Group Therapy: Is your significant other into retro renovation and all things vintage as much as you are — or is your life a retro battleground? Has this interest strengthened bonds — or do you have to compromise (or finagle) to make it work? (Example: Like the couple in this 1948 GE advertisement, David and I juggle pretty well, but I admit, I have the estate-sale bug very bad and the number of things I constantly squirrel into the house is a source of conflict, to say it nicely…) Share your stories and tactics! This should be fun!
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I’m from the Glamorux Nancy school, both me and husband wore vintage clothes, listened to old music and generally live our lives like that. So thankfully he LOVES it all. It’s hard sometimes as we’re broke at the moment (due to starting a business just before a recession uuurgh!) but we swoon over the same things, and ultimately one day would like to move to the US (we’re in the UK) and buy a lovely MCM home and spend spend spend. Well that’s the fantasy anyway!
meant to say we still do wear the clothes and live the life!
Like a lot of you, my husband doesn’t seem to really notice that I’ve been changing our home. This house is a Victorian style Big Box, so originally I was leaning more toward that style of furnishings. The problem is my husband is a big man, and little fancy furniture doesn’t really cut it. We’re planning on a move in the next few months and we’ll be looking for a MCM ranch to move into. MCM lends itself well to a bigger person. The lines are clean and the pieces are generally quite solid. It’s what I grew up with – what my mom liked, and again Dad didn’t care – so it’s comfortable for me. My husband goes with me to auctions, flea markets, g-sales – he’s a trooper and never complains. Even though I’ve had to rent a storage unit to hold my furniture overflows. He’s gotten to where he can actually spot a good piece versus crap. The style works for both of us. Now, my other collections – that’s a different story! (Don’t get him started on my toasters!)
I used to complain that my fiance doesn’t care much for the style that I fully live and breathe – however, after working very hard on my first home, I’ve come to realize he’s extremely supportive of pretty much everything I do and the decorating decisions that I make. After 5 years together, he knows to stay out of the way until a project is actually completed, as it’s always going to be scary seeing a project that’s only half way done! Haha. Like so many other comments before mine, my dear future Mister really doesn’t care WHAT I do to the house so long as he has a comfy couch and his giant TV (and his man-cave in the corner of the basement for all of his computer/music stuff). Yay for me!
Our only source of conflict is the fact that I’m constantly dragging crap back from thrift shops – and he’s not really a guy who sees the ‘potential’ in objects – he just wants new and shiny! (and he definitely sees $ signs float by… even if they’re only 1’s.) I, on the other hand, am a very optimistic scavenger when it comes to my vintage treasures. I’ve got a small stack of random furniture (mostly chairs) waiting to be rehabbed – and he just thinks I’m nuts. But the final product always impresses him! I much prefer having someone who doesn’t care as opposed to someone who gets in my way with their own ideas, haha!
I am so lucky that my fiance loves everything I have done with our new house. He is pretty understanding even when my style is a little quirky. He even goes along with me to antique shops, auctions, and even helped my pluck up this gorgeous MCM chair I found in the garbage!
what a sweetheart.
Also, we don’t know much about the chair we found on the curb, but are wondering if any of you might know what kind of a jem we have here? Here’s a picture and thanks for any help!:
http://makemineeclectic.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/name-that-chair/
On one hand, it is great to have someone just as interested in the Retro thing. Too bad we rent… I’ve never known a man as enthusiastic about home decor and design. I love that about David.
On the other hand, we have nobody to stop us! So we have too much stuff and not enough space!! Now our chore is to thin our collections on ebay. Who wants work?
Laura
Yep, she’s right.
Case in point: we are swimming in stuff that was too good to pass up, right? I mean, we have a couple hundred things we need to rid ourselves of. While we are busy being overwhelmed by all of it, we end up at the local Sally’s on Saturday.
They were having a tag sale.
We had an additional 30% off entire purchase sort of coupon.
This is not that big or great a SallyAnn, but Laurs is sure we have to go. We got stuck there longer than we realized and –uh, oh–we are expecting a lady to come see and hopefully buy our old dining set that’s blocking up the garage.
There is a long line at the only open register.
No Time.
Go, Laura, go…just come back when you’re done!
An hour or so later she returned, and then stayed another hour and 15 minutes.
I was personally at Sally’s for just over 4 hours…any longer, I’d been digging in their trash cans!
We filled a shopping cart. Spent a whopping $120.00.
Great Stuff. Straight into a (really big) box, straight to the garage.
Well, except for a 1960’s bowling trophy that I added to the bowling shrine (that Laura built in the dining area, glass shelving and all). He’s standing up on top of a mount reminiscent of the Space Needle or the old Las Vegas Landmark Hotel. He’s glittery metal with cuffed trousers and a short haircut (and what in real life would simply HAVE to have been a King Louie shirt..). There is no evidence of there ever having been a plaque on the trophy, so
I named him The Atomic Bowler, and I love him to death. Like the unknown soldier, but more glamorous. Maybe I’ll rename him and pretend he’s Ned Day. Dunno. It looks like his 1″ ball is gonna launch right into the middle of the vintage Magna Pin next to him, right into the mushroom cloud logo. Ooooohhhh. Aaaaahhhh….
Herein lies the danger of having a partner so sympatico. Warning. Beware. Danger, Will Robinson!
Yard sale season is almost here. Laura needs more S&P’s.
Dave
(PS-Pam–yes, it was THAT SallyAnn.)
i dated another retrophile for a while. we both have a love of mid century modern and make a living off of ebay. things between us were a strange merge of love and work; we would do ‘housecalls’ on his estate sale business and he would handle all furniture and i would handle all residential textiles / vintage clothing. alas, love and work can’t always miss. but i do miss having a significant other with the same interests. on being single, i had the discussion tonight about how far into meeting someone should you explain your retrophilia.. in my case, i live in a tiki bar that looks like a shag painting. i am currently stressing because the new suitor i have met might think i *am* insane after visiting, but i promise you, this is a healthy obsession.
always loving the site!
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