“? Would you like to swing on a star…Carry moonbeams home in a jar…And be better off than you are…” That’s a song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1944, also a period in human history when the whole world was living in deadly, dark times.

It may be an old song but it does carry the whimsy that I do so want to have for this post.

Swing Your Way into a Stress-Free Zone

What is more whimsical than having a swing in home interiors, or rooms where you least expect it? To me, a swing symbolizes the unconventional in the bohemian spirit. When norms are set aside because of something as powerful as a pandemic, people can respond with the free, adventurous mind of wanderers and adventurers.

I saw swings in interiors for the first time in magazines in the mid-2000s. Then, I saw it in one of my Dutch friend’s home. It was so unexpected. I was surprised that it lightened my mood almost instantaneously. There it was swinging gently in the middle of a loft conversion which once was a warehouse that stored tea and spices of the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century.

A few years later, a shop opened in the Flower Market in Amsterdam, (amid all the flower stands, and cheese and souvenir shops), carrying colorful woven hammocks from Central and South America.

At the time, when I visited the biggest trade fairs for interior design in Germany, France and Italy for work, I saw more and more of these swings and hammocks exhibited by suppliers from around the world.

Now, having a swing or hammock in interior spaces does not raise eyebrows anymore. Well, maybe here in our country where we consider swings and hammocks as things that belong outdoors.

We are now nearing the end of January 2021. Time just whizzed by but Covid-19 is burrowing down into our lives. Mindsets have changed about working from home, buying vintage clothes, furniture, and furnishings to save the planet, and reviving things retro and mixing these with modern objects to project a unique and creative self-expression. Getting a swing for our home doesn’t look like such a big leap.

If you haven’t gotten into the swing of things in this new year yet (yup, I couldn’t resist the pun), allow me to take you on this flight of fancy that will hopefully lift your spirits.

Have a Daily Date with the Duyan

Our beloved duyan reminds me of my maternal grandmother who long time ago had one hung in her big garage, a long space of about 40 meters. On one of the short sides was the wrought iron gate which faced the town plaza, and on the other end was her duyan which swung gently because of the breezes that came through the breeze block walls of one of the long sides. In the early afternoon when the sun was hot, she went to her duyan to have a nap.

Here is a picture of our local hammock.

This is woven from rattan and is very sturdy. An added benefit is that the material is cool so that’s definitely an advantage in the tropics.

A duyan is easy to get, inexpensive, durable, and made of local organic materials woven by our craftsmen. Get one or more if your space is big enough. I think we should all (re)discover the healthy benefits of an afternoon nap. When we do, let it be in the embrace of a duyan.

Swing and Sway with Hanging Chairs

Swings installed indoors are back in style. I have a feeling that the pandemic has given it its biggest push.

There are many different kinds of swings that would look good inside the house. Not only do these bring an element of fun, these can also change your perspective about things, (hopefully to a more joyful and cheerful viewpoint), for the simple reason that having swings indoors is not the norm.

 

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Here’s one swing seat from the German manufacturer Freifrau. It fits the industrial design of a loft but the design is versatile enough to fit many other interior styles.

Instead of an armchair in the bedroom, choose a hanging chair instead. Having this in your bedroom is an invitation, not to sleep, but to throw all your cares away and get rocked into a state of calm.

 

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Get cozy in this corner swing during a weekend.  If you have a family, you may have to take turns but that is also when you practice the beauty of sharing. When it’s your turn, curl up in this hanging chair with a hot cuppa and enjoy the view.

Perhaps one day, sooner than you think, you will be swinging on a star…carrying moonbeams home in a jar…and being better off than you are.

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Author

Annie is the Managing Editor of Let it B | MyBoysen Blog. An unrepentant workaholic, she runs this blog and her own company Talking Lions (https://talkinglions.com). She thrives on collaborating with people who are good at what they do, and working together with them to create something special. Annie learned interior styling while managing her own wholesale business in the Netherlands, importing high-end, handmade home furnishings to stock four outlets and a showroom in the country.

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