Is Victorian the New Vintage?
The New York Times Home and Garden style viewbook today talks about two sister collectors with an obsession with all things curious and Victorian. Described as the “New Vintage” life, collectors Hollister and Porter Hovey decorate their Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 19th century throwbacks, from the old stuffed dressmaker’s dummy to the apothecary cabinet and fencing equipment. The interest is a draw for “authenticity” in aesthetic: object are prized more for their stories than for their color scheme or ability to match the sofa.
Want to make your home into an eclectic mix of Victorian and personal family lore? First you want to start with gathering up any old family heirlooms, trinkets, jewelry, etc and finding the perfect glass-front cabinet to store them in. The idea is to fill the space, so that all of the stories and objects look interweaved, as opposed to carefully separated and cleaned like a museum display.
Dark Walnut Oval-Shaped Curio Cabinet with Curved Glass-Front Panels: $1,110.32 (marked down from $1,299.00, shipping included).
Maybe you have some vintage beads, seashells, sand, etc that you want to hold on to from a family vacation or prized family heirloom. Maybe you just want to collect something bizarre, like matchbooks, and keep them in an interesting, visible place. Try apothecary jars: they are large and interestingly shaped. Much better for display that the shoebox under your bed!
Glass Apothecary Jar by Save-On-Crafts.com: $26.99/each or 2 for $22/each
No sitting area or Victorian home is complete without proper seating for entertaining. Though hoopskirts have since gone out of fashion, the lounging chaise chairs have not, and provide a beautiful throw-back to a bygone era of Jane Austen and Marie Antoinette.
Tan Chaise Lounge Chair: $299.99
Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more Chase lounge chairs and Curio cabinets.
Discounts on apothecary jars.
