Plastic vs. Cashmere...

Margy listens with disinterest

(Photo via houseofmirthandmovies.wordpress.com)

The other night I curled up on the couch to watch the 1945 Oscar-winning film “State Fair.” The romantic musical follows the Frake family as they prepare (mince meat pies, pickles, and even one giant hog named “Blue Boy”) for competition at the Iowa state fair. The Frake’s sassy daughter Margy is my favorite character (probably because she reminds me a little too much of myself) and is in a lackluster romance with a rather dull young man that will probably lead to marriage if her parents have their way.

In an effort to woo Margy, “the boyfriend” (so dry that I’ve actually forgotten his name altogether), begins telling her about the house he wants to buy for them when they get married. All about the latest technology, he goes into great depth about the pre-fabricated plastic siding the house will have, and the linoleum floors “so the whole house will seem like a bathroom!” he cries. He could barely contain his excitement, but before he could tell Margy about the garbage disposal, he was shut down.

“Then…” Margy drones in a sarcastic voice “when we have children we can put them in cellophane rompers so we can just hose them down along with the plastic house and floors when it gets messy!”

It was a great moment in the film, and honestly (I know), it may have been something you had to have been there for, but Margy did have a point. The textiles, layers, colors, and materials that we bring into our house are the things that make our house a home. When we come home at the end of the day, we want to relax into our giant arm chair wrapped up in a super soft butterscotch-colored cashmere throw with our favorite book and a glass of nice red wine. I don’t know about you but the idea of a “whole house that seems like a bathroom” just doesn’t sound comforting to me. That colorful rug you brought back from India makes you happy every time you walk in the door in a way that linoleum never will (as much as it may try). And seriously, how personal is pre-fabricated plastic siding?

F. Schumacher does textiles well!

(Photo via Michigan Design Center)

For this reason alone, I want to give a huge shout out to all the textile, wallpaper, paint, and even furniture companies that help to make our homes feel like they belong to us. Thank you guys!

P.S. Margy found a new boyfriend at the fair – a journalist, who knew better than to suggest linoleum floors ... “Blue Boy” found a girlfriend too.