Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Where to find it
Flea markets and craft fairs are perfect places to buy handmade or just browse for ideas. And the Internet, of course, has made finding handmade items easy year-round: Etsy. com and UncommonGoods. com are two popular sites, but a quick online search will likely turn up information about local crafters in your area, too.
When you find something, try to discover a bit about its history. Burnham’s clients enjoy handmade items more “when they know the provenance
and the story behind a piece,” she says. They get a further boost knowing they’re supporting a particular artist or artisan.
Handmade pieces also can speak directly to your history. Ask around for local painters and photographers whose work captures the region where you live, then see whether their work speaks to you. “These are the items that become the focal point and conversation pieces in the room,” Faires says.
How to use handmade decor
Flynn loves to place objects made from stone or other materials with “organic imperfections” on smooth, machine-perfect surfaces. “When I’ve got pristine bookshelves to display interesting things,” he says, “I love the juxtaposition of a fluid, biomorphic shape with rough texture against something rigid and linear. That creates visual tension, something designers use to add depth.”
You can also magnify the appeal of something traditional — a classic fireplace mantle, for example — by hanging a colorful, whimsical piece of handmade art over it.
Or make your own partially handmade piece by adding your creativity to a factory-made piece of furniture.
“While I’d prefer all seating and beds in my house to be handmade by artisans, sometimes manufactured items are just more affordable and ready right away,” Flynn says. “To make these things a bit more personalized, I’ll add something unique to them, like hand-blocked wallpaper to the back of bookshelves or locally crafted sconces to a wall covered in 50-cent white subway tile from the home improvement store. It’s all about the mix.”
Even lower-end manufactured items can take on high-end style with a bit of handmade assistance. “I have Ikea cabinetry in almost every house I’ve designed because it’s practical. However, I make the A bookcase, styled by Burnham Design, features a mix of handmade and mass-produced items. “Any accessory collection should include organic or handcrafted items. They offer a uniqueness and beauty that you can’t get from mass-market knickknacks,” says designer Betsy Burnham.
ready-made drawer and door fronts seem more custom by installing forgediron or antique-brass hardware made by local artisans,” Flynn says.
Extra benefits
Going handmade means you can get exactly what you want and need. “With the rise in popularity of artisan goods, interior designers have a much broader
palette,” Faires says.
You also may get higher quality if you go handmade.
“Honestly, most massproduced wood furniture items are poorly manufactured,” says Faires, who builds custom furniture for clients. “I always encourage clients to think long-term. Purchasing solid, handcrafted goods that are timeless is a much better investment.”