With the recession, people have been moving away from polished and uber-modern materials and towards country, vintage and handmade decorating materials. The warmth of these materials helps comfort people in times of hardship.
As part of this trend, the hot new decorating material this year is – crazy as it sounds – vintage grain sacks.
Image: French Style Grain Sack D. LaBlanc Pillow by Petit Coterie / Etsy.com
Vintage grain sack are 19th century European sacks that were used to carry grain. Made from hemp or a similar durable material, these sacks were points of pride for the families that owned them. They were designed to be passed down from one generation to another; hence their remarkable ability to last until now. Vintage grain sacks also often featured calligraphy or family coats of arms. The most elaborate were made by solid German families in the early 1800s, but the ones that are most popular with home decorators are from France.
The sacks can be just laid out or framed, but they are often used as an upholstery material for chairs, couches, pillows and footstools. With its rough texture and warm palette, the use of vintage grain sacks gives furniture a look that is akin to the “Shabby Chic” decorating trend from the 80s. They work well with leather and warm woods. Or, if you get a more white-coloured sack, you can use it in a room with a beach palette of whites and cool pastels.
Image: Styled Space / Etsy.com
Fortunately, there are alternatives. You can buy some handmade ones on etsy.com. But most home decorators simply create their own facsimiles of vintage grain sacks using linen, burlap or hemp. The benefit to creating your own facsimiles – besides the fact that they are much cheaper – is that you can put whatever you want on your sack. This website provides a helpful guide on how to paint your own pattern on a sack.
Heleen Jacobsen
Broker of Record with InfoMarket Group GMAC Real Estate
www.infomarketgroup.com
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