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You don’t have to fly to France to find one-of-a-kind antiques and art.
For five years, Christopher Collection has been doing the flying for you—sourcing layered, soulful pieces straight from the warehouses and countryside dealers of Europe, then bringing them home to Homewood.
Now the Birmingham design destination is celebrating that milestone with a brand-new French antique collection and a party to match. Read on for a full invitation to Soirée de Cinq on July 16 in Homewood, plus insider tips on sourcing beautiful antiques of your own.
How Christopher Collection brings Europe to Alabama
Behind the buying trips is Dykes Culp, general manager with 30 years of experience sourcing antiques. We caught up with Dykes to talk about what makes French antiques so special, what it’s really like hunting for treasure overseas and what to expect from the new collection.
According to Culp, the appeal of French antiques goes far beyond aesthetics.
“They bring instant soul to a space. New furniture can be beautiful, but antiques bring a warmth, texture and sense of history that’s very difficult to replicate.”
Dykes Culp, General Manager at Christopher Collection
He points to the uniquely French balance between elegance and comfort.
“The French especially have this incredible ability to balance sophistication and ease. You can put a 200-year-old French table in a very modern home, and somehow it feels completely at home.”
Dykes Culp, General Manager at Christopher Collection
Dykes’ 3 design tips: look for craftsmanship, versatility + character
Finding the right pieces isn’t as simple as stopping at a few antique stores. When sourcing across France, Culp says he looks for three things: craftsmanship, versatility and character. First comes craftsmanship:
“If something has survived 100 or 200 years, that’s a pretty good endorsement.”
Dykes Culp, General Manager at Christopher Collection
Next is versatility.
“The best antiques don’t feel stuck in the past. A French commode (chest of drawers) can live in a modern entry hall. An old farm table can anchor a contemporary kitchen. We love finding pieces that feel relevant in today’s homes.”
Dykes Culp, General Manager at Christopher Collection
Details like woodgrain and patina give character to a home. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
Finally, character: the pieces that immediately stop you in your tracks because of an unusual detail, striking proportions or a surface unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Dykes keeps coming back to pieces with presence—a French walnut cupboard, an oversized farm table, a sculptural bench—and loves the range in this collection, from refined and architectural to warm and rustic. For him, moments like that are the reason for traveling thousands of miles in search of antiques.
His hope is that visitors experience that same sense of wonder when exploring the new collection.
“If something looks too perfect, it probably doesn’t have much of a story. To me, that’s what gives an antique its soul.
We’re not just bringing home beautiful objects. We’re bringing home discoveries, inspiration and stories.”
Dykes Culp, General Manager at Christopher Collection
Celebrate 5 years in Birmingham with Christopher Collection at Soirée de Cinq
Christopher Collection is inviting the Birmingham community to celebrate its fifth anniversary with Soirée de Cinq, a special evening soiree inspired by the store’s latest European finds.
Guests can:
- Get the first look at newly arrived French antiques
- Enjoy French-inspired bites catered by Armour House
- Sip craft cocktails
- Explore one-of-a-kind pieces sourced directly from France and Belgium
Details:
Whether you’re a longtime collector, a design enthusiast or simply love a good story behind the things that fill a home, Soirée de Cinq at Christopher Collection on July 16 offers a chance to experience a little corner of France right here in Birmingham.
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