Once or twice I fell in love with a table, or two. And a chair… and then some.
Bringing certain items on a journey through homes over several years can be so valuable. It allows us to draw on memories from much loved spaces and moments from previous travels. As a self-confessed nomad, I do all I can to bring treasured items along. It’s become an art.
Trying to see the bigger picture when you either fall in love with a piece or are investing in something which needs to work for your home right now, and also your future spaces is invaluable. I believe that, if you utterly love it you can make it work. Obviously you can’t fit ten seater sofa into a studio apartment, so it helps to be realistic with your space and your goals. Less buying each time you move not only helps with the purse strings, but it works against mass consumerism. And of this, I am a huge advocate.
It all began with a lovely dining table I found at Bondi Market in Australia years ago. The day I bought it I knew it was perfect for my space. It also reminded me of an old dining table my Mum once had, which I recall using as a desk for several years and coveted. I immediately knew that this table would fit into many spaces and be a multi-use piece. The table has now lived in Bondi and three Brooklyn apartments. Its legs have been natural, back, pink, grey; and its top sanded and stained several times.
When we lived in our first NY apartment, I had dreams of a huge dining table but didn’t have the right space, so I simply kept on dreaming. This little guy was just right for our first two homes, and when I finally had room for my longed for dining table, the small one took a break in a storage unit. My dream table, that now sits in my kitchen downstairs, is on home number two. I build each home I live in around the kitchen and dining room.. it’s so important to me as a space. Also, an old flea market cabinet was re-vamped through a couple of kitchens, but sadly, I didn’t think it had the stamina for a third move. I imagine it still sits, anchored to the the wall in someone else’s apartment, I wonder if it’s still yellow.
As I sit and write this in my office …. my old faithful still here with me in its fifth home – now a desk finally. Just as I had always intended. Legs… still grey.. for now.
Photo credits: Will Horner, Ryan Leibe, Emily Gilbert, Tara Striano
Design notes
- Choose items that can be multi-use
- Think beyond the space you are in now if you intend to move
- Think about any adjustments that might be made to re-vamp, such as new legs, sanding, painting, panelling.
- If you absolutely love it, like you can’t even sleep. Then you must have it.
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