Showerthought: A museum trip in Chicago totally changed how I think about patina

I was looking at a 200-year-old cabinet and realized the 'damage' I was trying to fix on a client's table was just honest wear. Now I leave more original surface alone. Anyone else had a moment that flipped their view on 'perfect' finish?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_robin2mo ago

That idea of "honest wear" explains why my favorite jeans are the ripped ones.

masondixon2mo ago

My 2013 Levi's have a rip in the left knee that perfectly matches the shape of my coffee table leg from that one bad Tuesday. The fraying at the cuffs is from bike chain grease, not some factory machine. They're basically a diary of my clumsiness. At this point, throwing them out would feel like deleting evidence.

oliver_ward1412d ago

Honest wear" is just a nice way to say "I let my stuff fall apart." That cabinet in a museum is fine because it's behind glass and nobody has to live with it. But a ripped pair of jeans won't hold up in a rainstorm or look good at a dinner. I've got a solid 10 year old denim jacket with no damage because I actually take care of it. Patina is just an excuse to be sloppy.