Repurposing a Brooch: Jewelry Judge

While browsing the boutiques in Carmel one recent sunny afternoon, I spent more time chatting to a gal in the shop about her eye-catching necklace than I did trying on the merchandise! Turns out that her necklace is made from a vintage diamond and emerald brooch. (Way to work the Art Deco trend!) Her now-husband bought it for her as a wedding gift, and she wore it in her hair for the ceremony. Now, it happily resides around her neck, really showcasing her personal style and adding some bling to any outfit she decides to wear. Love it!

vintage broach
A necklace with a romantic story

Using Jewelry as Decor

I am (clearly) obsessed with jewelry, and interior design is not far behind. In my post about jewelry storage I made reference to using jewelry as decor, but I’d like to take it one step farther.

I’m currently working on a home decorating project for a client, and I knew that she loved jewelry as well. While we were shopping in Carmel for home decor objects, we visited one of my favorite shops, Conway of Asia. When you walk into this establishment, it’s basically like walking into an Asian/Middle Eastern art museum, yet you can actually buy all the amazing artifacts you’re looking at! (How cool is that?!)

This was the display in the window that greeted us:

conway of asia jewelry
Turkoman and Afghani jewelry spilling from an ornate inlayed box

Using this as inspiration, we were privileged to scour though bins of antique beads to assemble an interesting, layered ensemble to display in an antique tray from Afghanistan. No, this is not your run-of-the mill decor from Pottery Barn, but trust me — it truly adds some interest to my clients’ living room. A conversation piece for sure!

conway of asia jewlery
An interesting collage of antique jewelry and beads

Using jewelry as decor doesn’t have to be overly involved, either. With another client, I added just this one piece to her sideboard — it’s an antique African wedding bracelet. Placing this ancient artifact on such a modern piece, next to a simple glass lamp, in front of an Italian guilded mirror created interest in the space.

african wedding bracelet
A touch of the old with the new creates an exciting combination

I hope that this inspires your inner interior designer. Look at your surroundings with a fresh eye and go for it!