Buy what you love regardless of what people or trends say. I have a bookcase of blue and white mass produced ginger jars and vases and books that are mass produced……. both will never go out of style with people who read or love blue and read…..
Thank you for reposting this, Andrea! It’s a thoughtful reminder to just relax about trends. One of my favorite ideas is from Coco Chanel who said something like, “too much money kills luxury”. I never quite understood that until recently. We live in an old neighborhood, one established in the 1930s. One neighbor – who has owned their house for forty years or so – has quietly spent an absolute fortune maintaining the original aspects of the house. Windows, doors, lighting, etc etc. the greatest experience is attending a gathering at their house because it’s cozy, unique, human in scale and interesting. A real home in a sea of “on trend” designer Show houses.
Hello, To say I am overjoyed to read this article is an understatement. I have been anxiously waiting for the current colorless, cold, lifeless, industrial, trend to die and have been predicting a comeback of warm beauty, for some time. My friends and family think I’m insane for believing such a thing but I have stood firm in my belief that a renaissance is on the horizon. I know that we will soon, see once again, gorgeous fabrics, trims, oil paintings, BROWN furniture( I bet those that painted theirs will kick themselves) and lovely china, silver and brick a brack enhancing our homes with personality and ambiance. I wonder if you have any idea when we may start to see Brown period furniture or curvy or skirted upholstered pieces with glorious fabrics on the market again, if ever. I have never bent to the minimalist, barren trend and have seemed a bit eccentric because my home is traditional with period rooms, I still have highboys and canopy beds, Chippendale sofas and more, but now I am going to considered a trendsetter!! Yippee!!
I am so very glad that you re-posted this. Every paragraph resonates with me in a personal way. I discovered Mario Buatta in the late 1980s, followed him avidly in shelter magazines, and spent the next 30 years resisting my Southwest-Tuscan-IKEA-loving friends’ suggestions that I “dump that ‘Granny Look’”. I’m not knocking their choices; they just aren’t mine. The possibility that Traditional is coming back makes me happy, but what are the trend makers going to do to it??
I was never so dismayed, after carefully saving up and acquiring a very few blue and white porcelains that I love, as the day I walked into Home Goods and saw the same thing you shared: a virtual sea of blue and white.
The richness of your photos reinforces my intention to create timeless beauty and comfort, and of course including Patricia Altschul’s rooms will always make me happy. I do hope one day there will be a Sotheby’s-style book of her interiors, with detailed descriptions of furniture and individual pieces, as Luzanne Otte suggested.
Thank you for reposting this Traditional article! I love “brown furniture “…..it’s true classic! I do add different styles that are collectable for a twist to my classic pieces.
So very honored to be quoted in your amazing blog … It is my observation that millenials are dead set in changing all the stablished rules about everything , with so much reliance in technology , so many cultural changes ( the “anything goes” mentality ) an so on , it’s hard to predict anything , i understand “boho chic” is a big thing with them right now …On the other hand we can see a direction towards more traditional decor , one example is that we don’t see as many of those dreaded square shaped dishes in tablesettings anymore .,baby steps
Andrea, this is a great posting. Thank you. I’ve always been a traditionalist and classicist (even modern design should be incorporated using Palladio’s principles). Chintz, toile, antiques (I detest the term ‘brown furniture’)… they’re always in style in my book. Living in South Florida, traditional style is difficult to come be except in Palm Beach.
Sadly, many antique dealers have been lost but the good news is that you can get a better quality piece of furniture at a very fair price in an antique store than you can buying new furniture. Even Baker Furniture has sold one of its best factories in Italy and moved Baker’s production from that factory to Asia. The quality difference is easy to spot. Browsing the Baker showroom recently I spotted a Jappaned cabinet. From a distance it didn’t look up to par. On closer inspection, it has a ‘cheap’ appearing finish. When inspecting another piece in the showroom I noticed the drawer side rails weren’t dovetailed. It was surprising and disappointing but this isn’t meant o trash Baker. They’re a good line and I’ve always been a fan.
Thank you for keeping the discussion going on color, and traditional style! I am biased, yes, because I do color for a living, but I do it because I believe the right color makes us happy. The environments that Mario Buatta created, are stunning not just because they look good, they make you feel amazing about yourself, your mood improves, problems get smaller, there’s space for imagination to wonder, there’s a place to put up your feet, a place to set your drink, and if you thought about it, there was a place for your keys when you came in, and a place to sit for a second to put your bags down. The style of such greats like Mario does not fade away as trends change, it’s pro-human tendencies, and does not tell anyone what they have to like today, or any day, one is not limited by it. I’m happy the pendulum seems to be swinging back to what feels good, not just looks cool. We don’t experience a room only with our eyes, all senses are involved, what we see triggers a domino effect of senses that work in concert to give us what we feel. The richer the environment, the richer the time spent in it. I love your articles, I always learn so much!
I am so thrilled to see this beautifully written and informative post! I have hated the word “trends” for as long as I can remember! My mother-in-law was always anxious to tell me what the latest fashion trend was and my thought was always that I must never buy THAT! I once told her that I never had to worry about my clothes being out of date because, since I prefer vintage or vintage inspired clothing, I am ALREADY WAY out of date. I feel the same about my decorating and it was lovely to see so many of my thoughts reaffirmed in your wonderful article.
Thank you, Andrea!
I HATE that term “brown furniture”! It totally ignores how very beautiful and nuanced wood furniture in its varnished and polished state is. My house will never be trendy, will probably never suit anybody but me, but will never go “out of style” either because it’s classic!
