With the coming of spring we can open our doors and windows and let fresh breezes flow through our rooms. Spring often elevates a desire to beautify and organize our surroundings. Many of us may have a collection of baskets on hand for just this purpose. A person who loves and collects books is a bibliophile and I am definitely that person, but I would also call myself a “basketophile” of sorts.
Searching for vintage fabrics, ribbon, and passementerie to use in interior design takes patience and a willingness to lift stacks of fabric and sift through baskets filled with carded sequins and beads to get to the treasure at the bottom. It is a special pleasure to give new life to old fabrics.
Painted furniture provides a focal point and lifts the look of a space. As far back as the 1700’s people in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries began using pale grays and softened whites to paint and refresh furniture handed down through the years, to bring light into rooms during the dark of winter, or even to coordinate furniture made of different woods.
I created my first wood panel as a folding screen when we moved to a loft in a historical bank building. The loft was one continuous space with brick walls on both sides. We believe it was once office space for those who worked in accounting or bank records. The screens were made to provide slight visual definition of areas or rooms within the larger space.
Our house is shaped like the letter H with a covered porch spanning the two rear “arms” in back. While we could bring our indoor furniture with us when we moved, we didn’t have any outdoor furniture for the porch.