Put a Lid On It

deardesigner.co.uk

If there was one thing in this world that I would love to get rid of—besides world hunger—it would be curio cabinets. For me, they are just large pieces of furniture to fill with stuff! There are many talents some of us lack, but EVERYONE can fill one of those puppies with so many things it could burst. The one good thing about the curio cabinet is that it keeps all of the tchotchkes from getting dusty.

I want to give you an option to a curio cabinet. Yes, it is quite a bit smaller, but theoretically, it does the same thing. I would like to introduce you to the cloche. It isn`t anything new; it`s been around forever, but is still so popular because it`s great! Originally made from glass or silver, the cloche was used to keep food warm and protect it from insects. Also used to keep flowers warm in a cold spell, the cloche (French for `bell”) has transformed into to a decorative piece found practically everywhere!

Here are two images that show how special a cloche can make the contents.

melaniemauer.com

pilo.typepad.com

The cloche with a nest was photographed by a dear friend of mine, Melanie Mauer, an incredible Lexington-based photographer who can make anything pop through her work. However, she didn`t need to add her magic to this cloche and nest! It did all of the work for her, aside from keeping the picture in focus. The other image shows how truly simple it is to put something `under glass” and instantly make it look as special as something in a museum! Old books and paper!

Glass cloches are great—I have six in my house! And if I find another one that I adore, I`ll buy it. Today, cloches are made of many other materials besides glass.

countryliving.com

housebyjsd.com

housebyjsd.com

You can find cloches made of grapevine, metal, chicken wire and many other materials. They can make one item or a group of items interesting. I guarantee that a cloche will make anything put under it look special!

I`m not assuming that those of you with a well-stocked curio cabinet are going to run out and buy 500 cloches to put all of your stuff under—that would just create a bigger mess. And the truth is, the only space you would have to display all of your cloches with items would probably be back in the curio cabinet. The good news, however, is that yard sale weather is right around the corner!