The Mechanical Game Table in its building

The other day, I was apartment hunting in Portland, Maine. While riding down a road called Blue Stone Ave, which is a lovely street right next to the water, I was lucky to see a "for sale" sign in front of a charming historic apartment complex. Eager to get things started with the whole process, I immediately contacted the number of the realtor on the sign. Fortunately for me, Ms. Brown--the realtor-- was able to meet the next day and show me through the apartment.

Usually when I think of an apartment, I think of small and confined spaces. This apartment was anything but. Dr. Stevens--the man who was selling the apartment--designed the whole place himself. Ms. Brown informed me that his main goal was to embody the essence of the 1800's. I admit that I know little about furnishings and different time periods, so its doubly amazing that even I appreciated all of the hard work Dr. Stevens put into his place. As Ms. Brown leaded me through the different rooms, my jaw dropped when we arrived in the "entertainment room." So many wonderful pieces were placed elegantly in this room, as if they were made to be there. As soon as I could peel my eyes away from the large piano next to an even larger bay window, I looked more closely at some of the more subtly intriguing pieces. I walked by a small table and almost didn't stop to look at it. What made me do a double-take is the fact that It was slightly open, as if the table part would fold up. Ms. Brown smiled and told me about the table, which turned out to be named the "Mechanical Game Table." It folds out when you want to play and becomes a mere, yet beautifully crafted wooden table when not in use.

Soon after my walk-through of Dr. Stevens' apartment, I was signing papers and kissing my savings goodbye. I knew as soon as I set eyes on the apartment that it was mine. I even made arrangements to buy the mechanical game table off of Dr. Stevens! This has been a very successful apartment-hunting adventure.

Rookwood Vase in Building

I am so happy with my new home! My husband and I recently moved from Connecticut to North Carolina where we have just finished our dream home. We share a love of art and modern architecture and design that we expressed through our new, post children in the house, home. In Connecticut, we were lucky enough to have examples of work from great modern architects like Eero Saarinen, Philip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Richard Meier near by. When we came to a point where we were thinking seriously about what we wanted to do and how we wanted to live with our future retirement in mind, we wanted to move somewhere that also valued modern architecture. As a curator, I have been interested in North Carolina's history with involving the Black Mountain College and North Carolina's strong craft and pottery traditions. I have a small personal collection of pottery and ceramics that spans from Rookwood to Mark Hewitt. As avid Dwell Magazine readers, my husband and I followed the two Dwell prefab homes that were built in North Carolina and noticed some interesting articles on North Carolina architectural firms like Tonic Design and Frank Harmon (worked with Richard Meier; one of my favorites!). As we researched North Carolina further, we found that some areas were highly ranked as places to live that offered modern amenities while also offering a low cost of living. The more we learned, the more central North Carolina looked like an ideal place for us to move where we would be able to afford to build the modern home that we have always wanted while still enjoying some of the benefits of city life and university communities. That was the path that we followed and now our home has been completed. We love the way that we can display our art and pottery collections in the house's simple, clean rooms and the way that the large windows and natural materials bring the beautiful surrounding woods indoors. Our architect did a great job of incorporating local materials, something that we appreciated in Frank Harmon and Edward Lowenstein's local architecture. I am thrilled to be able to enjoy modern architecture that provides a beautiful but unobtrusive backdrop for my art and pottery collection in an area that values these interests.

The Barcelona Daybed by Mies Van Der Rohe would work well in this home. Its clean modern lines and status as a collectible piece designed by an important modern architect make it physically compatible, appealing to clients who are collectors like the home owners above, and appropriate for a modern building. The Barcelona Daybed is often seen in leather, mixing a natural material with an industrial one similar to the way this home combines industrial materials and methods with natural materials.

An artifact like the Tiki Lamp is less appropriate for this type of a space. It is associated with highly themed and elaborately decorated interiors and a 1950's feel as well as a less serious and less expensive type of space.

