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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90 comments
Kitschywoman says
My husband is a convert, thankfully. When I first met him, he wanted to make all his own furniture and was into that hewn log, Grizzly Adams style of decorating. **shudders** o_O
Fortunately for me I had an apartment full of furnishings and he had diddly squat. ;P Now he’s asking me for help in decorating “his” basement (the one area of the house I wasn’t allowed to touch) in that “modern” style that I’ve used throughout the house upstairs.
He also complains that our friends’ contemporary houses are boring and that they don’t have enough stuff on the walls (a major depositing place for my vintage finds).
Muaaahaahaaa. How the mighty have fallen…
Pat says
My hubby supports my bad habit. He just doesn’t join me on my ventures, he doesn’t have time. When he does, he ends up standing around waiting for me to finish (if there aren’t enough tools to look at!). He doesn’t groan at all when I bring home the third wicker chair (that I don’t need), you get the picture! He loves restoring each house we have lived in, we both agree almost totally on the restoration choices we have made.
Jen says
I think my husband is finally starting to see the light. He was rather skeptical when I began to show a fascination with all things Midcentury, but when we talked about remodeling our kitchen, he confessed that he liked the look of black-and-white checkerboard flooring. Of course this fit in well with my vision, which included a cracked ice chrome table, so the plans starting building from there. Today we have a kitchen that we both think is different and ultra-cool. My husband has become an ally in our quest for original Midcentury products that go with our new kitchen and dining room area; a few weeks ago he called from the used furniture store and let me know that there was a little chrome side table that had gray cracked ice Formica on it. It was a great find! I like to think he’s slowly becoming an addict much like I am. 😉
retroppo says
Well I have a husband too who doesn’t care. It doesn’t seem to worry him too much when I bring things home from the op shop. He does care when I start bringing or buying furniture because then I have to find somewhere to put the old furniture it replaces. He is, I must say, very enthusiastic about “Shag” the artist. He does love his work very much, so I have no problem when it comes to wanting to purchase a piece of his artwork.
PugFreek says
MidCent Keith I am 11 but since forever I’ve been doing the same thing.
Pam Kueber says
MidCent Keith, there is virtually nothing that makes me happier than fixing people up! Let me think about how to make a singles’ corner. You all just have to name your first borns after me, that’s all I ask.
MidCent Keith says
I’ve been collecting and garbage picking since as long as I can remember. When my brother was hired to help clean out an old house in the early 80’s, I was there almost everyday looking in the dumpster (old 78’s retrieved), garage, closets, etc. Looking for treasures to take home (the house was loaded) – I was in 7th grade, and my brother didn’t understand my fascination with all that “old stuff.” My tastes run to mid-century, but I like most things with a history, so I have everything from newpapers from the 1860’s to trivets from the 1970’s. Being single, I have final say, but wouldn’t mind finding someone to share the fun. Can we add a singles caffe klatch corner on this site Pam? 🙂
Kitschy Kimberly says
Well I hadn’t looked at it that way,Elvis aka Jane ,but you are right. I am free to get whatever I want and decorate in anyway I please which is certainly easier than trying to please both of us.He’s a bit of a curmudgeon and generally hates anything and everything to do with design but he doesn’t ever ask me to change anything which I guess really is a nice bonus for me. In fact, as long as he has his old “Archie Bunker” chair and a tv in front of him, he doesn’t say much of anything,lol.Thanks for pointing out that while I was lamenting my cup being half empty, it was in fact half full:-)
Elvis (aka) Jane says
Kitsch Kimberly, just remember: you have an advantage over those of us with a partner who exercises veto power. I can get really excited about something I want to get, but when my husband sees it, he may respond with a resounding “no way”.
There’s a lot to be said for being able to decorate exactly the way you want!
Jita says
PS
Our style is MCM too.
🙂