Monday 19 November 2012

ENOUGH STUFF?


One Sunday afternoon, a couple of years ago, I was painting the landing (F&B Pavilion Gray) and listening to a very good BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (still on my "to read list" I'm ashamed to say) when the narrator said something that struck me to the core:
"Like so many Americans she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops."
"How true!" I thought, "That may well be what we do. Are we so sad and are our lives so empty?"
Then, as I brushed the walls, I decided that in fact it is a very basic human (or even animal) instinct to collect, to decorate, to furnish, to feather a nest. Then I didn't feel so bad. 
                 

Here, above, an early settler has surrounded himself with comforting clutter and mementoes, as well as the necessities of life. He probably would have felt quite at home in the manly room pictured below, suit-cases at the ready, trophies on the wall.


I was reminded of this Vonnegut quotation by a link on Ben Pentreath's excellent blog. This link is not for the those who faint away at the sight of the "f" word for it leads you to a website cheekily making fun of all the desirable bits and pieces that make up our hearts' desires and which clutter our houses with all kinds of old tat. Mr Pentreath is a leading figure in the London design world, an architect who has worked for the Duchy of Cornwall and the owner of the poshest gift shop in the country. Here is his new book, a feast for all who love decorating...


...and reassuring for we purveyors of stuff, for, as far as we can tell, human beings are still acquiring and collecting knick-knackery of all kinds with which to adorn their homes. 


Here


and here,


Then they go home to do this


this


and this.


So it goes.
                              

20 comments:

  1. Nilly....I just found you....what a charming site this is. Stuff.....ahhhhh....yes....the things we cherish and can't let go of. I, too, am a STUFF collector I'm afraid to admit....but even though I often haven't the faintest idea what I'm going to do with what I drag home....I DO SO ENJOY THE HUNT!! Perhaps that is it....the hunt....just like our ancestors of long ago. (O:(O:

    Jo

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    1. Thanks so much for finding my blog! How true - just like our ancestors we love "the hunt". A proprietor in an antiques market recently asked me (as is the custom in the UK), "Are you browsing?" I smiled and nodded while I thought, "No, I'm HUNTING!"

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  2. ah but the difference is...the "designed" rooms look like they've got a stick up their arse (albeit a perfectly proportioned and very expensive stick) while the "this-and-this" rooms make you want to be in them, part of them, live and breathe them...

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    1. I agree Bunny and I love beautiful disorder. As I always say (when surveying the mayhem), no one is ever remembered fondly for their amazingly immaculate, tidy houses - at least, not in a good way.

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  3. Every couple of years I de-clutter, primp and tidy (as I have done quite recently) purely so that I can go on the hunt and re-clutter!

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    1. I loved your post-primp photos too, especially the lampshades. That reminds me, I need a couple more...

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  4. ahh so true!
    My mum in law can't part with any thing from her past and I do think this can say a lot about a person....( she has the kindest heart)but 'boy' a lot of clutter!!
    I agree about the designed contrived type of home, they are just shop bought and not always the cosiest...
    A get you thinking type of post today Nilly!
    Sending kind regards Maria x

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    1. The happy thing is - if the clutter is old and pretty someone will always be glad to buy some from you. I'm afraid my best friend & I have reached the age when our "stuff" is so full of memories and history that we can't bear to part with it.

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  5. Dear Nilly - I wrote a post a while back about collecting stuff and wondering why we do it. I still do not have the answer. Perhaps it is like a comfort blanket to be surrounded by bits and pieces collected over our lifetime.
    I am always saying we must stop buying, whatever will the children do with it all when we have gone elsewhere, but every time we return from a holiday, or see something we like mysteriously it seems to find its way back home with us.

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    1. I sometimes wonder if one or two of my offspring are scanning the house contents & doing mental arithmetic - so I don't worry too much about their future task!

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  6. I love this post. I do try hard not to have too much in my home. I did have a phase in the 80s/90s where I wanted my home to look Victorian with antique knicks knacks on every surface and wall. I would like to be more minimalist but there are so many lovely things to buy and display in my home. Invariably things I buy to sell look perfect in my house so they never get onto the website. I have not heard of Ben Pentreath (shock horror!)buy am enjoying reading his posts and the link you mention.

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    1. We feel like this about too many of our purchases too, but they eventually "move out". I love your selling website & might give this a try myself.

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  7. Oooh Nilly I've come over all peculiar... Why...because the photo with the dead papier-mache dog has 'my' chair in it. This chair I bought yonks ago and when or where I got shot of it, for the life of me can't remember. I'd go so far as to say I'd completely forgotten I'd even owned one the same. A sweet little horribly uncomfortable chair, which I'm now pining the loss of.

    This blogging lark can seriously damage your health. The f***ing links where superb, trouble is, it just highlights how pedestrian my pathetic posts are.

    Happy Days!?!

    LLX

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    1. I'm missing your blog posts Lettice! I think that wicker chair is a piece of "campaign furniture", easy to lug from battlefield to battlefield (sounds useful!). I noticed one of the comments on Ben Pentreath's post recommended having a look at:
      Unhappyhipsters.com
      Funny comments on minimalist living - have a look.

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  8. Another very interesting and thought provoking post Nilly. I am in the throes of emptying my parent's home, and when it comes down to it, it is just a lot of stuff that only has relevance to the owner and their relatives. My father started his own business in 1956 and has kept every balance sheet from then until his retirement in 1986 due to ill health. They are so beautiful the early examples that I can not bring myself to part with them. There are lots of bits and bobs that have memories which I am going to keep. Personally, our home is a collection of things that people have given us, treasures passed down, Emily's school creations, fabrics I love, cushions, all of which go together to make a home. I always buy something for no other reason than I really like it, it is the same with clothes, that is why I never have a coordinated wardrobe, just bits and bobs that somehow all come together. Oh and I do so love to root around a charity, second hand shop, flea market and auctions. jayne x

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    1. Sounds like my perfect style, Jayne! Also, your father's collection of old papers could be the perfect excuse for acquiring a trendy painted metal filing cabinet(spare drawers could be used for threads, buttons etc...)

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    2. What a great idea Nilly, I am thinking of somehow incorporating tiny fragments of text into some pictures maybe. A lovely filing cabinet would be great. We have a great place called Kasbah locally and they have some incredible one off pieces, unfortunately they are always snapped up. They do get some of the old draper's cabinets with glass fronts but they are very rare. It is very interesting to browse though. Bye from a very wet and miserable north east. jayne x

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    3. The sun shone us at Tynemouth market yesterday! And we bought a few treasures.

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  9. I do believe in some respects believe that what you own does define you; it shows your interests

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    1. I agree - it's a fascinating subject to study.

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