Laura Snoderly

Two Sides

Two side
I grew up in a suburb of Chicago called Cary. It was about an hour in car and about 45 minutes on train. The house that we lived in was similar to the still of Moore and which is the same still around town. When I was growing up my two brothers had to share a room together so one side of the room was had posters of bands, weird candles and a lava lamp. The other side had nothing but what he was working on and a calendar for all of his workout stuff on it.
The biggest thing about living an hour away from Chicago is we would go take a trip up the to see a ballgame or just go shopping down town. Now looking at it was like living in two different worlds just like looking at my brother’s rooms. You can see how my brother’s two different stalls did not work for the room but it fitted them for their own still and used. Just as Chicago has high buildings and more business for the need of the city and my hometown have just residences for people that want less active when they get home.
So the activity on Paul’s side with has the lava lamp shows more of a relaxed type of environment. Which Russ’s side is all about business and getting things done. Which you can see know that the suburbs are for more want you want it to be and if you live in Chicago you have to commit to an apartment that is more boxed in unless you have a lot of money. But the city is not all bad because you have more things to do and different things to look at like the Art museum and the bean. As in the suburbs people are more toward them own look of there home but are more classic about it in most places.

Decatur St., New Orleans

The second story of the Hookah Cafe on Decatur St. of New Orleans is the ideal location for a bean bag chair and more specifically, the hookah room that I designed for the bean bag chair.

Decatur St., one of the celebration streets of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, is much calmer than say Bourbon street but is still centered on community and socialization. The Hookah Cafe sits at the street corner, open to people from all directions. The hookah lounge sets a perfect setting for relaxation and socialization, with comfort and conversation circulation. With all the chaos of new orleans celebration a hookah cafe also serves a good escape for relaxation in a crazy city.

Hookah lounges and the Mardi Gras celebration both attract a young popluation, college students and young adults, making New Orleans a great location for a hookah cafe.

New York Flat & Corbusier Loveseat

Walking the streets of New York I go about my daily route delivering packages for UPS. I see all walks of people in my job. I walk into a law office dropping off a package to the receptionist. She is able to talk on her headset and type at the same time as if she were a robot. I glance into the next room where I hear a booming voice of a man. He must be the boss. I see a very modern black loveseat with a chrome base and I recognize this piece of furniture, I admired it the day before at a couple’s stylish New York flat. In my line of work I am only in a certain environment for a minute or so, long enough to get a signature. I am fascinated by how environments reflect the personality of individuals. I am able to understand what people like and dislike by simply looking at their everyday environment. Seeing this loveseat in two different environments with sets of very different people I see how design connects people.
The law office was cold with marble floors, stark windows with no blinds or warm lighting. The most compelling element in this office though was the acoustics; the clatter of the keyboard and the voice on phone line, the sounds of high heels and dress shoes tapping on the marble floors, and the boom of the boss’s voice resonating into the lobby area all make this office quite harsh and unyielding. Then I see the loveseat and I think of the stylish young couple’s flat. They resided in an older building across town in an up and coming neighborhood. The neighborhood used to be somewhat dangerous but now it is bustling with artists, young couples and families. Coffee shops and organic food stores line the street. This certain couple lives in an apartment above a Children’s bookstore. The flat has all white walls with traditional molding. The furniture is modern and eclectic and I felt welcome in their warm apartment. I think about the connection between these two sets of people in New York and how they may never meet, but will always be connected in someway through design as all people are.

Corbusier’s work unites people from all over the world. He calls his work part of the “international style” which is appropriate considering his work such as the Petite Loveseat is successful in many types of environments all over the world. New York is used as an example of where you might find the petite loveseat because New York is full of people from all different backgrounds and countries, making the city another broader category that connects these people along with Corbusier’s work.

