You know that sound you just heard? That’s the same sound I heard when I first laid eyes on this week’s Freebie Friday. My jaw hitting the ground. (I’m trying not to drool on my keyboard as I craft this post.)
Some of us are blessed to inherit a family heirloom passed down through generations. Others of us may have the opportunity to gift a loved one a newly made unique piece of handcrafted or couture-quality furniture that is an instant heirloom. Modern History furniture offers exquisitely designed modern antiques that are works of art and are guaranteed to become treasured additions to any family’s decor.
This week, one lucky winner will receive Modern History’s Decorated Venetian Chest. For a chance to win this stunning piece, answer this week’s question before 12/11c, Monday, September 19.
This week’s question: Forget what the dictionary says, how do you define an heirloom piece of furniture or decor? What are its essential qualities?
A priceless family treasure in the eyes of the beholder…privileged to display with cherished memories to share
What a lovely Venetian chest.! Sure to be an heirloom one day to some lucky winner. An heirloom piece of furniture or decor is one that touches your heart and holds sweet memories.
I would love to inheret that beautiful chest! An heirloom piece is of good quality, timeless design, and is usually passed down to the people most likely to cherish it.
Heirloom to me:
To "Have and to Hold" To remember where it came from, Where it set, And where it sets now. It doesnt matter the worth of the item, It is the meaning of the memories of where it came from. I have some items that wouldnt be worth anything to you but they are a memory to me. I have a small rocking chair that my grandmother bought for me years ago, My siblings also used it, Now my grandchildren have it, I cleaned it up, and gave it to my first grandchild on his first birthday, I wrote on one of the bottom slates my name and when I received it, Then I wrote when I gave it to him and his name, it was passed on to his sister the same way, it is now with a third grandchild, and we know it will be given away Nov of 2012. What my grandmother didnt know when she gave it to me was it would make others Happy to. I have make it a Heirloom. Thank You GrandMa!
An heirloom piece to me has a story…a sense of history to be shared. The remarkable part is when one then imbues their own life story into the treasured piece…it truly becomes everlasting.
A heirloom is an item to loved, shared and cherished. When I'm cherishing one I sit back and try to imagine where it's been and who it's been with……I imagine the knowledge it has, and hope it brings that to me.
So lovely! I have the perfect wall for it….raised stenciled falling leaves done in bronze/gold glaze….this piece would be amazing in front of my wall! But then again, the piece speaks for itself and would wonderful where ever it lands.
Heirloom is a cherished piece from a time before but not forgotten. unique characteristic , color and usually well made to still be with us to enjoy. The piece above is breathtaking and takes you away to another place. Gasp sigh
Heirloom furniture evokes emotions and triggers memories of things that one can only imagine have occurred in its presence. It's a piece of furniture that allows one to see into the past and be present in that moment of great joy or vast sorrow experienced by its owners. And, it allows you to see back into the lives of its owners as they lived in what they saw as ordinary times of their lives, and yet by our current standards we see those efforts as courageous. It's a piece that makes believe that you have actually seen its past and it makes you want to make it part of your present so that you can become part of its history, as well.
functional & chic!
Heirloom, something passed down from a family member or close friend that has memories and meanings to remind us of that person whenever we use it or look at it. It could be vintage or brand new , it is just treasured because you are reminded of its history and sentitmental value associated with the person it came from and that special place in your heart that is saved especially for them forever.
For me, an heirloom is something so special that it gets passed down through generations. It's beauty is captivating and it has a story to tell. I love the stories behind heirlooms. Each generation adds to the history of the item. They can tell you the history and how they came about the heirloom. They tell you how they use the item and how it has enriched their lives.
a painting my grandmother had. my mom gave it to me a couple of years ago and it has ABDSOLUTELY NO relation to my decor, but I still love it.
An heirloom is about love and sacrifice. It first must be loved by someone who admires it for its beauty, craftsmanship, or the genious of its design. To become an heirloom however, a piece must carry the patina of sacrifice. The sacrifice can come from anybody in the chain of people who posess it. It may be the creator, such as the father who crafted it with his own hands for his daughter; or the caretaker, such as the beloved mother or aunt who cherished it for a lifetime because she loved the person who gave it to her. A piece can also transcend to heirloom because it survived a tragic event, where no person or other posession did. The heirloom's patina of sacrifice grows with each telling of its story, and reminds us why we carry on.
I think an heirloom is a good-quality piece of furniture with timeless style and an appeal that transcends generations.
An heirloom piece can be something that has passed down from other family members, for instance, my mother's beautiful cedar chest where she collected towels and other linens before her marriage, and which I now own. An heirloom can also be a beautiful piece owned by a modern-day person that will be treasured by future generations, such as the Venetian chest.
An heirloom to me is something that evokes a memory of my family and my history. It links me to family members i've known and those i've only heard about and reminds me of the love we have shared across the generations.
I think of an heirloom as something that is passed down from generation to generation. I have antique furniture from my great-grandmother's house that probably belonged to her parents too. I have fond memories of it in her house, so when I see it in my house everyday it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. These pieces are so special to me, I will never get rid of them.
Two words: Family & History
Simply beautiful…my grandmother before she passed away, had had an old washing board that I had given to me and oneday it broke. Heirlooms help to keep wonderful memories alive; we sure had many great memories.
