Echoes Of Opal - Altered Vintage and Design
If every picture tells a story, every object tells many. The mystery that surrounds everyday things from the past, and the anticipation of stories yet to be told, have been a source of fascination for Echoes of Opal owner Jamie Kohler since she was a young girl. When something catches her eye, it also captures her imagination and a kind of magic ensues. Though she can't fully explain the process, she's pretty sure she has her grandmother Opal to thank for it.
As a young girl, Jamie would spend untold hours in Opal's barn sifting through treasure, trying on clothes, and creating vignettes. It was there among the dusty, pretty things that she began to understand the connection between the self and its surroundings. And it was then, under the quiet influence of Opal, that her creative instincts were gently awakened and her eye for beauty developed.
Years later, while raising her own daughters, Jamie would take great pleasure in tinkering with her environment. A hunter with keen visual instincts, she'd made some excellent finds; but it was the way she arranged them that set her apart from her flea market brethren. This was most apparent in her home where exclamations of delight and wonder from visitors turned to requests for decorating assistance, and Jamie stepped on to the path that led to the creation of Echoes of Opal Altered Vintage & Design.
Her belief that the environments we occupy have a huge influence on the quality of our lives fuels the passion for her work. “Our homes should tell our stories and reflect the lives, loves and histories of the people living there.”
Her approach to design is not bound by traditional rules but rather tailored to the needs and personalities of her clients. “My favorite part of the design process is getting to know the client. It is from their place of desire that I'm able to ask the right questions and arrive at a place of understanding. And it is from this understanding that the design begins to take shape.”
Jamie Kohler's aesthetics and principles dictate a commitment to repurpose and reuse. “I believe we have enough mass-produced product in our very small world. All design elements are taken from what the client already owns — perhaps used in new and interesting ways as well as the addition of vintage or antique treasures.”
Her ability to see connections between seemingly unrelated objects and put them together to create something cohesive and unique to both the client and the space is the foundation of Echoes of Opal. Her reverence for the beauty of found objects and the roles they play in our personal stories is the cornerstone. Helping clients create meaningful, enjoyable and functional surroundings is her pleasure.
As a young girl, Jamie would spend untold hours in Opal's barn sifting through treasure, trying on clothes, and creating vignettes. It was there among the dusty, pretty things that she began to understand the connection between the self and its surroundings. And it was then, under the quiet influence of Opal, that her creative instincts were gently awakened and her eye for beauty developed.
Years later, while raising her own daughters, Jamie would take great pleasure in tinkering with her environment. A hunter with keen visual instincts, she'd made some excellent finds; but it was the way she arranged them that set her apart from her flea market brethren. This was most apparent in her home where exclamations of delight and wonder from visitors turned to requests for decorating assistance, and Jamie stepped on to the path that led to the creation of Echoes of Opal Altered Vintage & Design.
Her belief that the environments we occupy have a huge influence on the quality of our lives fuels the passion for her work. “Our homes should tell our stories and reflect the lives, loves and histories of the people living there.”
Her approach to design is not bound by traditional rules but rather tailored to the needs and personalities of her clients. “My favorite part of the design process is getting to know the client. It is from their place of desire that I'm able to ask the right questions and arrive at a place of understanding. And it is from this understanding that the design begins to take shape.”
Jamie Kohler's aesthetics and principles dictate a commitment to repurpose and reuse. “I believe we have enough mass-produced product in our very small world. All design elements are taken from what the client already owns — perhaps used in new and interesting ways as well as the addition of vintage or antique treasures.”
Her ability to see connections between seemingly unrelated objects and put them together to create something cohesive and unique to both the client and the space is the foundation of Echoes of Opal. Her reverence for the beauty of found objects and the roles they play in our personal stories is the cornerstone. Helping clients create meaningful, enjoyable and functional surroundings is her pleasure.
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