Blandwood and the Washstand

Following the path of the washstands around the world I have found them everywhere. They first rose in rich homes because of the need for an area to get cleanse yourself during the 1900’s. The washstand itself became a symbol for social status just as everything else in this period. The more money you could spend on something no matter if it was needed or not was the ideal for most families. One home I chose in particular to place the washstand was the Blandwood Mansion in Greensboro, NC. This is home to the John Motley Morehead, previous governor to Greensboro. It is the last form of Italian architecture still residing in NC. Constructed in 1795, it was a piece of the family treasure for century’s to come. Knowing the family like to set the standard for society at the time, I can imagine them purchasing one of these washstands and having it elaborately detailed with colorful tiles. It would appear in one of the daughters rooms or perhaps even in the master bedroom area.
Most of the furniture around this period was from the arts and crafts movement. Everything was well crafted by hand so that special details were highlighted and accentuated. Compared to a modern version today, you would simply see a vanity counter placed only in the bathroom, not in a room where the bed would be. Bathrooms are still sought out to elaborate and well designed but they have become a private room.
The changes from this late 1800’s and 1900’s to the 21st century today have dramatically changed. First is the appearance of these styles of buildings the washstand might be seen in. Wealthy family had very elaborate houses with many staff and an extensive piece of land. Today’s world we are thinking about, how do we make this compact and fit into our growing society. Therefore, this is the reason why the washstand has become downsized and compacted with the sink so that it connects or attaches directly to the wall of the house. It is interesting to look at other items and notice this change as well. From artifacts to buildings, all have been influenced someway by the changes in society and population growth.

Sources:
http://www.blandwood.org/blandwood.html

Tiki Lamp: The Hula Hut

These days my rooms have become more and more lonely, my straw covered roofs fall in disrepair. No longer do servicemen and their dates for the evening gather here in throngs for a good night out. It seems all across the country, people don't have as much room for entertainment. This long war seems to drag on and on, maybe one day my eaves and timbers will resound with the life they once did. These harsh times make me remember the glory days, the good places of my youth when times were well.......

I have not been around as long as many more distinguished buildings. I do not perform a big and important task, at least not in the way most people think. While I do not stand in such high regard by many, I am treasured by nearly all. Every morning and many late nights I look out over the waters of the pacific, as they wash up on these Hawaiian shores. See over there in the corner booth some young sailors noisily commune about sea stories. Opposite them some Marines poke fun at the drunkard "squids" who can't hold their liquor. They say what they will, but I have been watching how much business they have given the bartender and I know differently. In just a little while my inhabitants will become unruly in their cups and the military police will be called. Roused by such authorities Drunk and sober alike will muster their sea legs for a good sprint for freedom. Out near the beach the hula hut reverberates with trendy big band music and glows from polynesian lighting and small incandescent bulbs. Life is good for now, tomorrow brings it's troubles which none here, nor across the nation can fathom. Life is good for now. Waitresses in grass skirts and barkeeps in hula shirts hustle about keeping everyone well oiled with fruity, colorful drinks named "mai tai" and "singapore sling". All around I see such life and exuberance, it is my joy and my purpose to be the subject of such debauchery and such communion. My eaves provide the home for these "the good days". Life is good, for now........

As time catches up and my dream of the past ends reality comes back into focus. Over the waters that once held such a mighty fleet, the vista that held such prowess now is empty, littered only with the hulks and rusted wreckage, grim reminders of one fateful morning for so many. This war drags on and on seemingly without end. One day, hopefully the masses will return and rejuvenate my halls once more with their laughter and dancing, maybe one day.

house in the 1980's

I assume most of us in the class were born in the 80’s. We all can probably remember when cell phones started to become a necessity, computers becoming more popular, and how AOL was the thing to have so you can talk on the instant messenger with your friends at night. Nowadays the majority of the public school systems carry PCs. However, when I was in elementary school, all they had were Macs, therefore many homes carried Macs as their personal computer. My artifact being the Macintosh 512k created in 1986 was placed in a standard home designed in the 1980’s; a 1980’s home which still carried the box TVs in the living room with the floral print couch.
Due to the fact that modern architecture has been becoming the mainstream design today, the contrast between the style back then and now is pretty apparent. I would believe that seeing a Macintosh 512k would look extremely out of place at the Museum of Modern Art. Since technology has been developed at an incredible rate, we are only used to seeing flat screen monitors or a computer with the computer tower built in the screen. It is extremely unusual to see a huge box with a tiny screen that comes with an enormous computer tower at a computer lab in the present day. These computers that are out of date remind me when my parents first bought their computer when I was a kid. It was something that people used regularly back then, but today, we can barely rely on it because our technology has improved tremendously.

