With the Chinese stock market crashing,
Iran and Saudi Arabia clashing, I really
should to be focused on important things.
However my mind is as usual, elsewhere.
Yesterday I received a catalog in the mail
from Rejuvenation. This source for home
accoutrements featured a modern brass
faucet on it's cover. Apparently nickel is
out and "gold" is in. Which couldn't help
but get me thinking - "what goes around
comes around." Sadly one must be old
enough to recall "before" in order to truly
appreciate "after" for what it really is.
I tend to place everything in historical
context as that grounds me. Therefore
I readily recall the brass phenomena
in it's prior eighties incarnation. Yet
as soon as one considers anything
over and out - it's suddenly in once
more. Which makes sense given we
humans are evolutionary creatures.
There's little doubt that we all tire of
things and move on. However in the
end what was once relevant is ripe
for reinvention. Hence if one waits
patiently, almost everything recycles.
Growing up my mother's friend Ruthie
proudly decorated her home in what she
termed "modern." A no nonsense kind
of gal she was always five steps ahead
of the rest of us. And had no problem
clearing your plate well before you'd
finished that piece of pie. She adored
living in her streamlined world even if
by the seventies it seemed a tad dated.
Yet Ruthie's home still stood out from
the rest. And somehow... I found that
alluring. Who knew that forty years
later, Ruthie would be back in style?!
Everything comes full circle, thus
it's quite understandable why Mid
Century Modern is le style du jour
once more. Imagine all of the teak
and rosewood ready and waiting to
be rediscovered! Suddenly modern
design is once again within reach.
However now with a higher price
tag. Hence we must troll eBay and
1stDibs to rediscover the "trash"
that we threw out when our folks
downsized. Regrets aside, what's
old is new and isn't that amazing?
Don't get me wrong, some trends may
never return to favor. Thankfully I've
seen no resurgence of the swoops and
goop that was a key element of 1970's
"Mediterranean". Yes, there was a time
when many craved some pseudo shield
with chains trailing to sconces hanging
above their sofa. Fortunately it seems
that we've escaped having to return to
that scene of the crime. However even
as I write this, theres a chance said style
could be rediscovered. Stranger things
have happened. Ready to be shagged?
They say if you can remember it...
don't wear it. However I'm not sure
that advice applies in home decor.
Some things never go out of style.
Yet nothing ever is a complete and
total repeat performance. Instead
things of the past are subtly adapted,
morphed, and modified to suit our
ever changing tastes and needs. The
resulting adaptation somehow looks
different yet is reassuringly familiar.
Could it be that we're destined to
continuously revisit past imperfect?
It's rare that anything pulled out of the
closet works exactly as is. However
invariably a blast from the past does
inspire. In my opinion there's nothing
wrong with building off prior winners.
Hence a v-neck sweater may expand
or contract as fashion (or waistlines)
dictate. It's hue may shift from bright
to subdued depending on the current
trend. Fabrications vary from merino
to acrylic to cashmere. Yet in the end
"V" always stands for VERSATILITY!
Been there. Done that. And will again!
