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Inside the Villa del Balbianello

September 5, 2014, 8:48 am
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Nestled into the hills surrounding Lake Como is the Villa del Balbianello which is open to the public. On his recent visit my penpal thankfully shared these photos with us!
Last inhabited by explorer Guido Monzino, the villa is left as if he had just packed up on one of his adventures. Decorated in classical mid-century splendor there is much inside to inspire today's decorators.
Before going inside lets first lets explore the grounds of the villa as the setting is really more spectacular than the architecture. Built in 1787 as a Franciscan Monastery, the villa shortly thereafter became a family home.
The Villa and gardens were restored in the early 20th century by an American businessman, Butler Ames, who used it as his vacation home.
The views of the lake and surrounding hillsides are stunning. The gardens are kept simple to allow the view to take precedence.
Above you can see the original chapel with clocktower.
The carved stonework is intricate and fanciful.
 How would you like to wake up to this view everyday? Sign me up!
Inside the elegantly muted interiors leave the spectacular views to become the focal point.
I love these soft boiseries in the main salon. Notice the chandelier is not electrified.
 Looking the other direction the views of the lake are probably amazing.
I wish I had one of these 2 story paneled libraries in my own house! The chandelier is more practically electrified.
 This paneled sitting room operates as a sort of treasury or collector's cabinet.
 The touches of green throughout the house connect the interiors of the villa to the gardens.
 I love the very elegant sitting room above.
The dining room looks as if it could hold quite the large dinner party, perfect for lots of weekend guests. The dreary red carpet 'runway' to protect the floor finishes really ruins the effect.
The velvet upholstered furniture throughout the house is all really beautiful and not dated at all. The chinoiserie secretary is probably coveted by many!
 Notice the very (now) trendy printed curtains in the breakfast room.
 The villa appears to be full of many dining room or perhaps this is a study off the library?
 The kitchen remains efficient and practically simple but notice the stylish lantern fixture.
The sumptuous bedrooms again feature elegant candle-lit chandeliers. I'm assuming these would never or rarely be lit!
 The marble bathrooms are again beautifully detailed.
I think something is really charming about guest bedrooms with pairs of twin beds; I'll file this away for inspiration.
Monzino loved the Villa del Balbianello so much that he is even buried on the property. I can see why; I've added the Villa of my (long) bucket list of places to visit!
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BUtterfield 8 movie sets

September 8, 2014, 10:00 am
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This past weekend I watched the movie that won Elizabeth Taylor her first Oscar in 1960, BUtterfield 8. While Mrs Taylor's performance and the movie as a whole were excellent I have to say what stole the show for me was the NYC apartment of her society 'boyfriend' Weston Liggett played by Laurence Harvey.
The neutral tones of the apartment were predominantly gray with black doors and white trim. Sound very 2014 to you?  I also loved that the plaster casings around the door - seen above -and in the fireplace surround seen in the first photo were a very classical Greek key. Design inspiration is everywhere if you just look!
Apologies for the photo quality which I took of my tv screen!

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Inside the Villa della Regina; an 18th century chinoiserie fantasy

