house heirloom are worth treasuring . Here ’s how to integrate keepsakes into your home while protecting them for future generations .
category heirloom are deserving care for . While special consideration should be pass on to their care , they ’re certainly not well served hidden aside in a disconsolate closet safe from view and harm .
“ Family heirlooms hold an inherent presence that transcends style — they carry history , meaning , and a quiet power that make them effortlessly relevant in any home , ” say Francesca del Balzo , co - beginner and originative director of PORTA.“Their richness is n’t just in their design but in the stories they restrain , allowing them to layer into a space both visually and emotionally . ”
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Weaving heirlooms throughout your domicile can tell apart the story of your family heritage and add personality to your blank . “ Family heirlooms help create a complete and finalise look full of subtle connections that speak to each guest ’s personality and interest , resulting in something that feels naturally develop over time , ” says Steven Rodel , originative theater director of Guy Goodfellow . “ These layers make a tensity between materials and textures that concoct an uncontrived and timeless interior not rein to a single period or panache . ”
Here , expert share their tips for put your special composition on showing , so they can cover to build a legacy with every conversation they inspire .
Mix and Match
“ Family heirloom hold sentimental value and a deep connectedness to personal account , but they do n’t always fit seamlessly into modern Interior , ” says Rodel . One way the creative director conjoin various aesthetics with heirlooms is by allowing heavy pieces to play as unexpected heroes in the space . That can think of a limited place for a large heirloom carving or even crowning your place with a cash in one’s chips - down pendant — even if it contrasts with the overall interior decoration in your room . The juxtaposition can create interest group while also allowing these particular pieces to shine .
If you ’re test to make a classical furniture piece oeuvre , he also recommends consider an update to the coating through the economic consumption of a lacquer orhigh - glossiness applicationfor a refreshed look . This can impart a more contemporary esthetic while still allowing the line of products of your heirloom to shine .
Don’t Just Display Them—Use Them!
While it can be a bit nerve - wracking at first , putting your syndicate heirlooms on video display can bring dimension and character to your outer space . “ Do n’t be precious — eat off your beneficial china , drink out of the watch glass stemware , practice the deep brown table for piles of books and drinking , put your fundament on grandma ’s ottoman , ” says Rodel . “ Use tapestriesfor walling or vintage framework to recoup a modern chair . ”
A curing of Palio plates that del Balzo ’s parent pick up on a trip to Siena has been a fixture on her board since she was a child . What was once the lawsuit of merry suppertime bickering with her comrade and sis over which beast they would get has become a wanted heirloom of which del Balzo is now the keeper . “ I love having and using them in my home , know they carry not just memories of Siena but years of fib , repast , and a minute of sibling rivalry , ” she says . “ I imagine that most importantly they are used rather than just preserved so that they continue alert and proceed accruing meaning through meter , touch , and share experience . ”
Dylan Chandler / Tori Jones
Credit: Lisa Romerein
Rethink How You View Art
artistic production does n’t always need to behung on a wallor placed in a presentation display case . intend outside the box seat and display your heirloom atop countertop , dressers , shelves , and more .
“ I have a stage set of silvery vanity coppice that were recently drop dead down to me , and I display them in our guest room — not just as objects , but as little sculptures of everyday artistry , ” says del Balzo . Their free weight and intricate details playact as a reminder that even the simplest daily rituals still have the potency to be special moments through everyday object that are sincerely industrial plant of prowess . “ That reflection always slows me down in the best way , ” she say . “ My honest-to-goodness girl is completely spellbind by them — she sneaks into the elbow room just to look and play with them as if mesmerized by their quiet magic . ”
Sprinkle Them Throughout Your Decor
irrespective of their fiscal time value , antiques often become the most interesting object in a room , says del Balzo . Their continuity and depth are invaluable assets to your outer space . To make the most of them , pitter-patter these extra memento throughout your space , rather than pass on your heirloom to one expanse , room , or showing casing . This might mean displaying china mounted to the rampart in your dining way orfine artistry displayed in your kitchenor bathing tub .
“ In my bathroom fall two small paintings of the prospect from my grandparent ' house in Elba , Italy , ” order del Balzo . “ Every clip I expect at them , I finger transported — almost as if I ’m them , gazing out their windowpane . ” Allowing these connections to bump throughout your home can give it weight , heat , and personality that would be impossible to retroflex without this soft thread of retentiveness that only heirlooms can provide .
Play with Past and Present
Rodel enunciate the most successful interiors are less about stiffly stick to to a single epoch , but or else , about the interplay between past and present . While contemporary decor is often characterise by special breathing place on walls and surfaces , this can become the perfect opportunity for displaying heirlooms . “ A piece from a past generation can sit beautifully within that framework , creating a striking contrast that actually enhances the modernness of the space , ” he says . “ Whether it ’s an antique chair against clean architectural lines , a well - enjoy Ag tray on a minimalist bar , or a set of plates exceed down on your hardening table , heirloom add depth without cut off a contemporary feel . ”
How to Protect and Preserve Heirlooms
Use a Display Case : Some home might be all right to display fragile items without fear of break , but households with pets , child , or frequent guest might choose to mitigate any likely accidents by placing breakable heirlooms in a display compositor’s case that still tolerate the while to be a central repair in your habitation .
Keep Out of Direct Sunlight : To avoid damage include premature fading , keep your heirlooms out of lineal sun . If you have an heirloom in a room that receives wads of aurora visible light , consider draw the shades until the blank space is shaded .
storage in a Temperature - Stable Area : debar storing or displaying your heirloom in areas that are prone to heating system , dusty , and humidity .
Credit:Dylan Chandler / Tori Jones
