An admitted junk junkie, New York-based writer and editor Mary Randolph Carter worked her way through a number of positions in publishing -- including beauty and health editor at Mademoiselle and creative director at Self -- before penning her passion: American Junk ($38, Rizzoli) in 1994. It was followed by three more Junk books and her most recent effort, For the Love of Old: Living with Chipped, Frayed, Tarnished, Faded, Tattered, Worn and Weathered Things That Bring Comfort, Character and Joy to the Places We Call Home ($67, Rizzoli, 2006). These days, Carter is kept busy as senior vice-president of publishing for Polo Ralph Lauren -- when she isn't rummaging through dusty thrift shops, that is.
STYLE AT HOME: So, we're here today to talk about a bunch of junk! What is junk exactly?
Mary Randolph Carter: (Laughs) Well, to me, junk isn't really junk, it's just anything old. When I published American Junk, I had to fight with the publishers for the name. They wondered how we would sell this beautiful, high-end book with the word junk emblazoned across the cover. But I firmly believe we choose what has value. It's not about the provenance or the period; it's about what speaks to you, what you love -- whether you find it at a yard sale or an antique shop.
S@H: Why is junk so important?
MRC: It has nostalgic value. I want my home to be comforting, to have continuity with my past, to reflect my life. To me, what that means is being surrounded by things that evoke memories -- of the past, of travels, of experiences. It's the faded photo of your grandparents in a modern stainless-steel frame or the set of dishes that reminds you of the ones you had at the cabin.
S@H: Do you think there's really a place for junk in the modern home?
MRC: Absolutely. The contradiction of old and new makes life interesting. I think you need unique old pieces to offset modernity. For example, my son and I found a coffee table for his condominium that someone had covered with paper matchbook covers. We had a piece of glass cut to cover it, and now the table serves as a great counterpoint to all the chrome and steel in his very contemporary home. The coffee table adds warmth -- it's like wearing a vintage jacket with a new pair of boots. You need to mix things up a little, or an environment quickly becomes stale and lacking in personality.
Main image by Mary Randolph Carter
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