By Chris Casson Madden
The Shakers believe we shouldn’t
”
make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it
is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it
beautiful.
”
By Chris Casson Madden
The Shakers believe we shouldn’t “make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.”
In that spirit, one of my favorite things to do with an afternoon off and a gorgeous day outside is to go treasure hunting for those beautiful things with my husband, Kevin, and my two canine friends Winnie and Lola.
We’ll map our strategy, with a certain location or area in mind, possibly the great antique shops along the Hudson River in New York, the fall flea markets of Connecticut and Massachusetts, or the charming general stores, collectibles shops and outlets along our routes in rural Vermont.
The only planning we don’t include is a timetable!
I’ll usually arm myself with a mini-list – something I think I really need or would like to have to finish off a room or a decorating project. Whatever it is, a list always serves to keep me on track while being open enough to include any serendipitous finds that might fit the mood of these outings.
So what are the things Kevin and I like to hunt for? I find myself gravitating to many of the same, smaller things over and over again. In a home, these smaller pieces don’t necessarily need pedigree or provenance; rather, they give your rooms that unique personality or spark that helps define your decorating style.
So be on the lookout for your favorites. It can be something as simple as flatware. As French interior designer Andre Putnam once said, “The beauty of a spoon is breathtaking.” So here, without following fashion or trend, is a list of some the treasures I have a hard time resisting when I see them.
n Tabletop and kitchen items: I love to set the table, whether for formal dinner parties, a casual family gathering or a just a buffet in the backyard. I often reach for the odds-and-ends treasures I have found in our journeys, the inexpensive pieces of mismatched glassware – the water glasses, odd sets of champagne flutes, vintage goblets, small dishes for fruit or ice cream or the occasional crystal tumbler for the bar. I also search for English transferware, ceramic teapots, old copper pots and pans, mismatched silver flatware and iron stone casseroles and pitchers. These are the things that make a table look personal, unique and, in my eyes, lovely. Finding individual items tucked away in the corner of a small shop is a great way to put together a one-of-a-kind collection of mismatched pieces. Starting with a color theme – all creams and browns, or all blues and whites – is a simple yet classic way to incorporate vintage tableware into your already existing style.
n Small-scaled upholstered furniture: Vintage upholstered items such as slipper and club chairs, benches, ottomans, stools, banquettes and loveseats. The scale of these older shapes are sometimes much more pleasing than many of our modern-day equivalents because they were usually made for smaller rooms. And the prices are always right. When I visit my shopping haunts I envision these “old maids” gloriously reupholstered in lovely fabrics or practical yet pretty slipcovers – all ready to be placed in a conversational grouping, pulled up to a writing desk or even upholstered in terry cloth for a feminine touch in the bathroom.
n Natural history objects: I can’t resist the beauty and curves of a found antler; mother of pearl fashioned into a knife or serving spoon; mounted butterflies; a vase full of found feathers displayed as in a bouquet, or framed; and pressed botanicals, such as my collection of 19th century ferns. Large shells that are worn and weathered, with the patina of time etched on them, are my favorites as are wonderful rocks with distinctive veining or fossils embedded in stone. But if you prefer to go the natural route with a modern flair, vintage-inspired botanical prints and insects decoupaged onto plates and trays make colorful and interesting focal points, whether hung together on a wall or scattered throughout your home.
n Vintage linens and textiles: I’m a collector of fabrics for the projects that will happen, as I always say, “someday” or for the ways I can use them as is. For the same reason that I love tabletop items I also appreciate the fun and whimsy of 1930s and ’40s patterned tablecloths. And I enjoy finding old estate linen tablecloths (especially if they come with napkins), or just old linen and cotton napkins and dishtowels and collecting stacks of them. I’ll can always use them for pillows, table runners, to fill baskets or simply to frame them. I love coming upon old paisleys – be they old quilts or other handcrafted textiles – but I really cherish the rarer finds of antique chintzes or toiles.
n Sunday paintings: So called because of their amateur, unschooled style, I love the genre of Sunday paintings because I enjoy imagining the history and circumstances of who did them and why. I also find old oil portraits and paintings of animals – especially dogs, horses and other four-legged creatures – charming and irresistible. Discovering these works of art at a small town auction or leaning against a fence at a yard sale is always exciting!
I’m sure you have your own list, but feel free to borrow or be inspired by mine.
And happy hunting!
Chris Casson Madden is a celebrated designer and best-selling author. Her latest book, “Haven: Finding the Keys to Your Personal Decorating Style,” was recently published by Clarkson Potter. She can be reached at
cm*****@*********ia.com
