Metals: Brass is timeless and affordable.
Pewter is somewhat old fashioned. It reminds me of Paul Revere, or New England. It works well in country settings.
Silver is elegant, but takes time to keep it looking it's very best. I have some pieces and after they are polished, I keep the largest pieces in plastic space saver bags, so they don't need to be polished when I need them. Perhaps just a touch up. I love silver and candlelight. It is so very romantic. The majority of younger people today don't want the care of it. Unless you have help to keep it polished, it is a very time consuming effort. I just polished 2 ice buckets that were not wrapped. You bet, I bought bags to store them in.
This is one reason a lot of people like brass. It gives such warmth and reflective qualities to a room. Used in the best ways, it can also be romantic. It is easier to care for as most of it today is coated. If not, it can be like silver, but it doesn't oxidize as quickly.
Since many people have become collectors, hammered aluminum has made a little come back. I have quite a few pieces, and they look nice in certain settings.. Used with milk glass from the 50's, and a splash of a vibrant color such as fuchsia, purple, navy blue or bright turquoise, it makes a stunning table. You could use almost any color for the occasion. I collect different colors of napkins, and placemats, so I can change at a whim.
One thing you must wonder, is where all this stuff is. I like to think I am very organized, so I make space. My husband always says to the kids when we entertain, watch where she gets things from, or where she puts it away, because if she dies, I will never find anything. This is standing joke in our family. Again, this is why I love garage sales and resale shops.
As we grow older, we become more informed on all the things we like. We also see all the things we gave away, got rid of one way or another, and here they are back. I find it had to part with things. I do give them to my children, as I know which ones will take care of them.
I went to an estate sale today, and everything was so over priced that I didn't even buy one thing. That is a first for me.
I want to create a balance of conscious decoration ( accessorizing), nostalgia and spontaneity, to create a comfortable situation.
When I decide that I am going to redo cupboards or under sinks, I go to Bed Bath and Beyond, to see what kind of space savers they have. Sometimes I have my husband just build me a shelf 2 legs and a top, the width of the cupboard and wella!, I have more room.
A question you must as yourself when you are doing this, Do I still like this? If my answer is maybe, I store it, if yes,, I use it, if no, get rid of it now!!!
As I redo a room, I redo the storage, dressers, nightstands and closets. No room is complete if the outside looks good and the inside is not organized. I love baskets in closets. You can store anything in them. I have a bunch of black ones that I bought a few years ago at Joanne Fabrics, I make tags on the front which purses (pocketbooks, handbags,) are in them. It makes it very neat and I can find what I am looking for immediately.
Today we started with metals and ended up with organization. You never know where I will take you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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