Dean Morris’ interest in the antique business began many years ago. “My father started this as a hobby,” says his daughter Terrie Collins. “He was a farmer and would collect unique items from the old farmhouses in the area during his spare time. Then he’d sell them to the antiques dealers out of the garage.” His interest in antiques didn’t stop there, as he soon became intrigued by the restoration process, and eventually opened Morris Antiques in Keo.

Terrie has consequentially been around fine antiques her entire life. “I worked here after school and on the weekends,” she says. “After we started expanding, it became too much for one person, and I just fell in step.” Terrie’s brother, Lewis, is also in the business and studied restoration and rebuilding in Great Britain. He now heads the store’s full-service restoration services.

One of the Morrises’ goals is to show their customers how easily antique pieces can fit into modern homes. They travel to France, England, Belgium and the Netherlands to hand-select one-of-a-kind antiques that work perfectly for contemporary lifestyles. “We are a little different in that we carry both American and European pieces, while most dealers will specialize in one or the other,” Terrie says. The items that they choose are special because of the unique features and attention to detail added by the artisans. “Most pieces are like works of art. The craftsmanship and detail are amazing,” she says.

Finding new purposes for vintage pieces is not only aesthetically pleasing, but environmentally responsible as well. “The term ‘going green’ is really popular right now, and that’s one thing we’ve been doing for years and years,” Terrie says. “Taking things and restoring and recycling them; saving items from landfills and reconstructing them for a new purpose.”

While Morris Antiques carries a variety of antique furnishings and collectibles, Terrie really enjoys re-purposing the antique buffets and serving pieces. “Because of the doors and the storage space on buffets, they work beautifully for entertainment centers. Our clients mount their flat-screen television above them and store their other equipment in the cabinets,” she says.

Terrie gathered together several of her favorite buffets for us, including the Chippendale-style mahogany server. As one piece of a complete dining room set from the Netherlands, the piece’s unusual size and two-door storage space make it a perfect candidate for an entertainment center. “With this buffet we have found a new use for an old piece,” she says. The German oak server with black accents, circa 1915, has been fully restored. “The black accents make it more compatible with modern décor, and the narrow size is convenient for a variety of spaces,” she says. And the walnut buffet boasts a marble top for a modern look. Originally from France, circa 1900, this piece simply needed to be refinished, and it looks as good as new.

Terrie encourages all of her clients to think outside the box when selecting furnishings for their homes. With a little imagination, traditional antiques can fit perfectly with homes of any style.

The intricate details of this mahogany server are typical of the high-end antiques offered at Morris Antiques. “This piece is thinner than most servers, which is unusual and makes it the perfect size for an entertainment center because it won’t take up too much room.” The black accents on this German oak server give it an edgy feel that is sure to look great in a contemporary setting, and the storage space with extra drawers makes it perfect for an entertainment center. The marble top on this French walnut buffet sets it apart and lends a classic style. Whether placed in a kitchen, dining room or living room, these antique buffets offer a historic touch to modern homes, complete with multi-purpose storage spaces and eye-catching details.