An heirloom is filled with love, secrets and beauty handed down to a to a family member they know will appreciate it. (And keep the secrets!) lol
An heirloom must be of the utmost quality and workmanship. I purchased a grandfather clock with the money I received from a 32 year old brother's will. He died unexpectedly. His memory will be with this clock in generations to come.
something special that has been passed down through generations
A modern heirloom must have quality in construction, style, and color. It must have been meaningful in some way, as an art piece, a functuonality, or a percieved necessity. Beauty to its owner, is another, and perhaps most importat, atribute.
i think it can be new, with potential to be passed down (interesting story of acquisition, interesting story about the how and why of the piece, interesting lines, details etc) or old and passed down (see above reasons). I believe the story about a piece is key. This is a beautiful chest, and someone winning it would be an example of an interesting story.
An heirloom is an inherited treasured possesion from a family member that has sentimental memories of the
past. It is pleasing to the eye and will be a link with family history.
generallyh a piece that defines a period prior to the present, it could be from disco as easy as davinci!
An heirloom piece of furniture or decor is someting that will stand the test of time, to be loved and cherished. Frank Lloyd Wright, Tiffany, Sarisan, and others come to mind with style, function, and of course, craftsmanship.
I'm not fortunate to have any of their pieces, but I do have some silver and dishes that bring me back to loving family times when my parents, grandparents and other family were alive.These things are not just objects, but feelings and memories for me to pass on.
An heirloom is a treasured possession that is passed from family member to family member. It does not need to be valuable, it should just be special and recognizable as "part of the family".
An heirloom is a piece of family history. A piece that is treasured and holds many family memories, it is irreplaceable.
In my mind, an heirloom peice is one that holds warmth and time worn character, a peice that has scratches or stains that are not flaws, but are memories. An heirloom chest is a chest full of memories of what it once held, from grandmother's dishes to newborn baby items, to your great-grand-daughters wedding dress and boquet.
An heirloom must evoke a sense of past time and the possibilites of the future.
Define an heirloom is something that says a connection with "family". I have one of those pieces its a simple piece and not an important one. But everytime I look at it the memories kick in. It brings me closest to the people that I miss and think of often.
An heirloom is something incredible that has meaning and memory. I believe an heirloom should speak of a persons past, tell a story, encompass a snapshot in time.
Great article and lots of information. thanks for sharing.
An heirloom is a prized object handed down to another. It carries with it the love and respect that the giver has for this object as well as for the 'givee', a time line of special stories, but most of all, an intense passion for survival and the need to be nurtured.
An heirloom is something shared, passed down through generations.It may be oh so small or large. It's worth is a world of history. It's essential quality is love. It is yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Heirloom is anything that has been has value to my family.By value I mean, important to my family and tells a story of our past, where we came from, so we know where we are going. On my mother's side, we have an apron that is almost 170 years old from Madrid, Spain. The apron is all hand stitched with beautiful flowers and leaves, very bright! Now, on my husband's side there is an old blanket that his father was wearing when he was airlifted out of Vietnam. Both of those items mean alot to our families.
Timeless is the first word that comes to mind. It is a piece which evokes memories of the past and present and thoughts of what future generations will think when using the piece in their home. Will they wonder who this belonged to, what did it mean to each person before them…just as I wonder about the hands which have lovingly touched my pieces and eyes which have gazed upon them.
For the love of Pete, is no such thing as "your DEFINition" unless you write a (proper) dictionary.
"DEFINE" means to FIX or mark the limits of, to make distinct in outline, to determine the essential qualities or PRECISE meaning of. If you are unable to express yourself with the correct words, then don't blame the dictionary. The fault lies with you, and your vocabulary.
There.
A loved, cherished, and passed down family piece is only one part of defining an heirloom. There is something more; a legacy that is important not just to members of a certain family, but also has meaning and importance within a society or culture. Like heirloom vegetables and flowers, an heirloom piece of furniture or décor is reliant upon a steward who uses the piece to link generations through an individual story.
What's old is new again. Heirloom means treasure to me. A treasure that could have been in another family for years but now no longer wanted by a younger generation. One man's junk is another man's treasure. This is truly a treasure. We have a circa 200 year old house and have furnished it with things that once belonged to someone else and are now treasures / heirlooms to us and will hopefully be passed down the family. However, if not, someone will always come along with a keen eye for what will become their newly found treasure / heirloom to be enjoyed until the next "keeper" comes along.
WOW is all I can say. This is beautiful. Heirloom, what's that?? JK. I know what it is, but I don't believe we've ever had any in our family, at least on my mother's side. On my dad's side, I know there's an old antique stove that they would never ever part with. Perhaps due to a longing for the good ole' days. Now if I ever inherited this, it would be an heirloom to me.
I would define an heirloom anything that has a history to it. whether you start one today or have one from the family, I like to get one item from the family, SOmething to cherish and hopefully pass on.
A simple, one of a kind creation. Heirloom might be to one but not another. I think the more creative and one of a kind a piece is, the more heirloom overall.
An heirloom piece has history and sentimental value. It's beauty and worth are in the eyes of the beholder. I have tried to cherish and maintain those few pieces that have been passed down in our family and to select new pieces to pass along that have traditional classic lines and are of good quality that I hope will stand the test of time.
[...] all offered so many wonderful definitions of an heirloom in response to our September 16 giveaway. This is one of my favorites: “It is a physical reminder of love given and [...]