Antiques and Beyond boasts European furniture, animal heads

With more than 17,500 square feet of showroom, Antiques and Beyond has the elbow room to live up to its name. It starts with antiques but gets into the whimsical and collectible as well.

More than 70 dealers pack the multiple rooms with a range of items, found by wandering down aisles marked as “boulevards.”

Enlarge this image

H.M. Cauley

Among the mix of the whimsical and collectible is a statue of Neptune that oversees a water feature for a garden.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Furniture forms the basis for most of the vignettes. Desks, sofas, chairs, dining tables, dressers, buffets and armoires come in a variety of styles and ages. Framed art, Oriental rugs, tea sets, platters, urns, painted boxes, pillows, decorative screens, ink wells, mirrors, mirrored chests, planters, clocks, ceramics and candlesticks are displayed throughout.

A case is crowded with an array of crystal drops for chandeliers and lamps; another is packed with sterling pieces. An elephant base supports an end table; a stained glass window becomes a wall accent. Beyond antiques, shoppers will find old musical instruments, suitcases, mounted animal heads, fountains, figurines and costume jewelry.

A large portion of the store is devoted to lighting. Chandeliers, lamps, shades and wall sconces are in plentiful supply.

Prices range from a few dollars to $5,000.

Co-owners Darrell Pearce and Leonard Rodda have run the shop for 15 years and have seen a return to sleek, clean lines in furniture and accents. Mid-century and Danish modern pieces, mirrored tables and chests and Lucite tables and lamps meet the demand.

“We’re also seeing people take an older piece and painting it,” said Pearce. “It’s a huge shift from what you’d expect to see in an antiques store.”

In traditional Atlanta, English and French furniture sells well. “Anything with a name on it — Baker, Henredon — are great,” said Pearce.

Lighting accounts for a large portion of the business, said Pearce. “We have one seller who has built an entire business on English lamps. We can also make custom lamps out of everything from a bicycle wheel to a plow.”

1853 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta

Info: 404-872-4342, www.antiquesandbeyond.com

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily

In the area: This busy stretch of Cheshire Bridge Road is home to an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. The store is next door to the Colonnade, a classic Atlanta eatery.