Growing up, I didn’t really give much thought to the antiques and furnishings in my grandmother’s house. They were always just there, things that were as much a part of her as her favorite perfume and shade of lipstick. As I’ve gotten older though, I can definitely look at her home in a different way, and appreciate how well curated it is. She has a few collections that I think are really unique and interesting, as well as some items of furniture that I completely covet, so I thought I’d share a few with you here today:
I mean, the woman has a leopard print velvet love seat in her home office. It’s the perfect place to lounge — whether you’re human or feline. She also has a growing collection of mixed metal figurines, spread throughout the house. I especially liked the movement in this one.
One collection she’s had for as long as I can remember is two huge glass cabinets filled with antique syrup pitchers. There are 245 total! The pitchers are mostly American and largely from the Victorian era. Her oldest is an 1867 Lincoln syrup pitcher, produced after Lincoln’s assassination, in his memory. She bought it for $9 in a North Carolina antique store. The proprietors had no idea what it was! There’s also a pitcher from Balmoral castle, the current Queen of England’s favorite country jaunt; it’s quite old — she guesses from the late 1800s.
A favorite pastime at my grandmother’s house is go through her huge collection of costume jewelry and accessories. My great grandmother was really (REALLY) into it, and my grandmother inherited all of it. This past trip, my grandmother showed me several pieces that belonged to her grandmother, from the 1910s and 1920s. So awesome!
This little vase is something she bought in Nice, France. It sits on a table with another metal figurine and a pretty wood box. My grandmother said that one day it’ll eventually be given to me. Her dining room has a big wood buffet, with a gallery wall above.
When I asked my grandmother what her favorite item or collection in the house was, I was very surprised to learn it was this collection of watercolor paintings purchased years ago. They’re by a Mississippi painter named Emmett Timmes, who I couldn’t find anything about online. Obviously, she made the gallery wall cool before it was cool.
One of the craziest items in her house is a ‘Christmas tree’ that is actually made out of tiers of these hanging glass pieces. It’s probably 8 or 9 feet tall, and it can light up. As a little girl, I always thought it was extra special that her house had two Christmas trees around the holidays — her glass one, and the regular pine version.
My grandmother has had these gold silk French chairs forever. They’ve seen a little wear and tear in the last few years, when she adopted a couple cats who unfortunately loved to scratch them. However, she told me on this trip that she is going to give them to me someday soon. You can imagine my excitement — the possibilities for fabric options are endless!!
This is just a small sneak peek into the many wonderful items in her home. Though she’s definitely a traditional gal, I can still appreciate her eye for style (and a good deal too!). What about you? Are there any items in your parents home or your grandparents home that you think are particularly memorable?