September 10, 2014, 3:30 am
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Located high in the hills above Turin, Italy, and surrounded by luscious Italianate gardens is the royal Savoy palace known as the "Villa della Regina".  Despite damage from WWII and years of neglect the villa has remained a fantastic example of the exotic 18th century chinoiserie style.
The building has been the property of the country since 1994 and maintenance is directly funded by visitors ( so make sure to visit! ). The views of Turin alone would be worth the trip.
Above you can see the highly terraced gardens with the house nestled into the hillside creating a protected entry court.
 The views down to Turin are stunning!
 I love these highly terraced, architectural gardens.
 The fountain at the entrance is large enough to be a pool!
 The fountain above is stunning even when not running.
 This teahouse terminates the view up the hillside.
The real thing to see here however are the interiors, preserved from the 18th century in all of their exotic-ness.
 The boiseries in many of the rooms contain panels of chinoiserie wallpaper.
 The details are gorgeous
 and the scenes intriguing.
Very few examples of the original furniture exist but the above cabinet gives one a taste of what once was.
 The room above has a bit of everything: rococo, chinoserie, Pompeian scenes, etc.
In the above enfilade you can tell just how big this place is although not all of the rooms retain their original decoration.
The rooms which still boast their frescoes make up for it though. Have you ever seen anything so fanciful?
The ceilings in most cases are more interesting than the walls.  Let this be a lesson to all of us; no more boring white ceilings!
 You almost need a microscope to take in all of the detail.
Some of the rooms have lost their original decoration but retain the plasterwork like above for a more modern look.
Comparing the same room's ceiling from 2 different angles shows one what a difference the decoration makes.
I hope you enjoyed this peek into the Villa della Regina and found something to inspire you! Thanks again to my Penpal for sharing these gorgeous images. As always click on the photos to view in greater detail.
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Temple of Apollo, Schwetzingen

September 12, 2014, 10:13 am
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The gardens of Schloss Schwetzingen, in Schwetzingen, Germany, are world renowned, even more so than the palace, as they are preserved from the mid 18th century and feature a number of unique areas. The first of these is the Temple of Apollo.
The gardens are a mixture of Italian and English styles, popular at the time, and the temple is set atop terraced walls. Set inside the garden folly is a statue of the Greek god Apollo, the god of the Arts and of light.
They look down to an Italianate fountain which ends at a rounded lawn, perfect as an outdoor amphitheater.
 The guardrails have a beautiful verdigris finish with gilded suns set at the posts. The details of even such a small corner of the gardens are astounding!
Next week I'll bring some special structures from the Garden at Schwetzingen. I hope this leaves you with a taste of whats to come!
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Schwetzingen bathhouse -a private Italian Villa

September 17, 2014, 12:49 pm
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The Schloss Schwetzingen which I mentioned last week (the Temple of Apollo) was essentially a very public space, even in the 18th century before becoming the even more public museum it is today. The elector, in order to get away from 'court life' and from the general public which were allowed into the grounds, built the Badehaus (bathhouse) as a private refuge from what was essentially his 'work'.  Imagine having to live at your office!
Built in the style of an Italian Villa the bathhouse featured not only a small sauna area but also a bedroom & sitting room - a sort of Petit Trianon at Schwetzingen!
While strictly classical I love the sense of playfulness found throughout the details. The round entrance hall is stunning.
Directly off the entry hall is the bath -thats what the building is for afterall!  You may recognize the spaces as they were featured in the May 2009 issue of World of Interiors Magazine (one of my favorites).
You also will catch a rare glimpse of my Australian Penpal in the mirrored door who is kind enough to always share his travel pictures with us here on ArchitectDesign!
Rather than a large palatial room the bedroom is quite residential, even featuring a now out-dated twin sized bed. Seriously - when was the last time you slept in a twin bed? Even kids seem to have bigger beds these days!
Don't miss the chamber pot pulled out of its' little closet with a porthole window for ventilation. Also the Wedgwood vases are unusual to spot in Germany rather than Meissen or another German porcelain.
The room above features a more typical German porcelain chandelier (Dresden or Meissen perhaps?) along with a number of very German looking figurines on the mantelpiece. I hope you enjoyed this very private look at the Schwetzingen Badehaus!
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Weekend finds

September 22, 2014, 10:34 am
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This past weekend was perfect for shopping the local junk and charity shops and just enjoy the weather.  I was so excited to find this antique Italian neoclassical sidechair (and for only $25, no joke) at my favorite Christ Child Opportunity shop.  They've been in Georgetown for generations and support a great cause which is an added bonus.
I look forward to visiting Haute fabrics to find something appropriate for the chair to replace the green Naugahyde. Leather would be nice (calfskin?) but a deep chocolate or rust mohair would be lovely too -what do you think?
At my favorite local junk shop, Miss Pixies, I always find inexpensive silverplate that is my harmless addiction. It's so useful and at $1 a piece you can't go wrong!
 This pattern is by Century Plate and named 'Grosvenor'which seems really Adam-esque (if thats a word) to me.
I also picked up a few forks that match some of my other silver. It's amazing what a difference a little polishing will make - before and after seen above. Did you find anything exciting this weekend?
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Markham Roberts, Decorating the way I see it.

