2 min readCashmere Interior designed the moody space above; it’s a pass-through area that connects the front and back of the house and also serves as a place to make a cocktail and relax by the bar.
Heirloom furniture and decor often evoke conflicted feelings. While some may feel excited at the thought of getting their grandmother’s old writing desk or set of china, many in younger generations see these items differently—as space-consuming objects tied to an emotional responsibility they didn’t ask for. After all, no one wants to be the one who decides to donate their great-grandfather’s cedar chest.
However, many believe that heirlooms can be reimagined to serve multiple generations in new and meaningful ways. In the latest installment of Next Issue, our talk series celebrating House Beautiful’s 130th anniversary, editorial director Joanna Saltz sits down with Marissa Brown, who is the director of design at the historic furniture brand Stickley. Brown explains that truly timeless design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also about a piece’s flexibility and ability to evolve over time.
“I'm always trying to make pieces that are flexible solutions,” Brown explains. “So, if I’m doing a nightstand, maybe you can use it as an end table. I'm always considering height and how those pieces proportionally could play into other rooms.” Essentially, an item that’s being passed down through ever-evolving generations can’t only have a single purpose.
As the median age of first-time home buyers continues to rise, it’s no surprise that many people inheriting antiques and heirlooms from parents or grandparents simply don’t have the space to keep everything. The furniture we live with needs to reflect how we actually live. The same goes for our homes themselves: just because a floor plan labels a space as a formal dining room doesn’t mean it has to function that way. Your home should adapt to fit your lifestyle—and your furniture, whether inherited or not, should do the same.
“We have a flip-top console that opens up and becomes a writing table, but also is a console,” Brown adds. “Then you could just have a dresser with a pull-out tray for a laptop.” She designs her furniture with these multifunctional abilities in mind, so when these thoughtfully crafted pieces are eventually passed down, they can offer a bit more to whoever inherits them.
“I love building in that flexibility wherever I can,” she says. Saltz adds, “It makes those pieces infinitely useful for generations.”
Watch their entire chat to learn more about how brand identities evolve and adapt to generational changes over time without losing their souls.
