Cutting-Edge Revival

As we moved beyond the decadence of the past decade—and the last gasps of the 20th century—with it departed the designer “It” bags, name-brand decorators and a time when one was willing to scrimp and save for months to get that special fabric at $300 a yard. Remember when madly priced modern art was all the rage at auction houses, and design books and magazines featured over-the-top spreads of mansions, chalets and beach homes? At one point, we were hit with the mandate to modernize our homes with Mid-century furniture, simple Parsons-style tables, mirrored screens and shell-encrusted mirrors. Even antler and driftwood lamps were de trop. We all quietly tucked away the Chippendale chairs and war-torn Oushaks. We put our beloved family photos in a closet and tucked out of sight our needlepoint pillows, all the while tossing table skirts over old Sheraton gate-leg tables. Now we have reached a reckoning for how we want to dress and live. From our new, 21st-century vantage point, we see that the fun of dressing and decorating is all of the heirlooms, all of the meaning we were told to stow away.

There is not a single fashion designer on New York’s Seventh Avenue who doesn’t sprinkle (and, some, quite liberally) their own wardrobes with H&M, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters and Forever21. It turns out that—while we were still hoarding our aging Dolce & Gabbana, Etro and Yves Saint Laurent frocks—a whole industry surpassed us with its own frugality. Suddenly, there is a multitude of stores like Aqua, Milly and the resurrected Lily Pulitzer. They boast great design, decent fabrics and as much excitement in the moment of purchase (that retail high) as any brand off the catwalk. Web sites such as Ideeli have made the hoity-toity brands affordable and it’s fashionable to mix the haute with the merely hot. Ditto for the home. I almost broke out in song when I saw Liberty of London at Target. Hallelujah, hallelujah!

What is modern now is your attitude—and it ain’t got nothin’ to do with money. It means creating a space that works for you whether you want to bring out all the “wood,” as we refer to traditional furniture in the trade, or start anew with everything contemporary. I’ve recently retrieved pieces out of storage, including my nanny’s old prie dieu, her Victorian cast-iron planters and a favorite old zebra rug. I have proudly displayed a couple dozen family photos and—horror of horrors—the frames don’t match! I don’t care. I ignored the screams when I went for mismatched fabrics, faux-finished cabinets and a giant mural of fashion figures. And as for a summer gala I’m attending this month, look for me in a stylish $70 frock from bluefly.com. I have never heard of the designer but I don’t care. It’s like wearing a column of silk ruffles and I will be the belle of the ball. Now that’s what I call modern!