Johanne Yakula
Although my site FromTimesPast.com has been up for years and there are over 1,000 happy recipients of the free online newsletters I wanted to create a two way dialog with others who are passionate about the same things I am. So I started this blog.
I love almost anything old!
This means old houses, and antiques, and I am fascinated with history of just about everything. It’s lucky that what I do and have done for a long time as work is also what I do for fun.
My company, From Times Past Ltd. is an interior decorating company that specializes in the decoration and restoration of heritage homes. It started as a retail store back in 1994 and for 13 years I helped owners of historic homes source the right kind of products and furnish their homes.
My store carried beautiful antique furniture and all sorts of collectibles and over the years I became very knowledgeable in the categories of antiques that interested me. I closed the store two years ago and now I help clients by appraising and selling their antiques directly.
I am a graduate of the Alberta College of Art and Design. My major was Textiles and eventually this led me to pursue interior decorating as a career.
But restoring a heritage home requires more than just creativity. It takes knowledge of and appreciation for the past. There’s nothing I love better than to go into an old house and smell that wonderful musty odour of old wood. OK… I’m weird.
Sharing my interests with other kindred spirits is very rewarding. One of the ways I do this is by teaching. This includes teaching the history of furniture and western art at our local university and giving seminars about old houses for our city’s heritage planning department.
Another way I do this is by writing for magazines. Over the years I have or am writing for “Discovering Antiques”, “Legacy”, “Edifice Old Home” and “Heritage Home” to name a few. I am also in the process of writing a book on heritage interiors of Alberta.
I am a passionate believer in preservation but I am not necessarily a purist. I believe old homes can be preserved yet fulfill the needs of 21st century living.
The key is balance. I serve on two historical association boards and this allows me to meet many people and see some fantastic heritage homes. I love what I do!
By the way did I mention I live in a 1912 house?
Look for pictures and stories of our own restoration experiences under “My Old House” in this blog.
I look forward to your replies and connecting with you.
Sincerely,
Johanne Yakula
