Remember the movie “Throw Momma from the Train.” I know, I am dating myself. This is a 1987 movie with Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal. DeVito’s character states he has a coin collection. He shows the coins to Crystal’s character, and they are just normal 1980s quarters, dimes, pennies, and nickels. The coins were received in “change” when he was with his father, who passed away, which made the coin collection special. There was little to no monetary value, but what mattered was the vast amount of sentimental value. Items such as this “pile of change” are an heirloom.
Design accordingly. Perhaps such a collection could sit on a mantle in an olive green and fire orange glass dish. Heirloom items do not have to be expensive. It is not required that they be 150 years old. It is only essential that the family in the home feels and recognizes the object’s personal connection and emotional content.
I have produced one-of-a-kind art and furniture for hundreds of rooms and design projects. Some of the rooms may never be “lived in.” No one will sit there. The space has a sterility only formed through intention, not through emotional connection, and I think that is why the room will forever remain a well-dusted showpiece.
I am the proud custodian of a 1784 maple wood drop-leaf table. This table has been in my family since it was created. I was born in Connecticut, and my ancestors trace back to the Mayflower on both sides of the family. The table is precious to me. The hands of my ancestors have passed across its surface. I am connected. I could not imagine my living room without the table. Does the table fit the décor? That is not the goal.
These examples represent items children will cherish as they are passed down from generation to generation – the regular coins and the antique table. The items should not be hidden in a box, closet, or attic. We grow attached to items that are positioned for consistent interaction and viewing. The 1784 table is an everyday table in my home, with a few rules. My son once asked if he could play with his Matchbox cars on our table. I said, “That depends, will the cars scratch a table that has been in our family for two hundred and fifty years?” He and my daughter stared at each other and laughed. We have many stories about the 1784 Maple drop-leaf table.
I also have a Vaughn’s TapBoy can opener made in Chicago. It has been a part of my life since I was born. My family has used this item since 1965 to open cans and bottles. Ours is the TapBoy with the side lever that pops out the corkscrew—so much fun. The TapBoy was likely purchased shortly after my parents’ marriage, before my arrival. It is an eye-catching fire engine red with a stainless steel shine. The TapBoy made it through my childhood and another thirty years of opening bottles. It was built to last. It is now framed in a small shadow box in my kitchen. I flood with memories and joy each time I view the can opener. I have a notebook full of provenance notes for my TapBoy, the 1784 drop leaf, an early twentieth-century steamer truck, my great-grandmother’s paintings, and so much more.
This is to say that the overlap of generations is a lovely addition to any room. Honor heirloom items by including them prominently in your home. Designers, consider what is special and make it memorable. Frame it or place it in a dish. The client will notice, and the children will notice. The house will have a special and unique flair, full of old and new memories that honor those who came before.
