Interesting Vintage Finds: The History of, and the Built in Compactum

by Chris Harris Compactums were a defining feature of late Victorian and Edwardian bedrooms, but they’re now largely forgotten — and for understandable reasons. Originally, a compactum was an amalgamation of essential bedroom furniture into one enormous piece. Typically, you’d have two single wardrobes flanking a central section that functioned as a linen press, complete … Continue reading Interesting Vintage Finds: The History of, and the Built in Compactum

From Scrap to Statement: The Decorative Afterlife of a Singer Sewing Machine

by Chris Harris Any old iron? One of the things I find endlessly fascinating about vintage objects is their life cycle, why some things survive for hundreds of years, while others fall out of favour, get altered, discarded, or written off entirely and thrown away. It often has very little to do with quality, and … Continue reading From Scrap to Statement: The Decorative Afterlife of a Singer Sewing Machine