ROOM MUSE 1970’s Babs and Kris

I have a new game and it’s called Room Muse. The idea is that I take a picture, person, historical moment… (whatever vintage something I want) and create a room design (using salvaged and repurposed products, of course.)

Take this picture of Kris and Babs. I hadn’t seen A Star Is Born when I found this. Nor I seen the whole movie when I came across this clip of Evergreen. I would advise that you click play, then keep reading as it plays.

Watching this clip, I could totally imagine the room for this couple. It would be a sunporch, maybe on a farm, a dot in a countryside someplace totally unexpected. This porch would have a rickety old ceiling fan turning the hot air around a daybed.

But this would be no ordinary daybed; instead a swinging carriage backed pallet daybed, covered with vibrant orange, deep purple and aubergine patterned fabrics. Probably they’d spend hours laying around, listening to old albums and reading aloud to one another.

Aside from the daybed and two punchy rattan stools (Modish Vintage), the only other chairs in the room would swinging chairs likes the black ones (1st Dibs) above, which would be filled with a hefty pillow or two. All the seats are soaring – just like their love… oh, and her voice.

There would be natural elements like a  salvaged wood coffee table (J.Rusten Furniture) and driftwood table lamp (TestofTime). And a spot of decadence provided by an antique bone inlay Indian side table (Mogul Interior) and a stunning salvaged wood shield shaped mirror (DwellwithDifference). All grounded on an antique kilim rug (Nazmiyal Antique Rugs).

On either side of the weathered, creaking door which leads back into the old farmhouse, would sit these two shutter doors repurposed as shelves (Repop NY), and filled with bits of the couple’s lives… their record player (AllUnique), a vintage Charades game (TestofTime) for Sunday night gatherings, collections of vintage vases (TheBarnofMiddleburg) and decanters (MondayPie), an old elephant foot umbrella stand (TopsyDesigns) brought back from an adventure abroad, and maybe an old copy of their favorite movies and other odds and ends.

So when I started actually watching A Star Is Born, I thought I was totally off. No, no, no they aren’t farmhouse, they’re glitzy mansion. Drugs, rock ‘n roll, and high-waisted fire red pants with suspenders.

After a short while though, John Norman and Esther got married and moved into their desert ranch house.

You can't tell, but she's wearing this amazingly fabulous get up; a hoop skirt and a shirt that first buttons about halfway down her belly.

It would seem my instincts may have been not too far off  after all. Kris and Babs are just a little more ranch than farm. But then, I’m only halfway through the movie!

(Update: Finished the movie. I may or may not have dissolved into a puddle of tears on the floor.)

I have some ideas for inspiration for new Room Muse designs, but I’d love to hear from you… any requests?