Shoppers looking for furniture will be able to find new "antiques," some of them as well made as the originals:

- A canopied bed in 19th century empire style, reproduced from an original at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, is one of several pieces from this period licensed by the museum and made by Kindel Furniture Company. It has elaborate hand-carved gilt capitals on classic columns supporting an architectural cornice with hand-carved echinus borders. Other pieces include an empire armchair with scrolled armrests and hand-carved lion paw feet, with gilt edgings; a lamp table with wooden lyres and Greek key decorations in the style of Charles-Honore Lannuier; and a card table with fluted legs and brass feet, based on a Lannuier original.

- Another outpost of the French style, New Orleans, is inspiration for a line of that name from Councill Companies, all based on originals found in the Louisiana capital. One of the most eye-catching is the "Delachaise" sofa, with curved, scrolled arms, star-motif medallions, and brass toe caps. It's available covered in fabrics such as silk plaid or antiqued leathers.

- An arts and crafts-style sofa from the "Cotswold Cottage" collection by Highland House draws its inspiration from the 19th century furnishings of arts and crafts guru William Morris. The "Barbara" settee is a scroll-armed ladies sofa, with two-toned floral tapestry upholstery and fringed cushions.

- Mission, part of the arts and crafts style, is interpreted anew by Broyhill in its "Mission Square" collection. The sofa features an exposed oak frame, smoothed with tapered legs. The cushions are chenille, and Kilim rug accent pillows can be added.

- Among the favored period styles at Ethan Allen is shaker, with simple pared shapes, realized in the company's "Country Colors" collection. A trestle table mixes a maple top with iron base and legs; fanback chairs and a glass-fronted china-buffet cabinet might be accented in color, such as denim blue.

- Why should the bathroom look mundane? Designer Mary Witte has come up with a French-style perfume chest with graceful cabriole legs and inlay-patterned framing - a stylish place to stash towels and other bath necessities. It's part of her Mary Cassatt collection for Bexley Heath, Ltd.

- Examples of no-nonsense basics are found in the signature collection at the This End Up chain, which features furniture reminiscent of the popular prairie style. Roughhewn woods can be mixed with bold prints in florals and geometrics. One good idea for a kids' room is the bunkhouse - a bed pair cossetted with a rolling storage unit. The lower bunk doesn't have to be parked right under the upper, so there's headspace and relative privacy for children sharing a room.

- If you crave true American originals, consider ordering some slatback chairs handmade by artisan Kevin Riddle at his shop in Eagle Rock, Va. He uses white oak and a method called "shrink joinery" that doesn't call for hardware or glue to secure the pieces. His "mule ear" chair has a steam-bent back and seats made of oak splints woven into a herringbone pattern. He can adjust the seat height to suit the user. For information, call him at (540) 884-2197, or write Mountainman Woodshop, Route 2, Box 37, Eagle Rock, Va. 24085.