Lesson 5: Champagne Results on a Chianti Budget
There are many ways to revitalize your decor without spending a great deal of money. This lesson will briefly discuss a variety of techniques and tips to help you realize your dreams while staying within your budget.
Introduction
Many homes built in the last 30 years lack the traditional details of crown molding, baseboards, six-panel interior doors, etc. Although partly for economic reasons, this is also due to design theories of the latter part of the 20th century, which advocated a "spare" contemporary look; the minimalist movement spread to all areas of our daily lives including automobiles, architecture, clothing, appliances, packaging, and interior design. At the end of the 20th century, however, interior design reversed itself and began looking at the past: "retro" (retrospective) became the rage once again.
This could mean anything from Colonial, American or French country, Southwestern, Arts and Crafts, to Art Deco, 1950's and 1960's, and the funky 1970's. You can find furniture and accessories from any of these eras at regional flea markets and antique shows, and there are specialized antique shows around the US which feature the designs of post-World War II through the 1980's.
Of course, if you are interested in the styles of 18th and early 19th century American furniture, you are well advised to look for the machine-made reproductions of the latter 19th and early 20th century. Even these are now considered antiques, and the more well-known manufacturers such as Stickley and Herter Brothers now realize high prices among collectors.