Classic, good taste is never passé or out of style. It’s good to know that “everything old is new again”. Ellen Easton
Buy what you love regardless of what people or trends say. I have a bookcase of blue and white mass produced ginger jars and vases and books that are mass produced……. both will never go out of style with people who read or love blue and read…..
Thank you for reposting this, Andrea! It’s a thoughtful reminder to just relax about trends. One of my favorite ideas is from Coco Chanel who said something like, “too much money kills luxury”. I never quite understood that until recently. We live in an old neighborhood, one established in the 1930s. One neighbor – who has owned their house for forty years or so – has quietly spent an absolute fortune maintaining the original aspects of the house. Windows, doors, lighting, etc etc. the greatest experience is attending a gathering at their house because it’s cozy, unique, human in scale and interesting. A real home in a sea of “on trend” designer Show houses.
Xo
Hello, To say I am overjoyed to read this article is an understatement. I have been anxiously waiting for the current colorless, cold, lifeless, industrial, trend to die and have been predicting a comeback of warm beauty, for some time. My friends and family think I’m insane for believing such a thing but I have stood firm in my belief that a renaissance is on the horizon. I know that we will soon, see once again, gorgeous fabrics, trims, oil paintings, BROWN furniture( I bet those that painted theirs will kick themselves) and lovely china, silver and brick a brack enhancing our homes with personality and ambiance. I wonder if you have any idea when we may start to see Brown period furniture or curvy or skirted upholstered pieces with glorious fabrics on the market again, if ever. I have never bent to the minimalist, barren trend and have seemed a bit eccentric because my home is traditional with period rooms, I still have highboys and canopy beds, Chippendale sofas and more, but now I am going to considered a trendsetter!! Yippee!!
I am so very glad that you re-posted this. Every paragraph resonates with me in a personal way. I discovered Mario Buatta in the late 1980s, followed him avidly in shelter magazines, and spent the next 30 years resisting my Southwest-Tuscan-IKEA-loving friends’ suggestions that I “dump that ‘Granny Look’”. I’m not knocking their choices; they just aren’t mine. The possibility that Traditional is coming back makes me happy, but what are the trend makers going to do to it??
I was never so dismayed, after carefully saving up and acquiring a very few blue and white porcelains that I love, as the day I walked into Home Goods and saw the same thing you shared: a virtual sea of blue and white.
The richness of your photos reinforces my intention to create timeless beauty and comfort, and of course including Patricia Altschul’s rooms will always make me happy. I do hope one day there will be a Sotheby’s-style book of her interiors, with detailed descriptions of furniture and individual pieces, as Luzanne Otte suggested.
Thank you again.
Yes!!! Pretty is back – at last. Thank you, Mario! You never let us down and never gave up the fight for classic and welcoming interiors.
Thank you for reposting this Traditional article! I love “brown furniture “…..it’s true classic! I do add different styles that are collectable for a twist to my classic pieces.
So very honored to be quoted in your amazing blog … It is my observation that millenials are dead set in changing all the stablished rules about everything , with so much reliance in technology , so many cultural changes ( the “anything goes” mentality ) an so on , it’s hard to predict anything , i understand “boho chic” is a big thing with them right now …On the other hand we can see a direction towards more traditional decor , one example is that we don’t see as many of those dreaded square shaped dishes in tablesettings anymore .,baby steps
Andrea, this is a great posting. Thank you. I’ve always been a traditionalist and classicist (even modern design should be incorporated using Palladio’s principles). Chintz, toile, antiques (I detest the term ‘brown furniture’)… they’re always in style in my book. Living in South Florida, traditional style is difficult to come be except in Palm Beach.
Sadly, many antique dealers have been lost but the good news is that you can get a better quality piece of furniture at a very fair price in an antique store than you can buying new furniture. Even Baker Furniture has sold one of its best factories in Italy and moved Baker’s production from that factory to Asia. The quality difference is easy to spot. Browsing the Baker showroom recently I spotted a Jappaned cabinet. From a distance it didn’t look up to par. On closer inspection, it has a ‘cheap’ appearing finish. When inspecting another piece in the showroom I noticed the drawer side rails weren’t dovetailed. It was surprising and disappointing but this isn’t meant o trash Baker. They’re a good line and I’ve always been a fan.
Thank you for keeping the discussion going on color, and traditional style! I am biased, yes, because I do color for a living, but I do it because I believe the right color makes us happy. The environments that Mario Buatta created, are stunning not just because they look good, they make you feel amazing about yourself, your mood improves, problems get smaller, there’s space for imagination to wonder, there’s a place to put up your feet, a place to set your drink, and if you thought about it, there was a place for your keys when you came in, and a place to sit for a second to put your bags down. The style of such greats like Mario does not fade away as trends change, it’s pro-human tendencies, and does not tell anyone what they have to like today, or any day, one is not limited by it. I’m happy the pendulum seems to be swinging back to what feels good, not just looks cool. We don’t experience a room only with our eyes, all senses are involved, what we see triggers a domino effect of senses that work in concert to give us what we feel. The richer the environment, the richer the time spent in it. I love your articles, I always learn so much!
I am so thrilled to see this beautifully written and informative post! I have hated the word “trends” for as long as I can remember! My mother-in-law was always anxious to tell me what the latest fashion trend was and my thought was always that I must never buy THAT! I once told her that I never had to worry about my clothes being out of date because, since I prefer vintage or vintage inspired clothing, I am ALREADY WAY out of date. I feel the same about my decorating and it was lovely to see so many of my thoughts reaffirmed in your wonderful article.
Thank you, Andrea!
I HATE that term “brown furniture”! It totally ignores how very beautiful and nuanced wood furniture in its varnished and polished state is. My house will never be trendy, will probably never suit anybody but me, but will never go “out of style” either because it’s classic!