The English Life in 1800

Brighton, just a 45 minute train ride from London, is growing rapidly in population. Many people come here for the day to get away from the monotonous rhythm of the city. That’s why we moved here. This town used to be just a quiet fishing village; but nowadays it’s a party city since King George IV built the Royal Pavilion 15 years ago. Secondly, my husband is a prominent merchant in the city, but business slowed down so we decided to move to a nicer area where many wealthy families dwell. We felt that the economic base was better here because there is more money to be spent. Before we bought our house, we were visiting my cousins at their resort. On the pilgrimage back home I saw the house and fell in love. One afternoon before we moved I was window-shopping down town and saw those new mirrors that everyone is fussing over. I find that I can really express who I am through the Regency style so it was necessary that the drawing room downstairs show this; but the room would not be complete with out the mirror. It is absolutely divine to have my guest visit and reside in this space and have their reflective time be expressed within this one object. The rest of the house follows a more classical inspiration. Like most of the other houses around town, ours is washed out- white exterior with black shutters with a strong emphasis on symmetry.

Compare: This house in Brighton is similar to the Blandwood because the artifact can be used as a status symbol for the wealthy and Blandwoood is a large home in the area that exemplies wealth.

Contrast: The Reynolda House is planted on many acres, which include gardens, farms, a golf course, and even a church. Living at the Reynolda House was like being on vacation. The Brighton home was built in the early 1800s, and the Reynolda House was built about 100 years later in 1917.

Through the Nichols House Museum

A youthful, and very curious 27 year old was living in Boston and going to grad school. On a long weekend she decided to explore the city. She found herself in a beautiful old neighborhood called Beacon Hill. Loraine noticed the Nichols House Museum at the corner. It was a four-story brick townhouse designed in the Federal style. She was very interested and decided she would take a tour. As she began her tour, Loraine read the information booklet she was given when she entered to become acquainted with the museum. She learned about Miss Rose Nichols whom was a handywoman, a gardener, and a woodworker. Miss Rose was also very involved with the women’s rights movement. Loraine quickly noticed that much of Miss Rose’s own work was displayed in the house. She also noticed that the interior Greek Revival style was different than that of the exterior. When Loraine came across the dining room she immediately noticed the beautiful large wood dining table in the center of the room. It was adorned with a table runner and large bouquet of fresh flowers. She thought it was very suitable for the room. Not too large or too small, and the style fit the rest of the house. She continued on her tour through the rest of the house. When she left she was very pleased the she choose to go through the Nichols House and has since taken several friends back to visit.

Compare: In comparison to the washstand placed in the Blandwood museum, there is a clear similarity that they are both house museums. Also both the washstand and the tilt-top table became valuable pieces to the family and each house.

Contrast: Although The Virgina Museum of Fine Arts and Nichols House Museum are both museums, they are very different. The Virgina Museum of Fine Arts is an art museum that houses very different artifacts from those in the Nichols House. The experience of visiting the museum would also be very different, with the Fine Arts museum probably being much more formal and not as much about the experience of being in a room, but more focused on the artifacts house there.

Source:
http://www.nicholshousemuseum.org/

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Outside view of VA Museum of Fine Arts

Interior View of Mackintosh Chair.

Upon my visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, I notice the outside structure is reminiscent of many neo-classical relief type buildings prevalent throughout much of Virginia. Much like Monticello, the campus of the University of Virginia, and many of the buildings in downtown DC, the Museum of Fine Arts compliments these buildings that follow the aesthetic imposed by Jefferson.

The purpose of my visit to Virginia, other than stealing some of my Nona's coveted recipes, is to view the Charles Rennie Mackintosh chair in its element. The halls are brightly and warmly lit with yellow light and sparkling floors that look like reflective pools. Inside, I find the different rooms that house many of the Museum's important collections.

The Museum itself was built to expand upon what the National Gallery of Art displayed in their Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Modern/Post-Modern collections. I find the chair within the art deco wing of the museum. It sits nestled among other pieces of fine craftsmanship that display the many trends and influences that were so singularly nuanced of that period. The glossy design of the chair, with it's polished ebony wood, colored glass and sharp angles give it edge as it sits among its counterparts within the room. The sheer splendor of the Classical style only serves to cushion the chair within its atmosphere. However, to contrast the piece with it's current setting, the Neo-Classical relief almost serves to hold the chair back from the regalia it might achieve in a more minimalist setting. The dark colors of the chair alone might do well in a mostly white, stark environment, or one with more modern pieces of furniture. In either capacity, the chair is adequately displayed for the public to enjoy.