September 26, 2014, 9:29 am
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The fine folks at Vendome Press recently sent me a copy of Markham Roberts new book, Decorating the way I see it, and I spent a happy evening perusing Robert's trademark 'un-decorated' style.
While Roberts modestly claims in the book to not have a trademark style I would disagree.  Each house has the style of its' homeowner graciously pulled together by the talent of the designer.
I hate those blogpost spoilers you so often see that share every image in the book; why purchase the book then? Seen highlighted in this post is one project seen in the book out of many that was previously published by House Beautiful (seen HERE).
The house was originally designed by noted architect H.T. Lindeberg (about whom I have blogged many times HERE) in the Locust Valley section of Long Island and retains all of the era's charm and graceful proportions.
The book is split into HOW Roberts works and starts practically, with the room's floorplan (seen above). Nothing fancy is needed.  The designer sketched the furniture to scale over a drafted floorplan to see how the room functions and what scale of furniture was required.
 The house is a charming brick structure. The room in question is the side wing seen above.
A true sign of any designer's talent is how they live themselves. The last few chapters of the book are devoted to Robert's own homes and the sneak peaks are delightful, particularly his private dressing room seen below where all of his interests collide.
The book Markham Roberts, Decorating the way I see it, is a delightful read full of Robert's obvious charm, modesty, and wit with a peak at some of his many projects which don't scream 'decorated' but rather are gracious homes where people can actually LIVE.
All photography in the book and this post by Nelson Hancock 
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Turkish Pavilion at Schwetzingen

October 3, 2014, 8:51 am
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 Located in the gardens of the Schwetzingen Palace complex (along with the Bathing Pavilion and the Temple of Apollo of which I've blogged) is an unusual structure referred to as the Turkish Pavilion.
Designed by French architect Nicolas de Pigage in 1779, the Pavilion was completed two years later and has recently been totally restored and opened to the public.
Designed primarily as a backdrop to the gardens where concerts were held, the building was later sometimes used by the Islamic community as a Mosque.
A large walled loggia surrounds the concert lawn with interesting Turkish inspired detailing.
The building is strictly European with many sort of "Turkish" bits glued on and the end result is totally of its' time. Think of this as Turkish Chinoiserie; not quite a copy but a European version of the original.
 The details such as the arches look almost Gothic in parts.
 The gardens are in the beautiful English style.
 Notice the brick floor patterns of the loggia.
 The Pavilion does have a small interior and again no detail was over looked.
 Beautiful carved stone is classically European with nods to the Turkish style.
The centerpiece is a large room rising up through the room with a gorgeous domed ceiling allowing light to flood inside.
 The polychromed work is playful without being too over the top.
 Many thanks as always to Neil for providing these luscious photographs to inspire us!
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Shopping at Foxfire antiques, Middleburg

