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May, 2008

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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Home Design

RETRO REIGNS: Like many a Generation X latchkey kid, my after-school babysitter was frequently the television. I grew up captivated by the impossibly well-adjusted families portrayed in the syndicated shows Father Knows Best and The Donna Reed Show. This might explain my attraction to 1950s home furnishings – and why I am fascinated with their exaggerated curves, cartoon colors, and highly stylized designs that made such a fitting backdrop for my TV families.  

A BUNGALOW BECOMES A HOME AND A SHOP: At a time when many high-tech employees work from home, Jan and John Bowers have taken that approach one step further. They’ve turned their 1920s bungalow into an antiques store and live upstairs. While workers tap into work via computers, the Bowers live much like proprietors of one hundred years ago. Commuting to work consists of taking a cup of coffee from the kitchen into the dining room.

WHAT'S IT WORTH? A GUIDE TO APPRAISALS: The popularity of the PBS television show, "Antiques Roadshow" has nearly everyone wondering if there's a treasure in the attic. If you’ve been eyeing Aunt Sadie’s pearl necklace or that set of fine crystal, you may have something of value. How can you find out? We’ve asked Dewey Smith, a Denver appraiser who is a member of the American Society of Appraisers. He explains who should call in an appraiser--and why. Dewey owned an antique shop in Denver’s Larimer Square for fifteen years but now is devoted solely to appraisals.

Home Design

WHEN ROOMS CAME WRAPPED: HISTORIC WALLPAPERS -- With the surge of sleek modern houses after World War II and the current trend toward neutral colors in contemporary American homes, wallpaper has declined in popularity—with one exception. Reprisals of historic or period wallpaper enjoy an upswing in sales. "We are the one area that is doing well in wallpaper now," says Dan Cooper, director of Burrows & Co., a firm in Massachusetts that specializes in replicating wallpaper, carpets and lace curtains.

EAST MEETS WEST: COLLECTING ASIAN ANTIQUES -- As antiques go global with sites like eBay.com, it’s no wonder that collectors are reaching out to other cultures. If the lure of Asia can be found in home design trends like feng shui, then discovering a passion for Chinese porcelains or Japanese lacquer boxes can’t be far behind. Link these new interests with the brisk trade between Asia and the United States as well as the many Americans spending time in China, Japan, Singapore or Taiwan for business or government careers, and new collectors are born.

RESTORING WOOD ANTIQUES: BRINGING BACK THE LUSTER -- Most antiques suffer the rigors of time, although some suffer more than others. Fragile glass and china sit high on a shelf, always in jeopardy of clumsy hands. Others simply wear out from use—the faded sofa, a rickety rocking chair that has soothed many babies, a table with a scratched and marred top. Furniture sags from the weight of years. If it’s greatly loved, or highly prized, help is available. Restoration can bring back faded luster.

POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE: Collectors spend a lifetime searching for objects of desire: silver, glassware, jewelry and art. But what about collectors of a place? And what if that place contains acres of astonishing beauty, geological wonders and majestic animals? It’s no wonder that in Colorado, serious antique collectors turn to national parks in an attempt to preserve photos, art and memorabilia inspired by pristine natural beauty.

CHRISTENING GOWNS: Poised in a row, 19th century christening gowns could be cast off costumes of angels. Long skirts billow and tiny sleeves sprout from ruffled, smocked or embroidered bodices. With any imagination, miniature cherub wings flutter in the background. Dresses of starched organza or lawn—impeccably preserved—were destined for one special day of Holy Baptism and then passed through a family to the next newborn.

THE LADIES OF LAST CHANCE -- The Last Chance quilters, who banded together in 1926, are reckoned to be the oldest continuous quilting group in Colorado. Once a week, as few as four, as many as 12, arrive. Potluck casseroles—from macaroni and cheese to salads and dessert--line up, poised for lunch. With ages ranging from 23 to over 90, the Last Chance ladies huddle around a stretched quilt.

COUNTRY CASUAL -- In 17th and 18th century Europe, ornately carved and veneered furniture may have been crafted in the courts of the French kings, but village cabinetmakers took note of the details. They made their own interpretations simpler and more appropriate to country living. Rather than expensive imported mahogany, it was local pine, oak and cherry that provided everyday tables, chairs and cupboards.