References: www.vmfa.museum/collections/ourcollection

Mahler Curtain In A House:Lauren Thore

The late 20th century houses illustrated above are from Cliff and Diane Numark’s neighborhood in Torrance, California. They recently had their bedroom redesigned on Design On A Dime, by Lee Snjiders and his design team. Before they had a plain, mismatched bedroom and now they have a well-designed art deco influenced relaxing getaway. I chose this house to add the Mahler curtain in because they wanted the style to be more eclectic than themed and bring in brighter colors.

Compared to an original Art Deco style house it has a very ordinary shape and structure. Art Deco houses appear to be modern machines with protruding angles and elegant materials. Most of the homes are geometric forms that were based off of inventions such as modern aviation. They are also made out of materials such as aluminum, wood, shagreen and stainless steel.

The Numark’s home is similar to most family homes built in the late 20th century because it is modern and does not have any drastic angles or curves. It is a basic family home that is appealing to the eye functionally and not aesthetically like Art Deco style homes. The changes in homes over the last century have been extreme, from unique appearances and to basic everyday materials and forms.

Victor 2 Humpack in the Biltmore Estate

I would say that the main idea of the Victor 2 Humpback Phonograph is being heard both literally and figuratively. Since the Victor 2 was a larger and more powerful gramophone, one of the advantages to having one was that it could produce a louder sound. Obviously, this would be appealing to those who could afford it since they were the ones that would throw parties and entertain large groups of people—they would want all of their friends to be able to hear the glorious music. This idea of “being heard” works even better on a metaphorical level. I would say the Victor 2 was a status symbol and was about letting people hear that you had money just as much about letting people hear the music. For this reason I put the Victor 2 in a study or personal library area. Running with the “being heard” motif, I placed the library in the Biltmore Estate.
The Biltmore Estate was completed in 1895, a few years before the Victor 2 was manufactured (1902). I do not think, however, that it is unreasonable to picture the gramophone within the estate several years later. Built for the Vanderbilt family, the Biltmore House is all about saying, “hear we are,” and being “heard.” At 175,000 square feet, this building is more of a symbol of wealth than anything else, much like the Victor 2. The Vanderbilt family didn’t spare any expense either, as they hired Richard Morris Hunt to design the chateau and Frederick Olmsted to design the estate grounds. Even though it is situated in the outskirts of Asheville, NC, it still attracts thousands of visitors to look in awe over the immense wealth the Vanderbilt family had.

Similar to the Victor 2 and this idea of making a statement is the Charles Rennie Mackintosh chair. The chair's design is such that you probably wouldn't see anywhere but at the residence of a wealthy person. This chair is definitely a luxury as is the Victor 2 Humpback.
In contrast, the umbrella holder in Prince Gong's mansion is much less about show and more about utility. Even though the umbrella holder is still designed to be pleasing to the eye and isn't necessarily a necessity, I would still say it is less about making a statement because an umbrella holder isn't always incredibly noticeable.

German Apartment 1903 and the Peacock Sconce

As I was walking a small city street in Karlsruhe, Germany, I gazed up at a beautiful apartment building from the arts and crafts movement. The street was apparently upper class and residential. I was visiting Karlsruhe during my studying abroad. Karlsruhe is near the french-german border and next to the black forest and therefore has a strong influence of the french as well as beautiful woodworking such as the iconic wooden coo-coo clocks.

As I stood there with my mouth open staring up, an older woman walked up beside me with a bag of groceries from a nearby market. She asked me in German how I liked the building. I told her that I loved the varying windows and art nouveau emphasis underneath the porch and spaces protruding off the main facade. The woman seemed impressed with my knowledge of architecture and I explained that I was studying to be an architect at a college in town. She surprised me when she responded that she lived on the 4th floor and offered to show me the inside if I carried her grocery bags. I graciously accepted and followed her into the building.

