When Granny’s Jamaican House Becomes the Mood Board

Remember Granny’s house? The mahogany furniture that was built to last several lifetimes. The crocheted doilies strategically placed on every available surface. The lace and eyelet curtains. The tufted sofas and chairs that were definitely not for everyday sitting. The cabinet filled with the “good” glasses and patterned china that nobody was allowed to touch. And, of course, those decorative lampshades. For years, many of us would have looked at these things and thought: old fashioned. Today? Put them on a mood board and suddenly they’re vintage, layered and chic. Welcome to the wonderful cycle of design, where what was once considered old can become the next big trend. Take mahogany, for example. In an old Jamaican home, dark, heavy wooden furniture was everywhere — dining tables, sideboards, coffee tables and those formidable chairs that seemed almost indestructible. After years of lighter woods dominating event design, deeper wood tones are beginning to feel sophisticated again. Pair mahogany with contemporary florals, beautiful linens and modern lighting and it takes on an entirely different personality. Then there’s eyelet and lace. We remember them as curtains blowing at the window or perhaps a tablecloth brought out when company was coming. Now those same textures can inspire gorgeous linens, napkins and decorative details for weddings. Styled correctly, they feel romantic and intentional rather than old-fashioned. And let’s talk about lampshades. Those decorative fabric shades that were once a fixture in Jamaican living rooms are finding their way back into stylish interiors and event design. Table lamps are appearing on dinner tables, bars and lounge areas, creating a warm, intimate, residential feeling that overhead event lighting simply cannot replicate. Then there are the tufted sofas and chairs. Once associated with formal living rooms and furniture that children were warned not to climb on, tufting is having another moment. Used selectively in a contemporary lounge setting, a beautiful velvet tufted sofa or statement chair can add richness, character and just enough old-world glamour. Even patterned china is having its moment. Remember those beautiful plates displayed behind the glass doors of the cabinet? Mix-and-match floral china, coloured glassware and vintage silver pieces can now transform a tablescape and make it feel collected rather than rented straight from a catalogue. And yes, even crochet deserves another look. Perhaps we don’t need a doily under every vase, but crochet, embroidery and handmade textile details can bring texture and craftsmanship into an event in a way that feels personal and unexpected. That’s really what this return to nostalgia is about. We spent years trying to make everything sleek, minimal and perfectly matched. Now there’s something refreshing about a room that feels as though it has a story. The Jamaican homes many of us grew up visiting were layered. Things were collected over generations. Furniture was kept, repaired and passed down. The “good” pieces had meaning. The trick is not to recreate Granny’s entire living room at your wedding. Choose the memory, then reinterpret it. A mahogany table with contemporary flowers. Eyelet linen with modern tableware. Patterned china against an unexpected tablescape. A beautiful lampshade incorporated into a bar or dinner setting. A tufted velvet sofa paired with contemporary coffee tables. Suddenly, it isn’t old-fashioned. It’s nostalgic Jamaican style with a modern point of view. So perhaps the next time you walk into an old Jamaican home and see that lampshade, embroidered cloth, tufted chair or piece of mahogany furniture you once thought was terribly outdated, don’t be so quick to dismiss it. You might just be looking at your next event mood board. Shikima Hinds Managing Director Shikima Hinds Events Concierge Tel.876-925-4285 or 876-361-0910 Email: shikima@shikimahinds.com www.shikimahinds.com