October 7, 2014, 3:30 am
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This past weekend I visited charming Middleburg, Virginia, the heart of Washington equestrian life. While there I shopped -  naturally! One of my favorite finds was the antique & design shop Foxfire.
Located in the heart of town Foxfire features a number of continental antiques, primarily French, but a few in particular caught my eye.
 These French metal armchairs would be great sanded and painted a deep forest green or even black.
I spent a lot of time lounging in these 1930s club chairs with original leather. I love that the seat has been reupholstered in a brown velvet so your legs won't stick or slip on the leather cushion, depending on the time of year.
These artistic mirrors were my favorite piece in the store, though clearly not real antiques. An artist takes a number of different minerals to the backs of regular mirror to create very colorful versions of 'antiqued' mirror (the stylish smoky glass you so often see).
Some versions of this were imprinted with designs but I loved this matching pair of smoky versions (much like traditional antiqued mirror with the addition of color) in warm sunset colors.
The marble top of this antique table was so patterned that at first I thought it was faux-painted. This would make a great kitchen table and remain cool to the touch for baking.
The sides of these upholstered chairs were beautifully detailed with a natural oak finish. Be sure not to miss Foxfire Antiques when you visit Middleburg!
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Michael Hampton Design: Architectural Watercolors -gallery opening

October 10, 2014, 7:21 am
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I'm so proud of my good friend Michael Hampton.  Not only is he a talented designer but did you know he is an accomplished artist as well? Next Friday evening, October 17th, from 6-8 is the opening of a show of his Architectural Watercolors (some pictured here) at Susan Calloway Fine Arts here in Georgetown.
I recently purchased one of his architectural watercolors myself and the amount of time and research he spends on their execution is really impressive. Michael continually hones his watercolor skills through the many recent classes he has taken including ones offered by the ICAA. One can always learn and grow!
If you're in Washington I hope you will take the time to visit Michael's exhibit (on view until November 15) even if you can't make it to the opening at Susan Calloway Fine Arts (October 17, 2014 from 6-8pm).  Also be sure to check out his website for more of his watercolors as well as his design portfolio; prepare to be impressed!
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ICAA tour in DC, Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office

October 15, 2014, 8:16 am
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Join the ICAA next week (Wednesday, Oct 22 2014 from 6:15-8:30 PM) for an exciting tour of the newly restored Clara Barton's Missing Soldiers Office in Washington's recently gentrified Gallery Place / Chinatown.
 image by Pepper Watkins
The tour will include the museum director relating the history of Clara Barton followed by how the research was conducted to fulfill the 16 year conservation and restoration of this forgotten gem from the Civil War era. 2 AIA learning units are available for those who need them and fun will be had by all. Join me there!
image from OLBN architects
The cost is $10 for ICAA members and $25 to the general public. To reserve your spot please email Susan Sapiro at susan.sapiro@classicist-washington.org.  The Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office is located at 437 7th Street NW.
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Elizabeth Hamilton and Peter Fasano at John Rosselli, DC

October 17, 2014, 3:30 am
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I had the pleasure earlier this week of attending a presentation by husband & wife fabric designers Elizabeth Hamilton and Peter Fasano at the beautiful John Rosselli showroom here in Washington earlier this week. I had first heard of the design duo on everyone's favorite design blog Style Court who frequently references their work. Events like this aren't only great learning experiences but a fun chance to catch up with friends.
Due to some unfortunate weather the crew was small but vivacious.  The ever lovely Sally Steponkus, Josh Hildreth, Frank Babb Randolph (who doesn't have a website but then again is a self-professed NON-reader of blogs), and Atlanta's notable blogger 'The Blue Remembered Hills' (amongst others) were on hand to learn about hand printed and hand painted fabrics.
The banter between Elizabeth and Peter was almost as interesting as the discussion of how they produce their fabrics; both those readily available (at John Rosselli) and their custom projects. You probably saw in last month's issue of House Beautiful magazine an article of 4 designers working with them on completely different custom fabric designs.
Naturally the fabric swatches of the husband and wife team are mounted side by side in the showroom.
Peter specialized in hand painted fabrics while they lived in NYC and after their move they've been concentrating more on silk screening. For all the pattern they are known for professionally Peter said in their own house they prefer more texture and no pattern!
As always the showroom was filled with goodies that I wanted to take home. I also loved that the store is scented with delicious candles. It's more like visiting a stylish friend's home instead of a showroom!  I particularly loved the lounge chairs below with the cute drinks table, available in wood or metal. Stop into John Rosselli in Georgetown to see whats new and prepare to be inspired by visiting all of the links I've included in this posting!
Many thanks to the staff at John Rosselli for making me quite at home and all of my dear friends who were in attendance making for such a fun mid-day treat.
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Glamorgan Castle, Alliance Ohio

