Thursday, October 19, 2006

changing furniture and accessories..

life is important.. and presence too .. for us as well as for the objects.. which have shared our life.. there are so many memories.. which have gethered within the cracks.. in the drawers.. under the covers.. I read years ago.. the rules of FENG SHUİ.. about old furnitures.. it said that they fill up with the energy that surrounds them.. it said .. that is why it is better not to buy hospital furniture from the thrift shops.. because they have absorbed all the pains which take place in the hospitals.. well there are so many healings too.. and hopes and condensed love..in the hospitals.. but yes ..mostly this place is related with sickness and pain..
and for furniture for which the origin is unknown .. it offered one solution.. and this was.. putting both hands on the furniture.. closing your eyes.. and trying to sense.. the feeling it gave to you.. if you felt good touching it.. then .. it is good sign.. sign that you can take this at home.. if no..leave it where it is.. how much you like the shape and how low is the price.. are not important..
I thought it was weard.. because before reading this.. I did exactly the same thing.. I love to go to thrift stores.. and there if I notice something I like.. I touch it.. every where.. not to control the broken parts or the defaults.. just to feel it.. and I can see in my mind.. the object in my home.. at the right place.. and I buy it.. if I feel nothing.. I leave it.. funny when you find some of your weard attitudes.. written as a rule..
according to this.. we pass some of our energy to our own furniture.. and our memories.. but we change our decors.. and they don't fit in any more.. I am one of those people who cannot give up .. cannot let go.. anything.. any people.. so..
I feel they deserve a touch up.. a disguise.. to fit in the new decor.. and not to be thrown away.. fidelity to our surroundings.. as well as to our memories..
this table has a history.. I was pregnant with my son.. married for 2 years only.. and we went to the carpenter.. to see how the cot we ordered was getting.. and there I saw this flip - top round table.. there was no varnish remaining.. but besides this.. was in perfect condition.. it has a round middle piece and three legs.. in the french Louis XV style.. I asked about the origin..because it looked old.. they told me an old lady.. who was moving away and did not have place to put this table in her new home..gave it to them.. saying they can use it.. or sell it..
and that they forgot it.. in a corner.. under the dust.. until I noticed.. while they were talking.. I was caressing the top of the table.. and I said..'' I want it''.. to my husband.. and the carpenter was so kind.. that he asked us to accept it as a gift for our son's birth..
and there he sits in my summer cottage.. painted in a very light french grey.. embellished with vintage seaside postcards.. and ship-trip announcements.. and antiqued by wax..it is very practical.. because of the flip top.. when I need more space in the room.. I can move it by the wall where it stands as a picture.. wonderful '' for a tea for two''.. by the window..
and the old and dirty wooden boxes are now vintage make-up boxes..on my beauty table..

this is a small shelf is special ottoman design for the big hats they were wearing.. the kavuk's.. that I use as a candle- holder..in my bedroom.. pared with some blue and white china photogrphy I cut down from a magazine.. it blends in so good with my bedroom's colour scheme....

and I love this tray.. this was a small metal tray.. tarnished.. and ugly.. but some decoupage-crackle-and antiquing made it a unique piece.. that I enjoy to use .. to serve my tea - for - two
what disguise do you use?.. for the old and shabby accessories..or furniture.. who have shared your past.. when you change your decor..??..

5 comments:

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

These are the sort of questions that entertain me when i am out looking for antiques.

Anonymous said...

Pinar,

Loved this blog!
Yes, I do believe each object regardless of what it is has energy, some can be bad and some can be good. Amazing how when you take something ordinary and turn it into an object of affection, and then it too has good soulful energy.

I love to change my furniture in my home. After changing it, it takes on a whole new personality and so do I.

Enjoyed this blog..!

Lena said...

I love the thoughtful posts you give us here.
Hmmm, well since you've been visiting my site, you probably know that I tend towards old things and buy thrift shop items too. I'm pretty picky, for the same reasons that you've mentioned. I think everything in our world contains energy and I tend to be very sensitive to it. Once my husband was offered a very large diamond ring for an inexpensive price from a co-worker whose relationship with his fiance had ended. The man tried to convince my husband that I would love to have it and my husband, knowing me so well, said no thank you. I was so relieved he hadn't bought it and told him, "because of the energy that it carried with it". He said he knew I would feel that way and felt the same way too. Your thoughts on people changing so their taste in things changes hits home right now too. I feel like changing things and yet feel attatchment at the same time. I'm trying to figure out what to do. Often I rotate items in and out of my decor according to the season. That's probably my favorite thing to do and helps to bring a fresh perspective. Also I try to look for new and different uses for things by thinking outside the box.
I like the way you've done that here.

Cat said...

Lovely treasures you have, and they are close to your heart. I too become sentimentally attached to my treasures. I miss my old rocker chair that still sits in storage missing me and willing me to come and get her... she whispers her history to me... if only I could hear.

One Crabapple said...

oh this post is so wonderful.

first of all...I loved hearing about closing your eyes and feeling a piece and waiting to see what pictures come to mind
I can't wait to try it ...

I love that little blue shelf you are using for a candle shelf. I think this is so fresh and pretty and what a clever idea you had taking the china from the magazine ! It looks so great , I never would have thought it would look so good.

Your table story is touching...and I like what you did with this with the stickers / labels on the top. Tea for Two TAble ?? I wonder if I will ever sit at this table one day with you and have Tea for Two !

The tray is also a beauty and I was loving looking at all of the images you have decopauged on to it and trying to see the lovely crackle finish that ages it....

You really have some wonderful pieces to share !

oh I too cannot let go of anything ! I revamp usually with paint. One day a friend's husband remarked "Everything in this room has been repainted!" and he sounded appalled...oh well ! yes he was right ! laughing.

I took and old vanity dresser that had a mirror on the back...yes, I loved it with the mirror attached but no where to put it ! I needed something to put the television on. I painted it green and roughed it up a bit on edges , leaving the top the original old aged white....then took off the knobs and replaced them with vintage salt and pepper shakers that are large yellow roses. Just a rose shape. Now the drawers hold video games and Dvd's and the game boxes with the cords going thru a hole in the back of the drawers..so they don't sit out on the floor on the coffee table all of the time cluttering things up.

( I have enough of that as it is !)

Well that is one of my stories on redoing a piece of furniture !
Thanks for asking !

Love, S.