Whitsun on old postcards
Old postcards 3.
Archives
Old objects’ new functions
In most of the homes there are many old objects in the attic, in the basement and hidden in the garage which are though not attractive and not useful, they are not thrown out because „it will be good for something” or just simply because of laziness for walking to the dump with them. Nowadays it is more and more fashionable to give new life to old household objects and after a makeover giving them a completely other function as originally they were designed for. Here are some examples which fit firstly to country styles or Scandinavian-like interiors but can be fit to any environment up to taste:
If baskets are hung on an old ladder, it can be a perfect storage in a gardrobe or bathroom. Putting shelves between the steps of a single ladder, it will be look very good in the living room as a bookshelf. A smaller ladder can be a nightstand also.
Let’s pad the old leather or textile-leather suitcase, fix short legs on it and it can be used as a coffee table. If a big soft pillow is placed in it and its lid is fixed open, it can be a comfortable bed for our pets. We can spare the price of a side table near the reading armchair with putting some old suitcases on top of each other.
Old wooden window frames from a wrecking can be reused as mirrors for example above the console table in the hall or above the fireplace. Putting mirrors in the old doors instead of the inner panels, they will be full-body pieces in the gardrobe. They can be interesting headboard also with which a simple bed can be popped up.
Old wooden crates and boxes fixed on the wall can function as perfect bookcases. If there is a collection of many smaller wooden boxes, fix them on the wall in a shape without their lids, this way they can be showcases for smaller memories also.
An old metal bucket can be reused as a vase for flower bouquets or plants can be directly pot in them too. Log can be stored in them for the fireplace or can be transformed to industrial style lampshades.
The possibilities are almost countless. If you have an old object which you would like to make a part of your home again but have no idea, ask for help of an interior designer for planning.
Old postcards 2.
Mother’s Day on old postcards
Shabby chic
Shabby chic is an interior design style which is very popular nowadays. It can be relatively easily realized in any home.
A shabby chic interior is feminine, light and has a little bit warn effect, despite of this, still elegant. Dominant colors are white, grey, powder blue, pink, crème, light green and beige. Furnishing is made of wood, chairs are upholstered comfortably soft, or even wicker braided. Basically it has French style characteristics. Although the overall effect is rural, yet it fits well even in an aristocratic environment. The double doored large wardrobe, the Bergére armchair and the great variety of fabrics provide the luxurious, but still muted feeling. Feels like if we spend our holiday in our country castle.
We can produce the furnishing ourselves for this style. Let’s paint the old furnitures purchased at a flea market with off-white and generate the antique feeling using some umbra brown. Another method, if the paint is burnished back at the edges, at the handles and at the bottom of the legs. This simulates the worn effect gained by the heavy years of usage. At accessories, avoid using strong colors. Flower bouquet is always an important decoration element. It can be placed in practically anything, like a watering can, a jar or old cookie box. Select pastel coloured flowers, which fit to the rural atmosphere, like lavender, roses, tulip or wild flowers. Prefer natural materials at fabrics, like cotton or linen. Use patterned material or plain weaved ones occasionally with toile pattern using only two colors. Use them brevely, combine several hues of a given color. For metallic accessories, silver or gold color is the best choice.
If you like shabby chic, but don’t know how to start, ask help from an interior designer.
Doll house anno
Antique doll houses: miniature lifelike copies of homes in and out
Old postcards 1.
Easter on old postcards
Antique porcelains
Many things have to be considered when buying antique porcelains. Collecting really rare and valuable pieces needs a little expertise, since many imitations are made. Here are some good advices before paying:
The objects made of original porcelain, e.g. pieces of a table set, are translucent. Put our hand behind the plate while turning it to the light: its shadow can be lightly seen through the material of the plate. For example, classic blue-white Worcester china made in the 1760s has greenish tone to the light. Examine carefully the selected object if there are hair-cracks on it, if the edge is chipped which is a very common failure and lower its value. If the glossy glazing is not even or maybe hazy, it might refer to post-repair. Gently run a needle or blade on the questioned surface. It will run along the immaculate glaze but stuck on the edge of a repair. Knocking it with a hard object or nails is another method. In normal case, it gives clear, a bit deep, clinking voice. If we hear a blunt voice, there is a crack on it somewhere.