A PRIMER ON ORIENTAL CARPETS -- Chuck Paterson’s oriental carpet showroom is a windowless warehouse. Rolled, stacked, hung on walls, draped over tables, the inventory is not meant for the public because Chuck sells wholesale to shops and dealers. Here in an organized jumble, the old and new lie side by side. A 19th century stack of kilims from the Caucasus in soft reds and indigo blues shares space with newly knotted rugs in modern geometric designs.

Collecting

THE ART OF SCIENCE -- Leaf through a collection of 18th and 19th century botanical prints and you’ll journey through a garden of delights. Scarlet, ruffled roses. Crisp, organza-thin anemones. White wild roses perched on slender green tendrils. Hummingbirds flashing gilded heads. Raccoons sporting rascally expressions--each hair tinged delicately in ochre and black. For centuries, botanical prints and illustrations have married art with science.

Collecting

SNAPSHOTS IN TIME: SAVING AND COLLECTING HISTORICAL PHOTOS -- Chief Wolf Robe from the Southern Cheyenne sits for a portrait in Washington D.C., June 1909. Light has fallen on his face and shoulders, and through a 19th century discovery called photography, saved his presence. One hundred years later, we are transported as onlookers to another location and time during a remarkable moment--perhaps revealing a shocking truth.

Antiques

SILVER: A GRANDMOTHER'S LEGACY -- "There were so many exciting periods for silver and every one of them is absolutely fascinating," says Marie Brown, a Boulder antiques dealer, "The study of silver can take the rest of your life." People like silver--for its beauty, history and inherent value.

Home Design

BRUSH UP--BETWEEN ANTIQUE AND NEW -- Down in the basement, tucked between the table saw and terra cotta planters, sits Uncle Bob's chair. By some circuitous route, it was added to my earthly possessions about a decade ago. Sporting evidence of several colorful paint jobs, it has been a trustworthy, impromptu sawhorse, a stepstool and more. Uncle Bob's chair is about to get a new life.

Collecting

HAPPY TRAILS -- As any Colorado history text will tell you, life in the pioneer West was dangerous, paltry and meager. How is it that out of this hardscrabble life came one of the most colorful styles ever to be called American? Horse trappings braided and woven, sturdy spurs punched with filigree, leather saddles tattooed in florid swirls, embroidered shirts, vividly dyed scarves, carved buckles, fancy-stitched boots. Hollywood may have stretched the limits of outrageous ornamentation, but the roots of flamboyance were always there.

Antiques

ANTIQUE LACE AND LINENS -- Embroidery and lace terms fill the room--French knot, punch work, cutwork, filet tatting, bobbin lace and spider weaving. There is also drawn work where the seamstress actually removes threads from the fabric. A 'forbidden' stitch appears on Chinese embroidery. Needle workers, usually young girls, went blind in its execution and so it became forbidden work by Chinese Imperial command.

Antiques

POTTERY BY THE PEAKS -- Colorado Springs beckoned to Artus Van Briggle in 1899. The Ohio-born artist came in hopes the salubrious mountain climate would restore his health. Unfortunately, the quest proved elusive for the talented painter and potter, who died in 1904, at age 35, of tuberculosis. But although Van Briggle's life was cut tragically short, he left behind a rich artistic legacy.

Antiques Tour

A TOUR OF ANTIQUES DISTRICTS -- Nearly every city in Colorado has an antique district--shops nestled together, or an entire city block that has attracted vintage clothing, Victoriana, sturdy old oak furniture and early 20th century nostalgia collectibles. A few towns, like Niwot and Lyons, encourage visitors to spend a day, have lunch, chat with storeowners and customers, while learning about the antiques world. And the Mecca for antique lovers is Antique Row in Denver.

Antiques

AMERICAN FOLK ART -- Nan and David Pirnack began collecting American folk art 47 years ago, although they weren’t aware of it at the time. It all started when they bought a house. Included in the purchase was a collection. Suddenly their trendy early marriage Danish modern furniture looked drab settled next to a 19th century carousel horse. The Danish has disappeared. The horse, frozen in his gallop, remains.

