Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not bothered by any of the opinions expressed - though sometimes it's all in the delivery, ya know?
As I think I pointed out later - I decided not to go with the silver en masse, though I may pick up the odd piece here and there as I go along. I'm no fan of perpetual polishing.
Plus, my walls are a very creamy, buttery colored stucco - and I love displaying color against those walls. So, I decided to go with what I'm always drawn to anyway - which is glassware, pottery, and paintings, with vibrant colors. I love to mix eras, with my favorite eras to mix being the turn of the 20th century (Art Nouveau/Jugenstihl), Art Deco, with a little bit of 1950s funk thrown in for good measure!
I am not into the shabby chic look by the way. I like it in other people's homes and in magazines but I prefer a very rich palette. I would say my look is "Prague." A little Boho, a little Prussian, a little Middle Earth, and a little Maxfield Parrish.
I try to go more formal - I really, really do! But I just can't make myself go there.
Please note that the silver on the first picture posted looks neither expensive or polished - so no need to angst over polishing regularly or feeling that you have to avenge the abused sterling of the world - that unpolished look - that darkened patina - that is part of the charm for that style of decorating. I understand that this is not everyone's cup of tea but it is appealing to some of us - some just don't get it.
Please note that the silver on the first picture posted looks neither expensive or polished - so no need to angst over polishing regularly or feeling that you have to avenge the abused sterling of the world - that unpolished look - that darkened patina - that is part of the charm for that style of decorating. I understand that this is not everyone's cup of tea but it is appealing to some of us - some just don't get it.
I agree with you totally (though I am really not sure I could stand to let that plate get completely black!).
The silver PLATE (not sterling silver) that my daughter is collecting is simply not very valuable. She is finding it at Goodwill and junk shops and little resale places. This stuff often goes for $3-10 per piece.
It's not like it was being "loved" and fawned over prior to her buying it! So it's already being better taken care of just by being brought into her house!
I'm sure that if she lucked up and found a truly valuable piece, she would give it the care it deserves. As it is, with these common and inexpensive pieces she's finding, she feels comfortable giving them a bit of a polish and then using them in unique ways.
I have an ornate "spoon ring" that my mom and dad gave me for Christmas when I was fourteen. Now it is solid silver. Even though it's not being "honored as a spoon" I still like it - and still wear it on occasion! I'm sure some people would be horrified at that notion but I don't care. Heck, I didn't chop it up - and I doubt that the person who did had many pieces of it - surely not a set.
I love the unexpected when decorating - the whimsy and the fun. To me, that's what this look is about.
By the way, my favorite holiday picture in my house is one I made out of a gift bag. I loved the picture on the bag, so I framed it.
That sort of thing makes decorating fun. And I encourage people to have lots and lots of fun when they're exploring their creative side and feathering their nests.
Once upon a time people used lacquer on coins in collections. It does make the coins look dull after a time as it discolors but preserved the luster underneath over centuries. Cleaning coins is verboten and some even question curating coins.
We wax guns in collections and it works very well using a museum wax. Since sterling and silver plate are already cleaned we may use a cloth on them. But if I wished to decorate with silver in an unfiltered atmosphere I'd be in touch with a museum with a good curatorial staff. Most museum people are happy to share their expertise. I've called "the Met", New York City's Metropolitan Museum, on several occasions and always have been received with courtesy and interest.
Generally, wax is the ideal protector. I'm not a big shot dealer but I've been willing to spend time investigating. Renaissance Wax is the gold standard. It's expensive but so are the beautiful things it protects. This will allow hanging silver, copper, and other beautiful possessions.
Once upon a time people used lacquer on coins in collections. It does make the coins look dull after a time as it discolors but preserved the luster underneath over centuries. Cleaning coins is verboten and some even question curating coins.
We wax guns in collections and it works very well using a museum wax. Since sterling and silver plate are already cleaned we may use a cloth on them. But if I wished to decorate with silver in an unfiltered atmosphere I'd be in touch with a museum with a good curatorial staff. Most museum people are happy to share their expertise. I've called "the Met", New York City's Metropolitan Museum, on several occasions and always have been received with courtesy and interest.
Generally, wax is the ideal protector. I'm not a big shot dealer but I've been willing to spend time investigating. Renaissance Wax is the gold standard. It's expensive but so are the beautiful things it protects. This will allow hanging silver, copper, and other beautiful possessions.
