|
|
|
Ever wondered why people have become so interested in old things, to the point of distressing new furniture? Don't you find the sight a bit odd- people hitting new wood with big, heavy chains to nick and gash it?
Why are people crackling their walls to make them look old? Why are old pieces of furniture, green with age, chipped and filled with worm holes, popular?
We live in an age of plastics, steel, glass, vinyl and laminated wood. It is all smooth and without character. We have reached the point where we are nostalgic for the rough hewn wood of log cabins, and the well worn, wooden floor boards of our ancestors. People are building new, expensive homes using materials salvaged from the past.
Our society has gotten so complex that we want to retreat to a more relaxing world. Old things can have a calming effect on us.
In many instances things with texture represents our past. Most old things are rich in texture. Log homes, braided rugs, cross stitch, afghans, and quilts are all rich in texture. How different a needlepoint picture on the wall is from a poster, covered in glass and surrounded by a cold, metal frame. There is no warmth in the poster.
Lack of texture has come to symbolize wealth in some areas. The most expensive fabrics are very smooth. Sofas in formal living rooms are usually upholstered in shiny, smooth fabric. Expensive woods have high luster finishes. Contrast this with the resurgence of pine, which has more texture, and bleached woods.
A few years back texture was brought into the home by things like grass cloth and flocked wallpaper, velvet cutaway upholstery fabric, or sculptured carpet. These went out of style, and other things replaced them to add texture.
Berber carpet is one example of a highly textured home decoration. Plants are often used for the same reason. Special painting techniques now add texture to wall, and shiny, aluminum blinds are now being replaced by a linen look.
If you find yourself wanting to do something to spruce up a boring room, take a look around and see if you may be missing texture in the room. You may be able to get the results you want with the addition of just a touch of texture!
Subscribe to The Pennypincher, a free online newsletter with money saving ideas. Topics include recipes, decorating, clothing, shopping, and other areas of concern to frugal Homemakers. See www.AllThingsFrugal.com/ for more info and to sign up.
Sign up for our free weekly eNewsletter Surviving Tough Times.
Looking for an answer to a frugal living question? Click here to ask a Dollar Stretcher Stretchpert!
To subscribe, check the newsletters you wish to receive, enter your email address and then click Subscribe.
Each month one TDS reader will win $100 just for telling us your favorite time or money saving idea. It could be you!
Click here to share your idea.
Recent winners are:
- Michelle from NC
- Matt from CO
- Joan from CT
- Joanne in New York
|
Money problems? Struggling with credit card debt? What you need to know about bankruptcy? Trouble repaying student loans?
|
Copyright 1996 - 2012 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." All rights reserved unless specifically noted.
Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
Voice 941-761-7805
Fax 941-761-8301
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
| About Us | Privacy Policy | Writer's Guidelines | Sponsorship | Media | Contact Us |
Dollar Stretcher Community
Forums
Blogs
Also In This Week's Issue
In The Dollar Stretcher Community
Reader Favorites
Newsletters
Email
Print
Contact Editor
RSS Feed
Share
Leave a Comment
