“ An antique is anything old with class”
How many hours have you spent on social media today? I know...I said hours! Recent data has shown that the average American spends roughly 53 minutes per day on Instagram alone, not taking into account time spent on Facebook, Snapchat or Twitter. I know I'm certainly guilty of spending way too much time on Instagram; however, my true cyber addiction has mainly manifested itself in hours spent looking through antiques listed for sale on Craigslist. Yes, you read that correctly.
People who know me well will not be surprised by this admission. Growing up my favorite actress was Judy Garland, my favorite actor was Jimmy Stewart and one of my favorite pastimes was going to the resale shop, Main Montage, in the town over, and adding 1950s cocktail dresses to my middle school wardrobe.
This Craigslist rabbit hole starts innocently enough when there is an item I actually "need" for our home, but I easily get sucked into the blackhole of; "oh I could definitely use this eventually" and then ultimately; "this is actually an investment.....yeah, an INVESTMENT!"
Here is the thing though; I love it! I love old things, old houses, old books, old movies, old clothing and most old people :) And even though Jarrett laughs at me everytime I come to him with my latest Craigslist discovery, I truly believe it is a better investment than most.
Old homes, old furniture and old clothes were often produced with better quality materials (some that no longer exist), by craftsmen who took great care to make sure they were beautiful, functional and made to last. Made to last is not something that is valued much by our society today and I'm definitely guilty of buying into that mentality at times. So much of our time is spent using technology, and the pace at which this technology evovles is incredible. Everyone has to have the newest version of their smartphone or gadget, leaving their old devices and old possessions in the dust. Our disposable culture suggests to us that new is always better and that is simply not the case.
I own plenty of clothing items from H&M and Target, but as I've gotten older I've begun to value quality over quantity in my wardrobe. Before I buy something I ask myself (when I can afford to); who made this? what is it made of? will it last? is it classic or is it trendy? And finally, can I find what I want in a vintage or resale shop instead of buying something new?
On one of my latest trips down the Craigslist rabbit hole I found a beautiful brass light fixture original to a Craftsman style 1920s bungalow. To be clear....I don't need an original light fixture RIGHT now. Jarrett and I bought two beautiful light fixtures from the 1930s this past summer for our second floor renovation, he rewired them and they now hang in our dining room and living room respectively. They were a steal at $65 each, they were solidly made, functional and most of all beautiful.
The woman selling this fixture on Craigslist was also selling this item at a very attractive price. I asked her if the light fixture was really original to her home and why she wanted to get rid of it. This was her response; "Yes, this piece is original to our 1920s home. We are getting rid of it because we did a kitchen remodel and joined the kitchen and the dining room together." Let me just say that this is a totally legitimate reason for getting rid of a piece in your home and I am in no way trying to shame her for getting rid of this fixture, maybe she just didn't like it and it is HER home after all.
What I will say is this; after coming to pick up the beautiful original fixture and seeing the new one hanging in its place, I felt a pang of sadness. This piece of history that had been a part of her home for almost a 100 years was now being set aside for a modern, trendy fixture that was made cheaply, probably abroad (by people who are not being paid enough), just because one part of the home was being renovated.
Why can't old and new coexist? A new beautiful kitchen will look just as magnificent, if not more, when set alongside distinguished pieces made for this particular home. Those older pieces give those rooms and home more depth, character and often warmth. I am not saying that certain fixtures, i.e. 1980s ceiling fans, shouldn't be removed and replaced by something a little more with the times and pleasing to the eye, but in this case she already possessed something that was made really well, that will last, and that looks great. She did mention that she felt some hesitation when taking it down, but felt that it was the right move for the space, and maybe it was.
I paid the woman and took my investment, soon I will give the fixture a new old-home to shine in.