Midwinter Hibernating
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like writing. After the chaos of Christmas, and with many of us in the January/February pit of illness, like my hiding tulip buds I’m very much still in hibernation mode. I ignore the January 1st New Year - it seems nonsensical to me that we should be trying to find energy to better ourselves and start new endeavours when every other living thing on this planet is still asleep through the cold. Until 1752, March 25th, or Lady Day, was considered the New Year - this makes so much more sense, and as such you’ll find me dozing and hiding inside until the sun warms up a little.
Having said that, I did launch my new antique painting & pictures shop on January 31st, perhaps subconsciously bowing to that pressure. Or perhaps instead as a symptom of midwinter nesting. This is the time of year when we spend much more of our days and evenings curled up indoors, and whilst I love nothing more than a freezing sunny stomp through the countryside, the drizzle is better watched from the comfort of the sofa under a pile of blankets. I find myself moving furniture, having sort outs and eyeing my own selection of paintings and where they sit.
If you too are nesting, what are you finding yourselves drawn to? I find the kitchen is my favourite place to be in the winter. I used to be an avid baker before my nearly-5 year old took over my time, but when he and I are both in the mood, there’s nothing better than standing next to a pre-warmed oven stamping out biscuits or mixing cake batter. He tends to get bored and wander back to his toy cupboard, but for me there’s nothing cosier. I think because of that I’m finding myself very drawn to antique kitchenware at the moment, and looking at ways to add more art into the room. This is one of the reasons I’ll always advocate at least a section of open shelving in a kitchen. Practical does not have to mean ugly, in fact the things you use every day should be beautiful. If you choose objects made of clay or metals then they change as you use them, and that patina speaks of years of use.
My most recent acquisition for the shop is a piece of Toleware - a term used for 19-20th century pieces of painted metal kitchenware. I found a beautifully moody tray with a black background, golden border and dramatic blooms, but you can find all sorts of different things out there like teapots or cups. I do think we must all be careful not to limit art to painted boards or canvases. Pottery is one of my favourite artforms, so rather than the plain white Ikea bowls of my undergrad years, I like to find bowls and plates with a bit of character. If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know of my love of Scotland-based potters Jono Smart & Emily Stephen’s wonderfully earthy glazed pieces. They are both practical and beautiful.
How we nest and fill our homes is ultimately about expressing our personality, and kitchenware whether antique or new is a brilliant way to do that. I’ve said before how I love nothing more than to walk into someone’s home for the first or 100th time and really feel that I know something about them from what they’ve chosen to keep in sight.
