things. The store is located on the south side of the road. You will see doors and antique objects in front. Expect the best prices in dollars.

Places to buy things in Valladolid

Valladolid is the oldest city with a size close to the Riviera Maya. There are some places where older things are sold. Valladolid was never a huge city and there are not many old houses left.

• Atelier Frailes is a new option in Valladolid. This shop has three small rooms with antique items. They are usually more design objects. They are located on Frailes Street, in the middle of the block. They have an Instagram page, but they don’t have photos yet.
• On the same street is a bazaar that hides behind a corn shredding workshop. They have lots of antique doors, wooden sinks, metal protectors, old tiles and a mix of rusty and possible old art pieces. They also have rooms for furniture, but ask the owner. Only Andrew knows the prices, so when he’s not there, you can’t buy anything.
• There were shops that sold hotel furniture, but they have closed due to the pandemic and hotels are also slowing down in renovations. If the economy recovers, some are likely to reopen.

Antique stores in Mérida

Merida was once a very rich city with many mansions bordering avenues such as Paseo Montejo. Due to the wealth created from henequen farms, we manufacture or import many high quality furniture for homes. Merida is the best local option to buy some antiques. Here is a list of places to take a look and review.

Tip: Most antique shops have no prices. You often need to ask for it and the shopkeeper will call the owners and ask you for the price.

Tip: Most stores don’t have a website, just a Facebook page. Check store hours before planning a big trip to look for antiques. Many shops are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, just when people have free time to go shopping.

Tip: If you use Google Maps to search for antique shops, there are often many that appear, but they are not really antique shops in Mérida. We help you by listing some good shops you can visit below.

• Alfaro Antiquities Gallery. This is the store closest to the city center and where most people go. It is a smaller store with many small items. Most prices are tourist prices. We only recommend buying something here if you really like it. You may want to save this as a last resort. C. 60 452-51y49, Parque Santa Lucia, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán.

• The Bazaar of Antiquities. It is one of the oldest antique shops in Mérida. It has spiders, mirrors, auxiliary tables of superior quality. Most items are in good condition, so prices are up there as well. It’s a good place to get this good piece. Calle 13 199F, García Ginerés, 97070 Mérida, Yucatán.

• Candiles Decoración is the ideal place for lights. This store mainly includes lights. Calle 59 530, Parque Santiago, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán.

• Antiques “El Mamey” is a good general store where you can find everything. This shop has an exterior section with antique hardware and stone pieces. Calle 75 # 557 -72 y 74, San Sebastián, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán.

Vintage furniture

If you want something more vintage for furniture, there is a warehouse slogan store that may be perfect for you. It’s called Furniture in Transit. Don’t expect market prices, but vintage prices. Calle 60 # 261 b Colonia Buenavista Buenavista, 97127 Mérida, Yucatán.

Thanks for reading our article on antiques and where to find them. If you have other places to list and share with readers, let us know in the comments below.

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