I thought you might get a kick out of some Christmas pictures that I took of my old sideboard - a few years ago I posted some Christmas pictures of our home on a forum on HGTV and they were ultimately used in an HGTV Christmas decorating special - a few years ago - here are 2 of the 12 pictures they used:
This one is from a couple of years ago:
This one is older - There is an old creamer and baby cup along with the 1920's pot metal German deer that I collect - I think I have 15 of them now - I just love them
I have a ton of old gravy boats, gallery trays, compotes, etc....and a fairly extensive collection of hotel silver (which I love)...another old picture
I just love old spooners filled with silver serving spoons and trumpet vases used in unusual ways - a girl can never have enough trumpet vases you know....
I thought you might get a kick out of some Christmas pictures that I took of my old sideboard - a few years ago I posted some Christmas pictures of our home on a forum on HGTV and they were ultimately used in an HGTV Christmas decorating special - a few years ago - here are 2 of the 12 pictures they used:
This one is from a couple of years ago:
This one is older - There is an old creamer and baby cup along with the 1920's pot metal German deer that I collect - I think I have 15 of them now - I just love them
I have a ton of old gravy boats, gallery trays, compotes, etc....and a fairly extensive collection of hotel silver (which I love)...another old picture
I just love old spooners filled with silver serving spoons and trumpet vases used in unusual ways - a girl can never have enough trumpet vases you know....
Tea anyone?
O. M. G.
Those are amazing photos! You really have quite the touch! See, this is what I am talking about when it comes to enjoying seeing what others are doing. Your vignettes are so layered and elegant and luxurious, and all that silver and sparkly stuff looks FABULOUS. My own personal style is more rustic and more "European hunting lodge" I guess - but then I see the overlap of our personal styles because much of what you have posted could also fit into that genre, and yet our houses have probably taken off in rather different directions.
I really enjoy seeing your style. It's one I would indulge in the right house. I especially like the color of the walls with those plates.
I used to have a larger house, an older house with more defined spaces, and I actually liked that a lot better, because I could indulge in a wider variety of looks, especially at Christmas time. For instance, I had a very formal dining room that much of what you've posted above would look great in, and I did have a lot of ornate, sparkly stuff going on in there. Now with my open floor plan, I can't do that (I actually had to change out my dining room chairs because without a formal dining room, I could use the table but not the chairs - they were too formal).
Well, hey, I'll just show you. I love this because it proves that we can use ORANGE at Christmas time! This is my table as it is decorated currently. Check out the fun chairs and rug!
Now you've inspired me to take some photos of little vignettes around my house.
Well, I love the whole thing - beautiful centerpiece, rug and chairs and the woodwork - fun and interesting...some are rather shy about combining prints but I think that is what can make a room look rich and interesting and you know how to do it well. We definitely love similar colors warm colors. If I had an open floor plan I would definitely decorate in a more casual style.
Most of the pictures I posted are from our So. California home (before we retired).....it was a 1700 sf 1950's one story home near the beach (where we raised all our children)...now we are retired and living in a much larger home (almost twice the size) in another state, lots more to decorate and take care of...will probably down size in a few years...we have only been retired for a little over 4 years.
In our California home, I had a lodge-inspired room - a bedroom for one of our kids....here is a vignette...as you can see - I do lodge too! I love rustic too - very much.
I just opened up my Southern Lady magazine - this magazine is produced by the same publisher (Hoffman Media) that puts out Paula Deen's magazines, Victoria, Tea Time, Taste of the South, Cottage Journal, etc Anyway, in the 2012 Southern Lady Christmas issue there is a large picture of a wall display of silver trays - mostly unpolished - they put some stupid netting bow on the display but other than that it looks great.
I just opened up my Southern Lady magazine - this magazine is produced by the same publisher (Hoffman Media) that puts out Paula Deen's magazines, Victoria, Tea Time, Taste of the South, Cottage Journal, etc Anyway, in the 2012 Southern Lady Christmas issue there is a large picture of a wall display of silver trays - mostly unpolished - they put some stupid netting bow on the display but other than that it looks great.
It's the "next big thing" apparently!
I think it can look really good - on a wall color that makes it pop.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
