Tuesday, June 30, 2009

New Terms in the Vintage World

A few new terms are appearing in articles and blogs about antiques and collectables. Other terms are being used in a new sense:

Vintage - adjective - 'old fashioned or obselete'. (This sounds unkind). This isn't a new term but it is now being used in instances to refer to anything last season i.e. Vintage Karen Walker. I tend it to use it to mean anything of age up to the 1980s.

Repurpose - verb (a usually American useage) - 'To use or convert for use in another format or product'. This doesn't mean changing the item in any way - just creating a new use for it. This has become more popular in light of the sustainability movement, in terms of the antique world here are some examples in interiors and has become a bit of a trend.

Upcycling - verb - in the same vein as repurposing. This is to take something (usually a found object) and turn it into something much better, creative or artistic. Here are some great examples from the Guardian.

So now you know! (picture above - Better Homes and Gardens website) Have a search on the website under 'Flea Market' for more repurposing ideas.