I pulled this old book off the bookshelf and was thumbing through its text. Its title is Let’s Bring Back and it’s about all the delightful things from the past that we?ve forgotten in our push to become more modern. The book is an encyclopedia of memorabilia, things like grandfather clocks and fountain pens, model airplanes and music boxes, pocket watches and kitten heels. This delightful book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a decade.
There?s a way to take back some of the charm of bygone eras and weave them into our modern interiors. I?m all for decorating with things that are nostalgic, have historical value, and including heirlooms from past generations.
When I travel I often visit places where you can see and feel the history. Palaces in Europe contain artifacts from hundreds of years ago, but even touring historic homes like Ernest Hemingway?s on a trip to Key West will fill one with a feeling of nostalgia as one can?t help but pause and take in the antique pieces and early 20th century objects. Whenever I watch a film that takes place in a different century I notice the furniture, the paintings, the moldings and all the decorative elements that bring that past period to life. I don?t propose we bring back overly ornate embellishments or ceiling frescos or excessive gilding à la Versailles, but I believe having a few traditional elements in a room adds warmth and character and makes a space feel like it has a history.
Just because we live in 2022 doe...