October 21, 2014, 7:41 am
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 image by don0626 on Flickr
One of my favorite parts of traveling, particularly in the northeast and midwest, is that you never know what you may stumble upon house-wise. Every city or town no matter the size has its area of inspiring houses.
Recently I was in Alliance, Ohio, and stumbled upon a castle. The castle seen here isn't in Wales or Scotland this is small town America!
Glamorgan Castle was built in 1904 by Cleveland architect Willard Hirsh for the Morgan family. Col. Morgan sent Hirsh to travel Wales and study medieval castles to come up with an original design for the family. I wish I could find a client like that!
I was recently reading about porte cocheres on Things that Inspire and this is an impressive example she could have added to her post!
I've never seen such a large porte cochere before, particularly one with a flight of steps up to the front door.
Don't let the scale fool you -this front door is massive.
This enormous ornate 'door knocker' actually isn't a knocker at all but merely decorative. I suppose with a butler in residence a knocker wasn't necessary.
The walls are built of a Vermont marble and the tiles appear to be Ludowici clay tiles which are still manufactured in nearby Ohio.
The upkeep on the property is phenomenal. For the past 20 years the castle has been home to the local Alliance school district. Tours are given on Fridays but unfortunately I just missed it.
The details were all astounding. Not only for their quality (and that they still exist) but also for shear scale.
 These large marble scuppers are found all over the house; probably a copy of medieval originals.
I imagine that the master bedroom is high in the main tower;  Thats where I'd want mine!
 The front door leads one through an enclosed loggia with a crest of the family over the entrance.
These large patinated bronze light posts may be missing their original globes (and sport much too small replacements) but are still impressive.
Based on what I could find online the interior is sadly un-inspired if grand and well preserved. No quirky 'castle' influence mars the period 1905 interiors unlike at Doylestown PA at Mercer and Fonthill.
As an example of the good job that Alliance is doing on preservation the worn marble steps on the kitchen side entrance have been replaced with identical new white marble slabs; Heart warming attention to detail! According to their website they are trying to raise money for the rewiring of original light fixtures. This is the kind of preservation I like to see!
If you find yourself passing through Ohio don't forget to schedule a trip to Glamorgan Castle!
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Couch vs. sofa - a dialogue

October 28, 2014, 3:00 am
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I was thrilled to have lunch recently with one of my favorite bloggers, The Blue Remembered Hills, while he was traveling through DC. As so often happens when bloggers meet for the first time we began chatting at once like old friends and eventually the topic naturally veered towards design.
Both of us have 'pet peeves' with wordage, his being the incorrect use of the word couch instead of sofa (mine is the incorrect use of home vs. house). Above you see the famous couch of Madame Recamier.
The term sofa is what we normally are talking about, the article of furniture found in everyone's living room. It's not a 'formal' term or interchangeable with couch -they are DIFFERENT things. A couch is a specific term reserved for pieces of furniture on which one lies. I immediately thought of Madame Recamier, so well known for having been painted in repose by numerous artists.
While in the Louvre on my last visit I loved Madame Recamier's furniture made for her by Georges Jacob as well as 2 very well known paintings of her, in which she is lying on a couch.
 The rest of her furniture is really beautiful and I just had to have an excuse to post!
In the future think of Madame Recamier on her couch and the sofa you have at home; unless you have a fainting couch or daybed, well then that's another story!
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Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2014, 3:00 am
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Do you decorate for Halloween? I've never been interested in the holiday other than the candy (and I don't even have much of a sweet tooth!) but I do enjoy seeing how people have fun decorating their houses. This house above in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington (recently renovated by BarnesVanze Architects) got into the spirit with this spooky ghost in the vestibule.
Georgetown is particularly spooky over Halloween with many houses decorating their front yards. Trick or treating in Georgetown is INSANE. I loved this corrugated plastic BOO! along O street in the East Village. Don't forget to brush your teeth!
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Window shopping: Artisan lamp

