The aesthetic of mid-19th century retail establishments still holds relevance. The aged woods, from sagging stair treads to well-worn tables; broken oyster tile floors; wire baskets used for who-knows-what; and institutional desks and chalkboards and chrome fixtures have us fixated, from those of us who are modernists to those who prefer the aged and charmed. Enter Moon River Chattel.
Image courtesy of sarahisme
Image courtesy of alicesoup
The store is a repository for the abandoned, the reborn and the salvaged as well as some new pieces that fit into the candy counter-chic aesthetic. The proprietors buy the new pieces internationally; they focus on the hand-made and the environmentally sustainable with a proclivity toward that which somehow revitalizes local economies. Across the street from the store is the annex where aging institutional tables and chairs and claw-foot tubs and counters are given new spirit, and together, the two spaces are odes to the way monochromatic, heavy-duty antiques that are well-made fit into—and fit with—pieces of modern minimalism.
Image courtesy of alicesoup
