The Collected Home Series: Sprucing up your summer with one fun collectible!
Last July I finally put together my ideas about infusing a nostalgic summer feeling into your home. Since I never went to summer camp I had been trying to express this longing I had for the experience though home decor. My romanticized imagery is a bunk house with lanterns and plaid blankets, adventures through the woods with packed lunches in backpacks and a long open cabin dedicated to arts and crafts on rainy days. For me- it’s this idea of waking up in the morning to the mist on a lake and ending the might around a campfire under the stars.
So this year I thought I would highlight one of the collectibles I mentioned that has been growing in popularity as the fad of high end custom water bottles continues to draw crowds when limited edition designs are released.
While definitely not what you would imagine a “cool” water bottle of today to look like, these vintage renditions are special for their history and classic appeal. They are a reminder to have some fun with your summer decor while also embracing more of the “Collected Home” mentality we have been talking about. Here’s a look at the big and the small, the metal and plastic, the earthy patina and vibrant modernism.
Here’s the Collected Home: Sprucing up your summer with one fun collectible
I previously alluded to my favoritism towards these large old fashion water jugs. I have used them on side tables as decor in our cabin themed bonus room (above) and as a Halloween decoration on a console (below). They are larger and heavy so I don’t recommend forcing them into every room if you don’t have a good spot for them, but the range of colors you can find is impressive and they add the perfect height difference between a lamp and candle on an end table.
I think the other elements that really draws me to them is their printed font and weathered silver caps. It’s the addition of these textures that make them an interesting accessory among art and knickknacks.
Of course you also have the more recently remembered Thermos option. These are moving up in collect ability and it is easy to see why. I snagged all of these examples (below) from Bottlehouse Antiques in Shawano and I love how each one lends itself to a different type of scheme:
The Classic Plaid
Perfect for that spot of red plaid your shelf might have needed to set off some summer artwork.
The height and mass of this size are the most versatile and they can easily be an accessory among a collection of other finds. The bonus for this red plaid example is that it can double as Christmas decor.
As a duo
If classic plaid isn’t your thing there are many other great designs that have been created throughout the years. This red example with a square design is actually complemented by the simple orange thermos next to it. The difference in height makes the pair a nice collection on their own. All you need is one other smaller accessory to put with them. Perhaps the Barnum’s animal tin peaking out of the top right corner of the pic?
Speaking of the circus…
I absolutely adore this thermos and the tiger pitcher next to it. It made me immediately associate it with a circus pattern. This is the power of good presentation and staging. This is the idea behind having some fun with the collected home style of decorating in your own home. Through this vignette I had a whole thought process- a whole experience! I created a narrative in my head. These little moments can be used to tell your story in your home.
Retro feels
These Thermos brand water canisters couldn’t be more different than the ones we started off this post with. They represent a different era and styling and the need for individual drinking containers. I think I appreciate the one on the left because the artwork reminds me of the old art of pin-striping a car. The lines are neat and tidy while still appearing hand painted. The blue Thermos feels very 80’s inspired and could work in a variety of designs. I could imagine pairing this with a sailboat and a very colorful landscape painting (think pinks and oranges and blues) in a kids room.
Whether summoning visions of a lake camp retreat or packing up for a big family picnic- if you are on a “Collected Home” journey I would encourage you to see if this piece of nostalgic Americana fits into your summer decor. With so many colors and styles it is always a fun item to consider when you see it among the baubles at a flea market or antique store. Hopefully you found the handful of examples I gave inspiring!
You can find more ideas for Nostalgic Summer Decorating in last year’s post-
In Case you Missed It!
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