It’s not easy to make a difference between the modern copies of antique porcelains from the originals. The lack of glaze on the bottom could be a strong point, where the hand-made pieces were got off the wheel after glazing. There always should be one or two tiny holes on the bottom or elsewhere on a hidden part of the figure porcelains. The gases arose during the burning were off here.
If products of a certain company are collected, always check up the used signs by the firm. These were changed during years but it is always found in special books which sign was used in which time interval. Popular patterns and colors of eras can be strong points for the age of the porcelain. If two marks show different eras, we may hold a copy in our hand. For example, the sign of Meissen porcelain is two swords cross each other, which changed during times but beside this, the number of cut patterns were marked, the number of the maker and the number of the painter also. The English „registered design” had two variations between 1842 and 1883 too.
Always carefully check up the purchasable rarities! There are many books in the topic but a professional can be asked for estimate.
Old objects
Loving old objects is still important in our running world. These are not necessarily hundreds-years old pieces for a fortune, but anything which was already used, served two or three generations, first of all, it has its own story.
This kind of object is beautiful, contains memories but naturally is not perfect since it was already used. The time left marks on it, unless it is newly restored. The paint is a bit more matted, the lacquering is scraped, the handle is discolored, fabric is a bit faded. The inherited objects symbolize also the family itself. Its size, material or real value doesn’t matter. Old objects have the specialty to move our imagination even if we get them from a stranger. When for example a chest of drawers is purchased on a flea market or on the internet, it is unlikely that we will know its history, but the furniture tells stories about itself. Just because of its age, we try to imagine, how many places it stood already, who used it, probably how it survived the World Wars. This remains the same, even it is repainted, its handles are changed or glass is put in its doors. Those who enters in our home, will feel the age of the furniture.
The love of old objects is independent from the fact that who likes which style. They give life to all interiors and turn the flat to a home. For example, an old painting fits well for a minimalist interior also. A trade sign from the beginning of the century or antique saws can be placed on the wall instead of pictures in a loft furnished in the latest trend. This is much more evident in the case of classic styles. A lot of copy and re-manufactured household objects can be purchased in shops nowadays. Anyhow, the mood can be rally spiced with placing at least one piece of real antiques in the space. Notice our guests’ reactions: everybody will watch this one first.
If you look after a special and unique antique piece for your home, take an expert along to the purchasing trip for excluding forgeries. Do you want to design the furniture around a given piece? Would you like your flat being vivified by a fitting antique? Ask for help of an interior designer for planning.
Buying antique furniture
Purchasing antique furniture is always risky if we are looking for original, old pieces. What can we do before going to a shopping trip, if we haven’t got sufficient professional knowledge?
First read about it. If the style, age and type of the desired furniture is decided, let’s search some comprehensive, furniture history books which detail the specification of a given piece or a given ages. They describe the types of pinnings, the thickness of varnish, or the applied materials specific to the era. Not necessary to purchase all these books, they can be borrowed from a library, but we can find lots of sources also on Internet. The essential pages should be copied or printed to be available at shopping.
If we don’t want special pieces, but simple old furniture, there are also some issues to deal with. Check the piece for possible damages, especially at marquetry and carvings, painting / varnishing and at the corners. If there is any damage, we have to decide to buy it or not, will it be fixed later or left as is for the old feeling. Restoration by the proper expert can be expensive! Let’s search the marks of previous fixes and restoration, e.g. parts made of different wood (like a part of the carved decoration or one of the legs etc.), or metal parts having different colours. In case of drawers, always check the pinning and try to pull the drawer. The weight of the furniture also can indicate if it is a modern copy. If the piece is extremely worn, later it can be renewed by painting, but in case of real old, unique furniture don’t change anything, instead of let them restored by experts, thus keeping or increasing their value. Common pest of wooden furniture is woodworm. Typical signs of it are the small holes on the surface. If these marks can be seen on a relatively great area, the furniture shouldn’t be bought.
If our budget allows, let’s purchase items at an official auction, because the authenticity of an object and its origin are guaranteed, but flea markets and internet auction sites also can be visited, since beautiful old furnitures can be found also there. In case of uncertainty, an expert can be involved when making the deal.
A unique, antique piece can be the decoration element in any home. For choosing the proper one, ask for help from an interior designer.
Dressers
Here is the revival of dressers
