“the old”: Valencia by Arabia bowl
During our recent longer-than-ancipated stint in a cramped apartment, my poor Arabia dishes were confined to basement storage. In the meantime, I started a new collection of dishes: those by Nancy Bauch at White Forest Pottery. Unpacking them both recently and placing them in the new pantry, was the first time I have ever seen these sets side by side. The two are very different. And it got me thinking about the old and the new.
As evidenced by this blog, my tastes are eclectic, running the gamut between traditional and modern, industrial and natural/handmade, always with a minimalist overtone. As this all-encompassing description reveals, it can sometimes be difficult to pin down my style “motivations,” and so my design challenge remains: how to hone all these divergent inclinations into a cohesive scheme.
In the past, my default had been to throw the baby out with the bathwater as it were, deciding that I had changed, moved on. But now I’m making peace with fickle self. I now accept that there is a piece of me that still revels in the unabashed blue and somewhat exotic patterns of Valencia, and one that craves the texture and serenity of White Forest.
And it is also true that some things that I’ve unpacked do no longer feel like me – like my crystal champagne flutes. Today, I’m sure I’d prefer something less classical (the one adjective I did not use to describe my tastes), a wonky, hand-blown chalice that would foil the elegance of the champagne, or a vintage flute of etched glass that would join the bubbles in a dance of light. But I’m not going to put these not-so-me flutes in a yard sale yet. Because, as I consider my new home, letting all the pieces percolate a while, who knows, I may change my mind.
“the new” white forest bowl
the newspaper I used to wrap it up reveals the last time I saw Arabia
(actually this is an old creamer from Takashimaya)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I think that’s a very smart move. I thought I was “over” some Roseville pottery I had when going for a simpler look. About a year later, I took the Roseville out of the drawer and created a grouping on a white shelf. All those greens with the white looked rustic and modern at the same time. I’m so glad I didn’t sell or give the pieces away.
I would also recommend that you live in your house at least one year before making any big changes. If I didn’t do that, I would have made some big mistakes! My husband is more conservative than I am, and he really saved the house from my misplaced ambition.
Great advice, Jill.