Furniture from Yesteryear
As with antique pieces, homeowners should be able to look at furniture and recall fond childhood memories while building new stories
We leave certain memories behind as we grow up. However, it is natural for people to want to hold on to how something made them feel. It helps them to remember. When we see something that reminds us of the past, we recall not only what happened, but also the emotions that were stirred.
Thus emotions run deep with heirloom pieces and antiques that are passed down from generation to generation. Incorporating such pieces into your home can be very appealing, but we love it when these beautiful and rich-with-history pieces are functional as well. They add colour and personality into our contemporary homes.
Thus emotions run deep with heirloom pieces and antiques that are passed down from generation to generation. Incorporating such pieces into your home can be very appealing, but we love it when these beautiful and rich-with-history pieces are functional as well. They add colour and personality into our contemporary homes.
Show and tell
Using a vintage travelling trunk as a coffee table brings back memories from a bygone era, and is sure to get people talking – grandparents, for example, might have stories to tell of their parents!
Using a vintage travelling trunk as a coffee table brings back memories from a bygone era, and is sure to get people talking – grandparents, for example, might have stories to tell of their parents!
Old world charm
Lighting is also a good way to evoke different moods in a particular space.
And nothing says opulence like a chandelier – a symbol of luxury and status in the past and largely popular in the 18th century.
Just like this lighting fixture – it fills the bedroom with a soft glow that is warm and inviting.
However, many people may love having an antique or vintage look in their homes but don’t own any pieces that were passed down from their parents or grandparents.
Others could be self-conscious that their house might end up looking too “old-fashioned like a 1920s Victorian home”.
There isn’t a need to clearly define the past from the present. Blending the two can create a whole new look that’s unique to the family.
And we do this by extracting certain nostalgic elements from the past and recreating them for contemporary homes.
Lighting is also a good way to evoke different moods in a particular space.
And nothing says opulence like a chandelier – a symbol of luxury and status in the past and largely popular in the 18th century.
Just like this lighting fixture – it fills the bedroom with a soft glow that is warm and inviting.
However, many people may love having an antique or vintage look in their homes but don’t own any pieces that were passed down from their parents or grandparents.
Others could be self-conscious that their house might end up looking too “old-fashioned like a 1920s Victorian home”.
There isn’t a need to clearly define the past from the present. Blending the two can create a whole new look that’s unique to the family.
And we do this by extracting certain nostalgic elements from the past and recreating them for contemporary homes.
Nostalgia captured
It could be as simple as framing something that reminds you of your childhood, for example a favourite toy from your past. A priceless memory, captured for all to see – and perfectly at home in a contemporary setting.
It could be as simple as framing something that reminds you of your childhood, for example a favourite toy from your past. A priceless memory, captured for all to see – and perfectly at home in a contemporary setting.
A new-old
This reinvented chandelier is quirky, yet retains the authentic blast-from-the-past element of hanging a chandelier in the living room.
This reinvented chandelier is quirky, yet retains the authentic blast-from-the-past element of hanging a chandelier in the living room.
Back to the future
This chair gets to keep its original construct (frame) while the new upholstery adds a little oomph to the overall look and feel. Its vintage essence is kept intact.
This chair gets to keep its original construct (frame) while the new upholstery adds a little oomph to the overall look and feel. Its vintage essence is kept intact.
A new lease of life
This renewed empire sofa with the oriental print caught our eye. The maker reused vintage fabric that she already had to give a tired, old sofa a new lease of life. To replicate what she has done, choose a fabric that reminds you of something precious from the past, like a vintage dress passed down from granny, and turn that into an everyday item.
This renewed empire sofa with the oriental print caught our eye. The maker reused vintage fabric that she already had to give a tired, old sofa a new lease of life. To replicate what she has done, choose a fabric that reminds you of something precious from the past, like a vintage dress passed down from granny, and turn that into an everyday item.
Solid through time
To find a suitable centrepiece for your space might not be as easy as looking for smaller pieces of furniture, like chairs for example. Certainly, choosing a more prominent piece of furniture like a dining table needs a lot more thought.
This dining table is similar to the one in our latest collection, Jia Ju. We chose a material that spoke to us and, which also brought us back to the old days.
To find a suitable centrepiece for your space might not be as easy as looking for smaller pieces of furniture, like chairs for example. Certainly, choosing a more prominent piece of furniture like a dining table needs a lot more thought.
This dining table is similar to the one in our latest collection, Jia Ju. We chose a material that spoke to us and, which also brought us back to the old days.
Memories that bind
Marble table tops evoke a nostalgic memory of families gathering around for meals – for example, the coolness of the marble under the palms contrast against the heat from a steamboat meal – or of extended families making kueh (local cakes) together during festive seasons.
The choice of marble and ash wood gives this dining table clean, contemporary lines while its space-efficient rectangular shape is the perfect fit for urban living spaces.
Marble table tops evoke a nostalgic memory of families gathering around for meals – for example, the coolness of the marble under the palms contrast against the heat from a steamboat meal – or of extended families making kueh (local cakes) together during festive seasons.
The choice of marble and ash wood gives this dining table clean, contemporary lines while its space-efficient rectangular shape is the perfect fit for urban living spaces.
Blast from the past
Elements of childhood nostalgia from rocking horses feature in the Jia Ju rocking stool (left). Rattan material worked into the centre of the seat lends itself well to the lean lines and barely-there finished joints (think: fine Ming Dynasty craftsmanship) of the piece.
The Jia Ju Chair (right) is inspired by the red, blue and white string chairs of yesteryears. This contemporary interpretation will stand the test of time.
Nostalgia may speak of the past, but when it is reworked into contemporary designs, it could brighten up the corners of spaces in the home… and the heart.
TELL US
What nostalgic piece of furniture do you have in your home? Share in the Comments.
Elements of childhood nostalgia from rocking horses feature in the Jia Ju rocking stool (left). Rattan material worked into the centre of the seat lends itself well to the lean lines and barely-there finished joints (think: fine Ming Dynasty craftsmanship) of the piece.
The Jia Ju Chair (right) is inspired by the red, blue and white string chairs of yesteryears. This contemporary interpretation will stand the test of time.
Nostalgia may speak of the past, but when it is reworked into contemporary designs, it could brighten up the corners of spaces in the home… and the heart.
TELL US
What nostalgic piece of furniture do you have in your home? Share in the Comments.
Trunks as bedside tables are a unique way of upcycling these items that are usually used for storage. Flip them on their side and there you have it, a multifunctional piece of furniture that brings a rustic feel to the bedroom.