The indoor staircase was constructed of wrought iron and was designed with an art nouveau style with swirls like a vine. The stairs were tiring but her apartment was worth the climb. The inside space was richly designed with beautifully crafted woodwork, rich fabrics and grand mirrors. My favorite part of her home was by far the sconce over her oversized fireplace. My visit to Germany was regretfully only a semester long, but I am grateful to have had a chance to experience the country for what it is worth.

Compare/contrast:
This German apartment building, built in 1903 was from the arts and crafts movement as well as some influence of the art nouveau movement. This building relates to the peacock sconce beacause of its embrace of nature with the peacock motif as well as its embrace of the industrial movement with the use of metals to craft it. This building is starkly different from the American arts and craft buildings such as the Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright focus's more on the idea of blending the home into the landscape with a strong horizontal emphasis.

MGM studio, Culver City, CA

Stage 26 (center): the set containing the Ruhlmann dressing table is located on the first floor along the southern (back) wall of the building.

View of the interior showing the set and dressing table. The bed is placed along the eastern wall; the table is on the southern wall.

In 1937 Metro Goldwyn Mayer was one of the largest and most successful studios in Hollywood. However, the massive studio was actually located in Culver City, California, about seven miles southwest of Hollywood proper. Situated on the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue, the studio encompassed over 40 acres of buildings and lots in its heyday. Stage 26 is the building illustrated here, in which Jean Harlow's last movie was being filmed until her untimely death ended production. The front of the building is a brick facade of a three story building with only a ground level inside; this allowed for different genres of films to be shot inside since it was somewhat of a generic shell of a structure. From 1935 to 1937 there was a surge of new construction and renovation occurring at MGM, and this was one of the only locations available to shoot in. The origins of the studio date back to 1915 when Triangle Pictures called it home. In 1924, MGM bought the company and proceeded to build one of the most powerful studios in Hollywood, renown for their bright Technicolor films complete with high priced sets, ornate fixtures, expensive wardrobes, and "more stars than the heavens". With such a boom in business, it is no wonder MGM hired a talented designer to dress the Art Deco set of Cafe Society. Authenticity was not an element to be disregarded, and therefore the sets were lavishly detailed down to placing the right textiles and furniture pieces within. The Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann dressing table was the perfect addition to the bedroom for Jean Harlow's enigmatic debutante character. In a film intended to exploit the riches and splendor of the wealthy during the Great Depression, it is apropos that such a fine piece of furniture be incorporated.

Resource: http://www.seeing-stars.com/Studios/MGM.Shtml

Author's note: this is entirely fictional, meant for illustrative purposes only.

Similar to: Prince Gong's mansion. Like the rambling hills, valleys, mountains, and caves of the Prince's estate, the studio is made of many components within a large tract of acreage. The studio has a variety of buildings, landscape sets, and storage facilities similar to the living quarters, gardens, and workplaces of the Prince's mansion.

Contrasts with: Farm House 1900-2000. The ancestral Farm House belonging to the Stanford family, handed down generation after generation, is a stark contrast to the quickly erected and as easily torn down movie set for Cafe Society. While the house is intended to be a permanent, steadfast structure that will incur improvements and maintenance over many decades, the movie set is wholeheartedly temporary, with little thought about its ability to be sustained for more than a few months. The interiors are also polar opposites, with the simplistic style of the Farm house suggesting a comforting, family-style setting, while the film set is decidedly luxurious and heavily themed in the Art Deco style.

Power and Prestige (Jayson Parker)

I’ve made it. I now have my own law office in the Empire State Building. A building that is ubiquitously known throughout the entire world, and visited by tourists year round. I did not realize the depth of my achievement until that elucidative first day when I moved into my office. It was then that I became aware of the history of the Empire State building.

The little gold frame with off white parchment paper, which was hanging on a pillar in the lobby read. The Empire State building was built in the 1930’s by Shreve, Lamb and Harman Associates and was once the tallest building in the world. It set the standard for all other buildings to aspire to. The idea behind the design began with a race to build the tallest building in the world beginning with the Eiffel Tower at 984’, the Woolworth building at 792’, and ending with the Chrysler building and the Empire State building which were both being built at the same time. The Empire Sate Building surpassed them all standing at 1,250’ and 85 stories. However, before any of this could be accomplished the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel had to be bought and demolished before any plans could come to fruition. Many were sad to see the famous hotel go, but there was some solace in knowing that it would be rebuilt at 301 Park Avenue where it still stands today.

