Kirstie's Vintage Home includes 30 simple guidelines for handmade projects to do in the home. Embracing your love of everything vintage can sometimes make your home look like a bric-a-brac shop. Using inspirations from times gone by is a sure way to give your home a look which will never go out of style.
Kirstie Allsopp is recognisable face from our televisions, but does this mean we trust her to successfully craft in our home? Well, I'm going to suggest you should trust her. Many of the projects are practical as well as aesthetically pleasing. Just flicking through the book, makes me pine after every so many items of furniture and fashion.
Nowadays, I feel as if the word 'Vintage' is just thrown around without a second thought to the actual meaning of the word and if it is being used in the right context. At the moment, 'Vintage' just seems to mean a type of fashionable look which may have once been popular a few decades ago, but the item itself can be brand new. Bought from Topshop. That's not Vintage if you ask me. Who cares? It looks pretty. For now, Vintage is FASHION.
Kirstie seems to embrace the contemporary interpretation of Vintage; all the project ideas are cute, quirky and have a touch of kitsch about them. However she doesn't let the reader forget that in her opinion, the word vintage is 'just a smart way of saying second-hand', and she regularly encourages the reader to shop second-hand, to give life to an old something special. She even gives tips on where these gems might be hiding, and how to look past the grime to recognise the attractiveness of a piece.
She gives a low down on popular styles and inspirations from various era's, making sure the reader is well informed, and able to choose what kind of style reflects their personality.
The book is packed with ideas of how to pop your personal and unique stamp on furniture, decoration and more. Picking up only a few ideas from this book will amaze your friends and have visitors envious of your individual style. You can't buy individuality from Ikea after all.
'Ultimately my message is this: the past and crafts go hand in hand because they're both about seeing the potential in things for your home and giving them a new lease of life... You are creating a beautiful home who reflects who you are and what you are about.'
That is what I like about this book, the element of craft is ever present and the book shows many photographs of Kirstie herself taking part on creating these projects. They are do-able and stylish, using materials that won't break the bank and give that personal touch that a home needs.
So despite my apprehension, prejudice and slight cringe of anything being described as a 'Vintage home', Kirstie has amazingly got it, spot on. Her ideas are original, she doesn't encourage you to convert your home into a shrine or museum dedicated to the 1930's, just to embrace the beauty of an item soaked in history and charm. Read the book, go forth, and craft vintage.
No comments:
Post a Comment