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| Punked-out serving platter: White opaque milk glass with studded rim and bottom |
Everything Old Is New Again
London, England has Portobello Road; Brimfield, Massachusetts has the Brimfield Antique Show; and Paris, France has the Marche aux Puces de Clignancourt. In your neighbourhood, you might find yard sales, tag sales, or estate sales; antique shops, junk shops, or consignment shops. Whatever you find, wherever you find it, what they all have in common is a bevy of used goods that often show the hallmarks of beautiful design, skilled craftsmanship, and exquisite execution.
While well-designed, quality home goods are timeless in their appeal, how do aged furnishings become contemporary? How does a Depression era platter, a decades-old dish set, or a centurial chaise become new again?
To start, let's agree that being modern is not necessarily about being newly minted; rather, it is more about being fresh -- an fresh approach, an intriguing combination, a unique juxtaposition, be it in furniture, dishware or home accessories. Layering vintage items with contemporary pieces keeps things feeling clean and up-dated, not stodgy and jumbled. Strong lines and graphic designs never feel dated, and pulling together pieces from various decades ensures your space doesn't feel like you're stepping into a time warp. Besides creating an environment that is eclectic and autobiographical with items that can often be purchased at incredible prices (particularly when compared to their present-day counterparts), you are reusing and repurposing one of the countless consumer goods our civilisation has produced, saving it from destruction or a landfill. And really, what could be more modern than that?
Sourced Locally
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| Found in my backyard: delicate organic etching on clean-edged geometric shaped Depression era fruit cups; also of note, the swirl-rimmed dessert plates and bead-rimmed serving vessels in deep emerald |
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| Clear colours and strong graphic designs on juice glasses (bottom shelf) and shot glasses (top shelf) |
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| A perennial favourite and always classic, antique blue and white china can bring a sense of history and touch of vibrancy to a modern interior |
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| These jugs hold their own in visual weight and rustic appeal; they would look great clustered together on a shelf in a white-walled room |
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| In my mind these are the ultimate juicers; particularly lovely is the one in centre back with its scalloped edge |
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| Traditionally constructed black wicker set cries out for a bold fabric pattern on the seat cushions in need of refurbishing |
The Take-Aways
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| Top: a Wedgwood leaf patterned platter cradles a garden find -- a perfect but abandonned robin`s egg; Bottom: from a set of five, an octagonal Depression glass emerald-coloured plate presents a scattering of peony petals |
Images: D. Sleziak
