It’s almost the Fourth. You want your home to have a touch of Americana, but not to look as though Paul Revere lives there.
Red, white and blue backyard barbecue decorations are fun. But you also can incorporate Americana all year with rooms that reflect your own take on patriotism.
“Don’t go over the top with the red, white and blue,” says Phil Tracey with HomeGoods. “Those items are perfect for Memorial Day and the Fourth, and you can leave them out for a while before and after, but that’s it. You want to invest in pieces that will last.”
Tracey says lanterns in dark tones are perfect for summer and fall decorating. “I like to go a little dark with lanterns in bronze or deep silver. Short or tall, they make great centerpieces and have that traditional ‘The British are coming!’ style that brings you to a different place and time. … When Halloween comes around, you can put an orange candle inside, and red or green for Christmas. Lanterns are unique, never go out of style and you can use them indoors or out.”
Folk art, an old-time practice, is another way of bringing Americana into your home, Tracey says. “These elements include rich fabrics, appliques, patchwork and an overlay of patterns — mix and match. Think pillows. Spindles, in any wood, also bring you back to a time when they were so popular.”
Even if you aren’t partial to stripes, don’t forget the stars, he says. “Another instant way to add Americana year-round is to bring in tin stars, the pieces without a motto written on them. Hang them on doors or walls or use them as centerpieces on the Fourth. These are the true definition of Americana, they harken back to the first flag.”
Western style
Living in the West has produced some of the greatest Americana, says Boulder interior designer Ann Lansing.
“To me, what resonates right now is the influence of the grand historic lodges, many in the National Parks, and many built during the Great Depression,” she says. “These places are the gut of Americana, the real deal.”
The elements that can translate into into your home, Lansing says, are Navajo rugs, Craftsman-inspired furniture, and even old photos.
“Look for American-made furniture pieces that are the latest incarnation of Craftsman style,” she says. “There are wonderful reproductions, including in lighting, and in hardware. One source is . This look is so classical American.”
And don’t forget the kitchen, she says. “In this economy, a lot of people are going back to bread-baking. Display your large, American-made, mixing bowls, as opposed to your espresso maker, and even your wooden spoons and rolling tins. Canisters and salt grinders also look beautiful on the counter.”
Junk to gems
Seattle-based lifestyle expert Kelley Moore recently launched a weekly web TV series, “So Much Moore” (). When pulling together an Americana look, Moore likes to peruse junk stores or eBay for Blue Transfer Ware, mixing it up and setting the table with a generous arrangement of red roses.
“Transfer Ware is from England but it really brings Americana into the home,” Moore says. “By not matching it, you create an interesting and eclectic look, and when place settings are all different, it’s a conversation starter.”
For inspiration, Moore looks to fashion trends, which frequently mirror or precede home design trends.
“Right now fashion has a bohemian feel,” she says, “and a way to take that home is to take basic white sheets and do a red tie-dye pattern on them. Use them as table tops and bedding. Add touches in brass accents, jewel tones, and artifacts from you personal travel.
“Americana is also about our sense of freedom and our freedom to explore the world,” Moore adds. “It’s not only looking at what’s traditional, but the deeper meaning behind it.”
Go modern
“People often don’t recognize nice old American pieces precisely because they are classic,” says Portland, Maine interior designer Penelope Daborn. “American design is so broad, so regional, and every state is different.”
It’s important not to overwhelm any home with antiques or pieces of Americana, Daborn says. “They look better when used sparingly, placed in between more transitional pieces, rather than filling an entire room.”
Contemporary American furniture can be very beautiful and iconic, she says. “There are very fine furniture makers all over the U.S. such as Thomas Moser and his son, David Moser (), who draw on New England traditions. It’s important to remember that even current design will often as not reflect the history or culture of where it comes from.”
Going local
What could be more American than saving a piece of its past, and a local one at that. Betsy Werhane, owner of Denver’s Architectural Salvage Inc., () has leaded windows, shutters for window treatments, picture frames, windows galore and more to whet the appetite of any Americana hunter.
“Ninety-nine percent of what we have is from Denver, from houses being demolished or remodeled” she says, “much of it from the 1880s to the 1930s. We also have architectural columns, turned porch posts, fences, old benches, and church pews. Most Denver houses used local materials so there is a lot of Douglas fir, in flooring, doors, and columns.”
If you’re looking for bragging rights along with your Americana, you might just get lucky. In the past, Werhane has had pieces from the Capitol and a pair of newel posts from the Boettcher Mansion.
