As landfills grow, and available land to fill shrinks, eco-conscious individuals are looking to Vintage as one of many ways to get 'green'. "Green" is more than just a buzzword or a passing trend. It is a deliberate lifestyle focused on reducing our impact on mother-earth. We recycle. We reuse what we can. We choose refrigerator dishes instead of plastic wrap (insert nudge toward our Guess Who's Gone All Retro on Us? post here!). We change our bulbs to the energy efficient type even though the light isn't as bright. We turn down the heat, turn off the lights and turn up our consciousness. We Up-Cycle vintage furnishings to beautify them to fit into our modern lives. Wait a minute... *We* do that!
Pick up virtually any home design magazine and you'll find articles featuring designers incorporating Vintage furnishings and decor items into ultra modern homes, features about designers 'repurposing' vintage furniture to complement a modern lifestyle and the omnipresent reference to one mid-century design classic or another. It is a trend which is becoming a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle reflecting green choices in living. And it works. Beautifully.
Those who have been in the ChiChi House of late have heard tell of our excitement as we are about to experiment with Up-cycling vintage furnishings with bursts of colour. There is a dining room suite we have in storage with chairs which are absolutely begging to be a glossy red or reddish orange. We are playing with gun-metal silver trying to get the colour just right. We have an antique rocking chair in a lovely black finish which is merely awaiting a choice of fabric to dress it. That covering is going to be a faux patent leather! Cottage chic is still in vogue and we are presently working on a number of wonderful pieces to introduce for the spring/cottage season.
The Vintage trend is spreading its wings under the label of 'Green' and it extends beyond furnishings and home decor. Vintage clothing is also making big blips on the radar. Today, for your reading pleasure, a number of links to more Vintage in the News...
Featured in Imperial Valley News is an article touching on incorporating Vintage furnishings as a 'Green' solution to home decorating...
Take me there!
From Dwell Magazine's Dwell Blog I chose two of the many articles which touch on Vintage. The first, posted in January of this year and entitled "Repurposed and Reasonable", covers a Dutch design duo's collection of Up-Cycled chairs. There are so many fabulously Up-Cycled chairs in their collection which are inspiring. This is definitely something we will be experimenting with in the weeks to come.
Two of the many chairs made modern.
Take me there!
The second article is even older, dating back to November of last year, but timely nonetheless. "Furniture With a Past" showcases some examples of ultra modern paint treatments for older, Vintage pieces. My only bug-a-boo with the article? Author Michael Cannell seems to think that mid-century modern furniture is reaching its shelf life. I beg to differ.
Take me there!
For you Vintage loving fashionistas, a taste of the many morsels celebrating Vintage clothes...
OC star Rachel Bilson has been enlisted by DKNY to design a clothing line which will no doubt be Vintage inspired as Rachel, a fashion icon in her own right, loves Vintage clothing...
Take me there!
Speaking of DKNY, I hate to mention it but... this past Friday and Saturday we missed a monumental sales event. Donna Karan cleaned out her closets and held a sale of her Vintage clothing, jewelry and furniture (with prices ranging from $20 to $2,000). Unfortunately the sale was shop in person only. In New York. *sigh* Proceeds are to benefit her Urban Zen Initiative which promotes the merging of Eastern and Western medicinal practices.
Vintage is also, yet again, being promoted to young ladies seeking a one-of-a-kind prom dress. What girl wouldn't feel like a glamorous starlet in something like this?
Take me there!
And finally, from our House to their House....
A super-fine Vintage clothing boutique set in a house with theme inspired rooms. Tres tres Chic! Not only does House of Vintage sell fab Vintage clothing, they do glamour photography. The cupcake photo shoots aren't the only other sweet thing in the house, the kitsch-en is an entity all to itself. Known as the House of Sweets, you can actually pick up a few sweetly decorated cupcakes and cookies to take home with you.
Take me there!
No comments:
Post a Comment