Taking a second look at second hand: The Collected Home Series
A Collected Home is a design style that is very personal, sentimental and consists of items that look like they have been gathered over time. The easiest way to achieve this look is with pieces that are not brand new. However, buying from a thrift store has become somewhat of a trend and the market for flipped pieces has depleted the inventory of affordable and original furniture. That’s why I found it interesting that many of us may have probably donated a set of furniture from a parent or grandparent that wasn’t our taste without seeing its hidden potential for our own home. Or packed up that curio cabinet of knickknacks without identifying that a few of the pieces in the right setting were quite charming. So I thought I would highlight some of the very ordinary items you may have come across recently that might deserve a second look!
Most of us can probably recognize the chairs in this dining set.
These medium brown oak chairs were pretty standard in most homes in the 80’s. Alone at a garage sale or flea market they wouldn’t be very enticing but here they are gaining appeal by staging them with this more interesting antique table. The table has two simple updates elevating it- the base had been stripped to make it appear more natural and matte in sheen and the top has been painted a grey color that gives it a look like a slate cheese board. While antique purists might persecute one for painting a stained piece, chances are the top of this was badly damaged and the original idea to paint it came as a solution to repair the un-repairable wood.
Maybe you want to start collecting a few things but you don’t want it to look like you collect all the things. Finding the right mix of antiques and tchotchkes without creating a cluttered design takes a discerning eye. That’s why displays like this one at Hart Mercantile can be inspirational.
While most of the pieces in this picture are around the same scale and size, the key is the items strategically used to lend height. These are items that you may have overlooked without considering their secondary use. The wooden dovetail box behind the clock elevates some small pictures and a ceramic pot. The worn antique book lifts the little white pitcher. The scene is tied together by the repetition of the gold metal and the hints of green.
Speaking of green…
This wool blanket is second hand. At first I thought it was silly to buy a blanket from an antique venue when I was certain I could find one of similar appearance brand new. And would you want a used blanket when you could buy one new? But then I realized that these blankets were unique. The offerings of new plaids I found online paled in comparison to the richness of this one. The next time I came across a wool blanket like this at an antique store I didn’t hesitate to purchase it.
Another part of embracing a collected home vibe is connecting with the pieces you choose to display in your home. The more sentimental they are to you the more meaningful their presence.
You may have had a beautiful piece of jewelry or a pocket watch passed down to you but you hesitate to keep it because you know you will never use or wear it. This glass dome was outfitted with a tiny hook to allow the family heirloom to be displayed on a bedside table. I could imagine using a similar setting for a ring or necklace with an old black and white family picture curled against the inside of the glass as a backdrop.
Sometimes you just need a small update to reconsider a mainstay piece you have come to take for granted. Another factor about collecting your home is that you have to let a few pieces age in place. If you are always refreshing with new purchases it can’t achieve the collected home affect.
This crystal lamp is still one of those amazing comeback pieces for me. I was recently visiting my Aunt in Rhinelander and she has her original lamps like these. Now her house is cottage-light and bright and airy so the black lamp shade wouldn’t enhance her styling but it really does the trick in this setting from Urban Evolutions. It makes one wonder, how many other dated lamps could be resurrected with just the change of a lamp shade?
And that’s my sampling of second hand finds deserving of a second look. Hopefully you recognized an item or two that you have tucked away in a basement or a garage that you could dust off and add to your mix. Collecting a home takes time but if you can re-imagine something that was once important to you then you have one less hole to fill!
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