I got to thinking today about what has made our house more of a 50’s home. I think part of the challenge of living in any period house is to try to keep within the time, but to update it and make it your own. Our furniture is partially 50’s and partially – well, “dorm room”. I refuse to update any of it until the kids and pets quit destroying it and/or until I find the perfect pieces!
However, we’ve done some things to “un-50’s” our house – up to and including taking down a wall of pinch pleat drapes. They seemed dated at the time, but in retrospect they also kept all the heat in and cold out of our HUGE picture window. Oh well, I like what we have there now and we have a lovely view of the mountains, so it’s ok.
However, one modification I made a few years ago was to quit designing the rooms with the typical conversation groups that are so “hip” today. I had a heck of a time getting the room to look right…it always seemed awkward and left some odd spaces left over.
In looking over my 1950’s decorating book, I found this:
I remembered that my Mother did all of her decorating around traffic patterns….how you walked through the room being primary. It seems funny, but as soon as I organized the room that way it FELT much better. As I got to thinking about it, it’s really a basic feng shui concept..letting the chi flow throughout the room. I’m sure that wasn’t the intention in the 1950’s, but you have to wonder! 🙂
OH, and be sure to get over and vote for Retro Renovations “Useless but Wonderful” contest! I have an entry, but actually voted for another one myself, so I won’t plug it! 🙂
