On a recent jaunt to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia I happened into Chatree’s. This is an antiques and restoration business on King Street in the mid-town area. When I asked Chatree how he came about the beautiful things in his shop, anticipating that he roves the countryside for them, he said that they simply come to him. He has every manor of furniture, lighting, wall décor, porcelain, and antique clothing.
Chatree told me that he not only restores antique furniture but he could repair porcelain and paintings with a very detailed hand and eye. He said “I can do these things right down to their molecular level”. With my ‘energetic living’ perspective this phrase captured my attention. We talked more specifically about American and European design education as it compared to his education in Thailand. What he described is that he learned every aspect of object relationship from concept, drafting and building, to art, human anatomy and ergonomics. He learned about the effect of objects in the spaces and lives they inhabit. He suggested that his learning involved every layer of object experience including the product and its proper placement in the customer’s life. The conversation in and of itself was a thing of beauty given its level of awareness and expression.
What do you have in your home that has design value on so many levels that it is a joy with which to live? It’s very likely that you have something big or small. If not, Chatree probably has something for you. Check out Chatree's at www.chatrees.com