November 5, 2014, 3:12 am
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I hadn't been to my favorite shop, Artisan Lamp Co, in quite awhile so window-shopped the other night. As it turns out thats the best time of day to check out a lighting store!
The store is enormous and they have a larger inventory on their newly revamped website as well as on 1stdibs. They've been carrying a larger number of vintage 'modern' fixtures since they sell well.
 The owner loves to mix up the front window and it changes a few times per week. I especially liked this interesting lamp above.
 And an empire style boulette style lamp is always useful!
What do you think about window shopping? Beats shopping online!
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Hines & Company at the new DC Design Center

November 6, 2014, 1:17 pm
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Last week I attended an event at Hines & Company in the new nearly finished Washington Design Center. I'm happy to report the new design center is a HUGE improvement on the old one (which isn't saying much), spacious and light filled.
The Design Center officially opens in about a week on November 12, 2014, but many of the showrooms are already open for business. Walking into most of these showrooms just make you want to redo your entire house with so much eye candy, which is always a problem!
 I'm dying to find a place for this Zoffany Wallpaper called 'Trade Routes'.
Lighting is one of my many passions ( see all of my previous posts on my favorite antique lighting store, Artisan) and the selection at Hines ranges from the contemporary to the classic.
My favorite lamp was this rock crystal column from Vaughan. It bridges the line between classic and contemporary with a luxe material; it would look great with a gilded and/or black shade.
I always love paisley fabrics, particularly natural linen, and this Fonthill fabric by Stark checked all of the boxes, named Amelie.  Thanks for inviting me Hines & Company and thanks for all of the inspiration too!
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Visiting Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown

November 11, 2014, 3:00 am
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This past weekend offered beautiful fall weather, perfect for our Mid-Atlantic ICAA tour of Dumbarton Oaks arranged by landscape architect and boardmember Jennifer Horn.
Dumbarton Oaks has been owned by Harvard University since the early 1940s and hosts a number of their graduate programs on campus.  Sections of the famous gardens are open to the public and their renowned museum has a separate entrance on 32nd street NW.
Although much changed and constantly evolving, the gardens are the the work of famous landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, seen in the portrait above.
Unfortunately the house is undergoing some renovation work (roof and some structure being replaced) so scaffolding covered the neo-Georgian facade. You can see photos of the house at my earlier post from 2009 HERE.
The library is housed in the wing seen above designed by Thomas Waterman -a really spectacular period room in which one can study the antique landscape books in an elegant setting.
This grotto is only one of the many charming spots to be found throughout the gardens. The modern balustrade is very plain-jane compared to others found throughout the property but I suppose it meets code (most ugly railings do).
One of the best parts of attending the ICAA tours (everyone is welcome btw!) is that you get an opportunity to see many behind the scenes areas not open to the general public.
I had never seen most of the campus before and was thrilled with many of the original structures like the green house above, where plants are still grown for the gardens. The brick structure in the center was originally designed to be the library until someone came to their senses and realized antique books and water don't mix!
Washington is enjoying a spectacular fall this year which doesn't often happen. So often I feel we move directly from summer into winter.
 Many of the older structures such as the garage above have been wonderfully preserved on the exterior while the interiors have been unfortunately gutted and rebuilt in an institutional manner. Don't even ask about some of the modern buildings I'm not showing here and other work done on campus by architectural firm Robert Venturi - the less said there the better ( # inappropriate, # generic, # ugly ).
Many of us architects marveled at the lovely back door above - nicer than the front doors on many houses! Also notice the intricate brick paving patterns designed by Farrand.
The use of ornate brick and stone walls throughout the hilly, terraced gardens is one of my favorite aspects.
 While these are special details, they are to be found throughout the entire property.
Above is one of the many railing designs by Farrand - this may not meet modern day codes but is none-the-less pleasing to the eye.
Even the simple wooden garden bench above has lovely details; notice the scrolled bracket to the sides.
Inside the museum there are more wonderful treasures to check out. I particularly like the antique byzantine mosaics which are built into the flooring. The rather strange addition by Phillip Johnson, celebrating its 50th birthday, is growing on me and is a great example of marrying a modern addition to a classical structure (Robert Venturi take note!). Please join the ICAA on our next adventures and be sure to check out Dumbarton Oaks while in Washington, you won't be disappointed!
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Neues Palais, Potsdam