The Empire State building stands as a symbol of power and prestige. With my office being located at the top of the building it too acts as a symbol of power and prestige. In addition to the location of the office I also have place my Herter Brothers Library Table at the center of the foyer letting everyone know that this is a place full of history, power, and prestige.

In contrast to my building and my table is the National Gallery of Art (East) building. It is a building that was built to be a museum for modern art. It does not aspire to be the tallest or grandest of anything and is not worthy of such antiquity as mine. A friend once asked why I did not like modern art, and I said that modern art is a rebellion from what we know already works and works well. No one will replace the Greek and Roman architecture. It will always be as powerful today as it was then and that is what I associate my antiques with. Modern art is a fad that will shortly fade away.

Identity Through Design

Suzanne Talbots Apartment in Paris located on the Outskirts of downtown.
Suzanne Talbots Sunroom contained the Canoe Sofa located on the second story.

City

Elaine- I’ve never traveled outside of the U.S before but I couldn’t wait to be in Paris. It was a chance to spread my designer perspective and see something different. I heard about all the break through ideas that were taking place and I want to absorb it all. Compared to New York, I just feel that Paris has more to offer. The ghost chair I saw at the Schneider’s just wasn’t enough for me. It was just another idea for something that was already around. Paris on the other hand holds a more international style that pulls more from its surrounding countries. There has to be endless design possibilities. I can’t wait to see something innovated and unique.

Neighborhood

Jean Louis- The best part of my job is passing through the new Lake District neighborhood. Morning is the best time to see this place with its friendly faces taking their morning strolls in the park adjacent to their homes. Being their gave such a Utopian effect like nothing could go wrong here. It’s secluded from the city but still in walking distance. I awed over the steps I placed the milk on for its amazing upkeep. I wanted this place for myself. If only I could afford it.

Apartment

Lorie- I can’t wait to see what Suzanne has come up for me to wear to the upcoming ball. She’s an amazing designer. You could just tell by the way her apartment was set up. You just wouldn’t think a single woman could have all of this to her own. The mixture of fabrics and rich woods she has here are so bold and innovated for a woman. She has style and that is why I chose her for my hat design. This sofa by the way is just amazing in this sun room. She arranged it in such a way that gives it a main focus. I feel privileged and important in this seat. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Tizio Lamp : Building

cut view of executive designers office.

view of modern building where executive designer works.


I work for Dwell magazine and I am the executive designer. I get to look out my window to see the city skyline. I have worked here seven years to get this big office with a window and view. I am honored to work for a design company that is up to date with the latest cutting edge designs, and a firm that allows me to incorporate some of my own work as well.

As with any other design company late hours, hard work, and lots of coffee are a must. As the hours pass by my brightly lit office during the day, soon turns dark. It makes it difficult to sketch, read and even concentrate when the only option of lighting in my space is a dim lamp or the overhead flourescent lights, which normally give me a headache. “I wish I had more choice and control of the lighting in here, it would probably make my life a lot easier.” Then it hit me, I could design a lamp for my office! I could be the one to choose the materials, the wattage, etc. I grabbed my pencil and sketchbook and began to brainstorm. I knew I wanted something that was very easily adjustable to wherever I wanted the light. Something that was also cutting edge.

I chose the Tizio lamp for my office space because of its adjustable form and intense light source. Rather than squint through the pain of halogen bulbs and wish that I had light conducted to the exact project that I'm working on, I could use the Tizio lamp to do the work for me. Time and time again, I wished that I could find a lamp that did just as the Tizio lamp did with its novelle design. Rather than crowd my desk with excess wires from electrical engineering, the Tizio lamp contains all of its wiring inside it's skeletal structure, and within the base, leaving only a small cord to plug in at the base. With it's adjustable head, I could refocus the lamp on any are that I was working on, and highlight something that originally I hadn't been focusing on.

Some have suggested that I could use a Lava Lamp for a light source within my office. In a close comparison, both lamps are inventive for their times. The lava lamp, with its liquid/solid particulate matter, and groovy coloring also has little setup and takes up not much space on my desk. However, it's color and efficiency would not prove conducive to my work load, as not enough light would be given off.

