It is safe to say that the majority of us don’t look forward to visiting hospitals. From the smell of chemical disinfectant, to the stark fluorescent lighting, nothing about hospitals is welcoming. So why is it that lately vintage hospital memorabilia has been popping up everywhere?
From local vintage shops, to mass retailers like Urban Outfitters, to the very homes showcased in Apartment Therapy, vintage medical memorabilia can be found. Amazingly, the starkness and sterility we loathe about hospitals is transformed into novel and beautiful while retaining the quirk and sarcasm that take dwellings from generic to interesting and unique.
Shown above, left to right:
1. Dayana's Condo Heart Sketch
2. Jonas' Modern Hollywood Regency Homestead
3. Early 20th Century enameled steel & glass Medical/Dental Cabinet at Spinaro Design
4. Urban Medical Doctor's Cabinet at Rehab Vintage
5. White, vintage-inspired Phronology bust/jewelry holder from Urban Outfitters (not currently available).
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Comments (12)
There seems to be a bigger overall trend of just vintage academic. Retro school-ish, library-ish, and now science lab-ish.
"There seems to be a bigger overall trend of just vintage academic. Retro school-ish, library-ish, and now science lab-ish."
and we're a good 10 years into the trend.
I'm not sure about things like the take-apart brains... but I would love to have a vintage medical cabinet. You could fit that metal-and-glass look, with its simple lines, into so many different types of decor.
i'm not quite there, but i do have a beaker with a flower in it ;)
http://ragamuffindesign.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/vintage-thrift-finds-put-to-use/
Hmmm...I was going for deliberately geeky and uncool with my periodic table shower curtain and beakers as bathroom decor. Now I'm on the verge of trendy? Wow!
these kinds of things could more accurately be called Neo-Victorian, a rich and wonderful decorating style, but not even remotely new.
I dunno, I've been seeing these types of items (Medicana? Hospitalish?) for years now. I remember there was a big deal about old enamel and glass medical cabinets over ten years ago. You know, the ones with the gazillion shallow pull out drawers on the bottom, presumably where sterilized instruments once were and the tops were all glass shelving. People were using them as etageres.
Is this really a new thing?
Yeah, not a new trend. At all.
OLD NEWS.
Not new, but I still like like...I have several anatomical heart pieces.
wasn't trying for a trend, but for a creative use for a fantastic piece of furniture. I found a 1930's mahogany medical exam table- drawers galore, pull out writing drawer, even the little nooks where supplies can be stored. Added a 1950's banded oak teachers desk top and made it into the BEST kitchen island a girl could ever want!
I agree that this isn't new, I'd say vintage and antique medical objects and furniture have been on many collectors' radars for a long time. I have been looking for a vintage medical cabinet for ages to use as a storage piece in the bathroom, but the prices for the nicer pieces regularly soar way above my budget on ebay and at flea markets.
http://lavalotti.wordpress.com/