November 14, 2014, 3:00 am
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Under heavy renovation and possibly finished by 2016, The Neues Palais (or new palace) in Potsdam is one of the more impressive structures in the area. Parts of Potsdam are basically a suburb of immense palaces, now nearly all museums.  There are many excellent books available on the many palaces and the area itself.
The Neues Palais wasn't meant as a home for the King when it was completed in 1769 but rather as official state apartments for entertaining other royals and ambassadors. Therefore it was built to impress and not necessarily be very homey for the monarch who retained a small apartment in the palace.
Opposite the palace (above) are the Communs (seen below), creating an entry courtyard. The Communs held the kitchens, service spaces, and offices for the palace - a sort of 'downstairs' if you will. The king had underground passages built connect the Palais to the Communs so servants could get between the buildings unseen but also undeterred by weather.
The ornate interiors are astounding. Designed in the Baroque style favored by the king they're beginning to show traces of upcoming Neoclassicism. Frederick the Great didn't like the strict lines of Neoclassicism so you have to look hard though!
The palace was originally designed by Johann Gottfried Buring.  Buring had completed other buildings in Potsdam for the king but was fired from the job after it was started after disagreements on the palace facade. Perhaps Buring wanted to bring in the 'new' Neoclassicm.
 I don't know, I think some of the rooms look pretty Neoclassical to me, wouldn't you agree? They could have been remodeled at a later date.
 The floors in the palace are stunning. The parquet floor above looks absolutely modern to my eyes.
 Carl von Gontard took over construction of the palace after Buring's dismissal.
 The salon above is really interesting -I love how the treatment continues to the ceiling.
Almost a sort of garden room. Also notice the modern light fixtures which are hung holding all of the modern necessities like security.
While these modern fixtures might seem strange to some, I like that they don't damage any of the delicate walls and finishes and stand separate and discreet as their own 'thing'. Europeans do this exceptionally well.
 More gorgeous parquet floors, almost like fine furniture.
 After awhile all of these grand rooms start to look the same; gold, gold, and more gold.
 I think we need to bring back the use of bed niches.
I imagine particularly in the 18th century Germany the alcoves felt really cozy and warm before central heating.
 More gorgeous painted paneling - chinoiserie here. No gold here!
The palace was later used by successive monarchs as a full time residence and it was therefore renovated with modern conveniences. I love the Victorian heat grate above.
But not all of the rooms are gold. A number of rooms are silver gilded like the bedroom below. I suppose the silver would reflect candlelight just as well if not better than the gold gilding.
As always thanks so much to my Australian penpal Neil for supplying us with these gorgeous images from his travels. If you find yourself in Berlin a visit out to Potsdam is really heavily encouraged: read more about visiting Potsdam palaces here.
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decorative lamp shades

November 20, 2014, 6:21 am
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Lampshades don't always have to be white (or my much preferred black with gold foil interior).  These sconce shades in a house decorated by talented Katie Ridder are a reminder of that fact and add such a nice detail, or layer, to the room in question.  Ridder is wife to architect Peter Pennoyer; talk about the designing duo of talent!
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