The joy of vintage
It’s the easy way to give your home its own, distinctive character. Simply combine vintage and antique ‘discoveries’ with gorgeous, contemporary materials to give nostalgia a thoroughly modern edge.
A fragment of filigree lace, a dainty doily, a flower-blossom silk scarf, a fine lawn handkerchief, a sepia-tinged page from a magazine, juxtaposed with pristine linens, luscious satins and silks, soft wools and chic ribbons to create a signature style infused with charisma and charm.
Clockwise from left: this quirky tablecloth is made from four handkerchiefs from the 1930s. Colourful ribbons are tied in bows in each corner; fine lawn handkerchiefs, trimmed with lace, make a charming curtain; store your camisole in a silk lingerie envelope. Match silks and vintage scarves for the lining to your colour scheme
The beauty of vintage is how it reflects and can be adapted with ease to whatever ambience you wish – romantic, eclectic, elegant, graphic or glamorous, with the added allure of imparting a recycled lease of life to things that may have been forgotten, languishing in a dressingtable drawer.
Imbued with memory and meaning, vintage will mirror your own history, passions and interests to evoke a very personal touch. As you browse in flea markets or antique emporiums, you will see myriad intriguing items – a jardinière piled high with lace, a basket of silk flowers, a nondescript box holding colourful, old-fashioned spools of ribbons.
Clockwise from top left: a small vintage button adds the finishing touch to a grosgrain ribbon napkin holders; for special occasions, decorate chairs with floral scarves cut into panels and tie matching ribbon at the back in loose bows; make charming needlework cases from soft Melton wool and contrasting coloured lining
The key is to train your eye to isolate separate pieces, and imagine how they could look in your home. It is the combination of differing eras, fashions and styles, and the effortless mix of things that mysteriously seem to match, that makes the magic of vintage work.
If your serendipitous finds have any imperfections – a frayed edge, a few loose threads, a small tear, a lost clasp, or faded patina – do not worry, as these are part of their charm.
A straw hat becomes a stylish basket by adding a white broderie anglaise bow
Your vintage discoveries will come alive by using them in imaginative contexts, and combining them in original ways, with an enticing mix of old and new, of ornate decoration, and refreshing simplicity, so they are transformed into accessories for your home and creative gifts and cards. Just remember – your imagination will take you everywhere.
Lace, Ribbons And Bows, by Ann Brownfield and Jane Cassini, with photography by Caroline Arber, is published by CICO Books, priced £12.99. Readers of The Lady can purchase a copy at the special price of £10.99 (incl p&p), by calling 01256-302699 and quoting GLR 8AP. More details at www.cicobooks.co.uk
A fragment of filigree lace, a dainty doily, a flower-blossom silk scarf, a fine lawn handkerchief, a sepia-tinged page from a magazine, juxtaposed with pristine linens, luscious satins and silks, soft wools and chic ribbons to create a signature style infused with charisma and charm.
Clockwise from left: this quirky tablecloth is made from four handkerchiefs from the 1930s. Colourful ribbons are tied in bows in each corner; fine lawn handkerchiefs, trimmed with lace, make a charming curtain; store your camisole in a silk lingerie envelope. Match silks and vintage scarves for the lining to your colour schemeThe beauty of vintage is how it reflects and can be adapted with ease to whatever ambience you wish – romantic, eclectic, elegant, graphic or glamorous, with the added allure of imparting a recycled lease of life to things that may have been forgotten, languishing in a dressingtable drawer.
Imbued with memory and meaning, vintage will mirror your own history, passions and interests to evoke a very personal touch. As you browse in flea markets or antique emporiums, you will see myriad intriguing items – a jardinière piled high with lace, a basket of silk flowers, a nondescript box holding colourful, old-fashioned spools of ribbons.
Clockwise from top left: a small vintage button adds the finishing touch to a grosgrain ribbon napkin holders; for special occasions, decorate chairs with floral scarves cut into panels and tie matching ribbon at the back in loose bows; make charming needlework cases from soft Melton wool and contrasting coloured lining The key is to train your eye to isolate separate pieces, and imagine how they could look in your home. It is the combination of differing eras, fashions and styles, and the effortless mix of things that mysteriously seem to match, that makes the magic of vintage work.
If your serendipitous finds have any imperfections – a frayed edge, a few loose threads, a small tear, a lost clasp, or faded patina – do not worry, as these are part of their charm.
A straw hat becomes a stylish basket by adding a white broderie anglaise bowYour vintage discoveries will come alive by using them in imaginative contexts, and combining them in original ways, with an enticing mix of old and new, of ornate decoration, and refreshing simplicity, so they are transformed into accessories for your home and creative gifts and cards. Just remember – your imagination will take you everywhere.
Lace, Ribbons And Bows, by Ann Brownfield and Jane Cassini, with photography by Caroline Arber, is published by CICO Books, priced £12.99. Readers of The Lady can purchase a copy at the special price of £10.99 (incl p&p), by calling 01256-302699 and quoting GLR 8AP. More details at www.cicobooks.co.uk