ART·INTERIOR DESIGN·ANTIQUES

Hastening Antiques is a direct importer of 18th and 19th century French provincial, Italian, English furniture and art objects. Located in the 250 year old village of Middleburg, Virginia, an hour west of Washington DC, in a neighborhood of grand equestrian estates, hunt fields, and celebrated vineyards, we maintain a spacious showroom and interior design studio.

 

Owner and principal designer, Louis Shields has been involved in the creative process of art and design all his life. He was a natural artist from an early age. He studied painting at the University of Alabama, printmaking at the Washington Studio School and figure drawing at the Corcoran. He became a fashion designer in San Francisco and in the 70’s opened a boutique of his own designs on fifth avenue in New York City.

 

He later moved to London to pursue a career in art but fell in love with antiques. He spent 11 years in England dealing in antiques and restoring early period houses. This impacted his painting and drawing which continued during this time. In 1981, he moved his family and his business to Middleburg, Virginia where he currently owns Hastening Designs. Here he specializes in 18th century European furniture, his own works of art and custom designed furniture pieces, as well as offering full interior design services.