Antiques

ANTIQUE RINGS FOR MODERN BRIDES -- In the past, engaged women and their fiancées preferred to purchase and perhaps design a ring symbolic of a new beginning. And usually it was a diamond, the symbol for infinity. While today's modern bride is looking forward to her future, she 's looking to the past for her engagement and wedding rings. Whether it be Victorian, Edwardian or Art Deco, the question asked in many jewelry and antique shops is: "Where are your antique rings?"

SOFT QUILTS, STRONG STORIES -- From pioneer women’s patchwork legacies to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, unfurled over grassy acres like an endless field of flowers, soft quilts tell strong stories.

The simplest of quilts, handed down over time and faded from years of use, might have warmed a Western settler’s bed or kept cold winds from seeping through cracks in a cabin wall. More elaborate patterns speak of a longing for beauty and artistic expression or tout causes such as patriotic celebrations and civil rights.

JUDGED BY ITS COVER -- Hold a book of poetry by Katibi of Nishapur in your hands and you might guess where it originated. The design resembles the intricacies of a Middle Eastern carpet. A fluid, stylized script floats delicately in ink, gold leaf and blue lapis lazuli. The date is 1605. The place is Persia. It's one of the beauties in the University of Colorado Special Collections room. If you've ever wanted to collect books, we'll take you to this unique room. Also, a fine press books dealer will tell you how to get started.

SAVED FROM THE WRECKING BALL -- Jewelry, silver, glass and furniture may be passed from grandparents to grandchildren. But architectural artifacts originate from one dismal episode--demolition. Buildings are torn down all over the world. Pieces of fencing, a solitary door, a jumble of doorknobs--what once was trash is now someone's treasure.

FESTIVE FIESTA: When Eleanor Crandall's mother gave her a set of Fiesta dinnerware, it was received gratefully but not enthusiastically. Eleanor tucked the dishes into a back cupboard. One day she  opened the cupboard and realized why her mother had loved this colorful, cheerful Depression-era pottery.

SOAP DISH -- Pioneers once stirred vats of lard and rustic lye from wood ashes to produce soap. It was tough stuff, sure to take a layer of skin off when bathing. Today's homemade soap is designed: emollient for dry skin with olive oil or astringent with tea tree oil. Whatever your skin type, you can design the kind of soap you desire.

A BOUQUET OF ROSEVILLE -- Collectors love the naturalistic Pine Cone line with its pine cones, branches and needle sweeping down on vases, baskets and bowls. At the turn of the century, the Roseville Pottery Company produced work that was aesthetically appealing, well made, well marked and plentiful. It's still popular today.

 

CONVERSATIONS WITH COLORADO ARTISANS -- Patty Hawkins’ quilts have been exhibited in the Museum of American Folk Art, New York City, Quilt National in Athens, Ohio, The Museum at the American Quilter Society in Paducah, Kentucky and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. She has been interviewed for national TV programs such as HGTV and lives in Estes Park, Colorado.

CONVERSATIONS: WITH WOODWORKER HARV MASTALIR -- In his tool-laden industrial garage, Harv Mastalir leans over a walnut table. It’s the only piece of furniture in sight. As usual, he concentrates on one work at a time. In a field with only a handful of contemporaries, Mastalir has built a reputation as a master woodworker bent on perfection. He teaches at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship at Rockport, Maine, and the Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, Colorado.

A TOUCH OF GLASS -- from the Great Depression: "I looked out into a sea of glass--beautiful gleaming glass in an array of colors--green, pink, blue, lavender and yellow. The patterns had names like Oyster & Pearl. Raindrops, Horseshoe, Thumbprint, Starlight and Miss America." 

ANTIQUE HUNTING: ONE OF SUMMER'S PLEASURES - "Up, up, I force myself out of bed on a Saturday morning, knowing that I have no time for make-up or any fashion sense. I am an 'antiquer' and summer week-end mornings are prime time."

Rocks of ages - The Rocky Mountains that loom over us define our geography. They also provide extraordinary building materials. We'll tell you which rocks are the most popular and how landscape architects are using them today with red rocks, moss rocks and more


 

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