New Article from Stroll Magazine
New Article from Stroll Magazine Our Friends at Stroll Biltmore Forest & The Ramble have recently published a lovely write-up about Stuart our store. Click below to read!
It’s Time to Play!
Do you remember what it’s like to play with finger paints? Perhaps your particular memories involved playing in the mud, as did many a kid who spent significant time outdoors. Regardless, there’s something magical about that activity – being able to absolutely lose yourself in play. For those moments, the only world that existed was you and your paint. This is essentially the definition of the verb “to play:” engaging in an activity “for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” Our sole purpose is pleasure. And, as an outcome, we experience joy. Why, then, as adults do we shy away from play?
Why Wait for Joy?
In Asheville, North Carolina, February starts the final leg of winter. With long cold days and (what seems like) long cold nights, we’ve been cooped up since November, waiting for the first glimpses of Spring. Winter can be a hard season, for many reasons. For one, as the outside world is resting up for Spring, our lives shift indoors. Perhaps we are forced to slow down for a little bit. I find this to be especially hard in our fast-paced world that calls us constantly to the next thing. Before long, we are back to absent-mindedly running from task to task and jumping ahead to our Spring Break plans and summer adventures. I wonder, though, what we might lose by not simply savoring what is right in front of us in the present moment?
Stillness Stored in a Blanket Chest
If your January has been anything like mine, it’s been off to the races from Day 1. Sunnyside has been busy preparing for the arrival our new Chinese shipment (it’s finally here!) and we hauled a truckload of Sunnyside treasures to the 2023 Winter Market in Atlanta, Georgia. That’s just like January, though: New Year resolutions begin; the to-do lists are developed; and new routines are mapped out. And off we go. We get busy. However, I’d like to propose that January has much more to offer us than busyness.
New Year, New Arrivals
It is hard to believe we are just a couple of days away from the start of (another) new year. This means that we are also just a couple of days short of successfully completing (another) full year. As an old saying goes, “out with the old, in with the new.” We know this pattern well at Sunnyside: we find ourselves sending pieces to their new homes, thereby making space to welcome new inventory, like ones from the recent Indian shipment that we are spotlighting in this newsletter.
Slow Furniture That Lasts
You may have seen the recent article from the New York Times about “fast furniture.” Similar to the concept of “fast fashion,” this typology of furniture is characterized by the following: it is easy to get; easy to get rid of; typically mass-produced; and relatively inexpensive. Typically, some assembly is often required on the part of the buyer, or a handy friend or family member. On the one hand, fast furniture enables the acquisition of household items at an affordable price point. On the other hand, “fast furniture” tends to be made from cheap, non-biogradeable materials.
The Table Connection
Tables are perhaps one of the most practical pieces of furniture that exists in a home. Fittingly, tables are found in every room. They hold things, such as family photos or memories of a special meal. And, this time of year especially, they host holiday decorations, food, and presents. Beyond their practical use, tables also facilitate connection. To ourselves and each other. Have you ever noticed that where there is good conversation and cheerful gathering, or peaceful study and reflection, a table is usually involved? Think about it: although the usage may change with the type of table involved, the connection charm applies to all types of tables, from dining room table to coffee; side; writing; hall; and consoles.
The Enchantment of a Bench
Despite its rigid exterior, there’s something magical about a bench. It invites us to rest. Entryway benches offer a place to sit down (and set all of your stuff) when you get home. Park benches provide a refuge for our feet (and our minds), even if for a minute. A bench placed outside, on a porch or in a garden, beckons us to pause from the busyness of our day. This invitation is especially intriguing because benches aren’t typically associated with comfort. Think about that: while it’s unlikely you’ll find benches as living room furniture, they have the uncanny ability to facilitate mental and physical rest.
Moon Reflections, Through the Looking Glass
It’s (already) the end of October. Costumes are waiting patiently on their hooks and pumpkins sit at the ready for their seasonal debut. As we prepare to end one major marker of autumn, we are also at the beginning of another, perhaps less observed cycle: the advent of the new moon. So, what does the new moon have to do with antiques?
Whimsy & Delight at Sunnyside
Halfway through October, we find ourselves in the middle of multiple transitions: our days are growing shorter, leaves are changing colors, and the cold air is creeping in, just to name a few. We find ourselves holding on to the last bits of our summer adventures while looking ahead to the festive season. Pumpkin spice has already settled in, and soon, the advent of warm, wooly sweaters and hot cocoa. Mindful of our tendency to jump ahead to the next thing, Sunnyside has decided to settle in for a bit in this enchanting middle moment, focusing the first of our expanded newsletters, The Bazaar, on the theme of whimsy and delight.