Inherited Interiors

We are at a silver-plated fork in the road. Generations before us commonly had minimal belongings or emigrated from other countries with next to nothing. They survived the Great Depression, started over after World War II, and then held tightly to what they had and accumulated more. Today, people inherit treasures from two or three generations instead of a handful of items from “the old country.” So, what do you keep, what do you part with, and how do you honor your family history without weighing down your family’s future? How do you honor family heirlooms amidst the collective desire to have what you need, declutter for daily clarity, and reuse for sustainability? Here, we start the Sunday-dinner conversation.

Preserving for the Future.

The Conservation Center, located in Chicago, makes it their mission to preserve or restore damaged family heirlooms such as furniture, clothing, art, and photographs. Before you restore, turn to a trusted professional for an appraisal. They will determine the historical and financial value and advise if restoration will hurt or help its worth and significance.

Decorating with Heirlooms.

There is a greater movement toward sustainability and utilizing items that are designed to last. And there is no better place to start than at home. So, how can you make existing family pieces work for you? Don’t be afraid to use or display functional household items. Of course, extremely valuable or delicate items can be kept and displayed in a hutch—but tables, chairs, artwork, and the like should be well loved. Make them your own by switching out hardware or reupholstering seats. Temporary changes to family heirlooms will keep the timeless quality yet make them feel modern.

Ultimately, you don’t need a house full of things that meant something to other people to preserve your family history. A finite selection will make keeping, sharing, and passing them down easier to accomplish.

Finding New Homes.

If you just don’t have the room for new-old heirlooms, reach out to other family members who may appreciate and have a good place for them when needed. Do you have family pieces you aren’t emotionally connected to but want to find good homes for? Look to schools or specialty organizations for items that may be used as teaching tools. Seek out regional or focused museums for historical items.

Starting Your Own.

If you don’t have any family heirlooms in your possession or don’t have a close connection to the family you were born into, still consider the history, soul, and sustainability of heirloom-quality items. Turn to estate sales, auctions, and thrift stores to source storied furniture and decor for today and potentially future generations to enjoy.

Snap Decision.

At the end of the day, all we have are the memories, right? So, prioritize the decades or even centuries of family history and photographs by preserving them for the long run.

Want to share your grandparents’ volumes of photo albums with the family? Today, there are many online-based companies with a suite of transfer and scanning services (for example, Legacybox and digmypics). You might find a local company that offers the same so you don’t have to put any of your treasured items in the mail. Alternatively, keep the process in house with your smartphone. PhotoScan is a free app from Google, while Photomyne helps you batch the work: take a photo of a full album page and the app will crop and save each photo separately.