To contrast with a pair of 19th Century candlesticks, the obvious source of light would be that of fire. Fire, as you know in any public setting, particularly an office, would not be appropriate at all. In addition to keeping my office low-light, the fire hazard alone makes the candlesticks antiquated and insufficient for the space.

Candlesticks in the Red Room of the White House

Last post I placed the candlesticks in the Red Room in the White House. In continuance of this, I placed the Red Room in the White House. Hypothetically speaking, Henry Francis Du Pont of the Winterthur Museum, who helped Jackie Kennedy during her extensive historical renovation, is placing the candlesticks in the Red Room. The following excerpt is a hypothetical example from Du Pont's notes on the remodel.
Jackie Kennedy hired me to help her refurbish the White House interior. In keeping with the older Classical architecture on the exterior, the rooms all have antique artifacts. These artifacts are harder to find than one might suspect. Because they are going into such an important building for the American people, everything must be in a well kept condition and also be historically relevant. I have enjoyed the research that this project has required. I spent a long time looking for artifacts today. Currently we are on the Red Room redecoration phase of the remodel for the White House. It has been a long process and many hours have been put into choosing just the right time period for each room.In addition to the Red Room, there is also a Blue Room and a Green Room. American Empire is the style for the Red Room, Empire Style for the Green Room and French Empire for the Blue Room. For the Red Room, I found a French mantle clock and an empire fire screen yesterday. Today I found a pair of candlesticks that were originally in the Nichols House Family Museum. I had to a little bit of trouble contacting the man in charge of the Nichol's archive of objects, but after a few more tries, everything went smoothly. After searching through the numerous artifacts that the House Museum has, I saw the candlesticks. They make a perfect addition. This room will blend in perfectly with the rest of the restoration and I am very proud of my work.

The White House and it's decor is similar to the West Wing from the National Gallery of Art. Both are built in a Classical style. (Both also house works of art, although one is entirely devoted to this and one is not). However the exterior of the East Wing is very different from the White House. The National Gallery of Art has a very modern exterior with sharp angles and is very sculptural in it's design. The purposes for the buildings are, of course, very different as well. The White House is for living and working and is only meant for select people, while the National Gallery is meant for many people to trample through and does not need to be as closed off as the White House but is free to be more open. The architecture of the National Gallery is able to be so sculptural because it is an art space whereas the White House's architecture has to be much more formal because of its formal purpose.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is similar to the White House in that they both have columns that hearken to a classical past. Similarly both have fairly complex architraves that add to the formality of the buildings. Also, the front facade of both buildings clearly delineate the entrance of the buildings. Both buildings also have a certain amount of clout in association with their uses.

Russian Home- Jennifer Cochran-Russian Daybed

Edward: While taking a hike through the woods I cam across this older style Russian home set back in the trees. I pull out my camera to capture the image of this beautiful home from the 16th century that is covered in snow. While studying this home I wondered what the inside of it would look like and whether or not the owners would let me take pictures of it. I then wondered if it functioned very well, if all the space was used to its full potential. I hope that it is and if not then I hope that future homes would be more functional.

James: I guess the people in the mountains don’t get out very much since I am delivering there groceries to them. I assume they must have some little kids because they ordered a lot of baby formula. The house looks very nice can of older style to it though. I bet there rich with a nanny too, for their kid. I’m sure there also wasting a lot of resources trying to heat this big home up here in this snowy region.

Bella: I loved my 16th century style Russian home. I’m not use to living out in the mountain region and I never imagined that it could get so cold. Whoever originally built this home did not think about insulation very well. As soon as my little girl gets a bit older I’m going to do some major remobilizations to get this home up to date.

Compare: Hoover Winthorn House Museum this older styled is similar to the Russian styled home that was created using a 16th century style. Though there are many difference between the two homes the similarities are very prominent as well. Including the fact they are both surrounded by the environment even though not environmentally friendly.

Contrast: The Barcelona Daybed building is an apartment complex built in a city. The environmental contrast is extreme. Plus the time periods in which the two buildings were created. The Barcelona Daybed building was built in a more modern style.