Entries from May 2010 ↓

Did you catch the design show on the CBS show Sunday Morning last week? It’s always one of our favorites and it didn’t disappoint. Martha Teichner hosted a segment on a man in California who sells vintage refrigerators.  He had hundreds of old, but beautiful, refrigerators lined up side by side. He seemed to know something about each of them. He talked about how their design reflected the time in which they were created.  Some actually had design elements inspired by automobiles of  the 50s and we all know how outrageous that chrome detailing could get. The segment reminded me of a vintage porch glider I once found. It was definitely designed with automobile detailing in mind. It had chrome along the front and detailing up the sides of the arms that were unmistakeably inspired by our love of automobiles during the 50s. It even had ashtrays in the arms! I wanted it so badly, but it was way too far gone for preserving. Unfortunately, I didn’t even take a picture of it. I have never seen one like it before or since. When Martha was talking to the gentleman about his refrigerators, she said something that I wish I had said because it is so true whether you’re buying vintage outdoor furniture or vintage refrigerators.  Martha said, “You’re buying the era”. She’s right. You’re buying more than just the steel structure. You’re buying a piece of the way of life, the design, the memories and  the stories of the era. And to some of us, those are priceless.

I read a review the other day of a book called Perfect Porches by Paula S. Wallace. I can’t wait to read her book and especially to look at the beautiful photographs. But as I went onto the porch this morning to clean the cushions on my vintage outdoor furniture, there slept my porch muse,  Phil Feral, once again reminding me that I really do not need a perfect porch in order to have a comfortable one. I am so drawn to porches and have come to appreciate all kinds of porches including perfect ones and the ones like mine, not so perfect. My porch is really an outdoor living room and it looks lived in or on most of the time. I love being out there no matter what. The other night, my son was on the porch glider and I was in the living room with the French doors between us wide open. It was so calming to have no division between indoors and out. We would drift in and out having conversations about what each of us was doing. It is one of the most pleasant nights I can remember, in some way just because the door was open to a beautiful spring night and a cool breeze. And of course because I got to spend the evening with my son. Continue reading →