Old is definitely back in style. Treasures found in old homes. Invaluable "junk" that was nearly disposable but finds new life with a new family, a new circumstance or setting. Some call it "character" or "vintage," even "retro." Some cringe and think "old," while their partner thinks "potential." Whatever the personal preference, many are seeking their grounding in old places, vintage homes, antique and retro vibes, and hoping to make it new. Why?
New has its positives. Think "shiny." Think "unused." Think "fresh." But it can have its drawbacks. New without something of the old often connotes "trendy" and soon "passe," or worse, "disposable." Think plastic. Think expedient and cheap; think throw-away. Lots of initial allure, and little depth or nuance to hold interest and generate authentic joy because it has no story, no weight. Just fluff without substance. It's vibrant now, but not tomorrow, and much less ten years from now.
Well-made, built to last, solid and dependable with quality materials is what many Gen X-ers and Millennials want. What astonishes me is how many home buyers are looking for "updated" homes that have "character," or modern finishes on older homes. They don't want to sacrifice what they love about the new, but they crave something beautifully old and restored. They want that blend of the modern with the classic, lasting feel of the past - some intangible connection that they associate with their parents, or grandparents, or great-grandparents, just with their own modern spin. It's making old things new. And it's a lot like composting home design itself.
Older homes that have been updated well are in high demand. Renovated older homes that pay attention to the overall design aesthetic, maintaining the original character and architectural design while not compromising on modern convenience seem to be the right combination. They remind me how crucial it is for "composting" when it comes to homing, taking what is grounded, familiar, and beloved, and transforming its perennial beauty with careful touches that add to its elegance, charm, or character. While you can build a brand new home in a few months, you can't grow mature trees, make soul-saturated memories, forge solid neighborhood communities and close ties with neighborhood friends, without decades of work. Love takes time. If you love your home and your neighborhood, you probably have spent some quality time there, and you associate it with the most important people and creatures in your life.
This has a lot to do with how "home" used to be the center of our family ethos, our conscious touchstone for daily living and for meaning. Home is where we used to spend every holiday and milestone event; even birthing and dying took place at home. Home was a lot smaller, so everyone we knew who lived or frequented home was in much closer proximity when we gathered there. Meals took place mostly at home, and they happened on a regular schedule, usually three times a day. Home for parents and grandparents and great-grandparents was all about staying power. Children were often responsible for housing and caring for generations of family members living together under the same roof. Home meant ultra-connection; everybody in everybody's space. All. The. Time. When we all moved to bigger homes to have our own space, we also sacrificed that intentional living paradigm that guaranteed regular interaction beyond a daily call, or now - a text.
When X-ers and Millennials look for older homes, they are saying something about what's missing in the cookie-cutter mega-mansions so common to urban sprawl and throw-away culture. It's no surprise they are drawn to "character" and "charm" and "vintage," when the alternative might feel like a lot of space for storing accumulated junk with little to no gravitas, and sadly, no hints of the comforts of surrounding nature with mature trees, avian-kin, and gardens rife with abundant color and aroma. Love takes time. So, they want to "compost" older homes and bring new life by making them new again.
How about you? Where are you on the "Composting the Home" spectrum?
Comments