I was having dinner with my wife and a friend three days ago, and I found out that there was a new interior designer in town (its a very small circle). In further discussion, I find out that this new designer is not an educated designer at all, but a former garden landscaper who felt like he had the "talent" to go into the business. Well, that is all I needed to get on my soapbox!
Who do these people think they are that they can just put out a shingle and called themselves "designers" without any training, without any education, without any experience? Can you name any other professions where someone can do the same thing (you can't count most other creative professions)? I went to college for the same amount of time that an urban planner or a landscape architect does, yet no one can just jump into those professions. Can I just decide one day to become a surgeon and walk into a hospital and operate? NO. But for some reason, interior design does not require the same respect as other professions in most people's eyes. A potential client can walk into someone's house for a party, like how it is "decorated", and ask the host on the spot if they would consider designing their home. Does that person know how good of a business person the decorator is? Can they do multiple "looks", or are they a one note Johnny? Most importantly, how deep is their knowledge of the principles of design so that they will not manufacture anything in error?
I just think this is outrageous. The average person will usually look for the credentials of a person that will be handling their health care, their automobile, or even their lawn maintenance. But they will hire any Tom, Dick, or Harry to do one of the most important places in their life, their home.
And where do these "know-nothing" people think they can just waltz right in and take another piece of the clientele "pie" from all of us who are certified, struggling, interior designers? These are the people who have NO respect for the profession and who are too stupid (harsh?) to realize that there is more to what we do than picking out wallpaper for a bathroom. I know of another "interior designer" in town who has no knowledge of structure, and still he gets clients! If you wanted to remodel your home, he could not provide the initial designs before they would be turned over to an architect or a contractor. Why would anyone use this person? It is a frustrating mystery to me.
And let me briefly say about what the average client thinks we "deserve" to charge. I have graduated with a BA in interior design from an accredited design program, I have worked in this industry for 25 years, and my design firm has gotten multiple design awards from the Chicago Homebuilder's Association. Yet, do clients look at our charges and think,"Well, that looks right. And I AM paying for his expertise as well". Very few do. It is always a negotiation, like we shouldn't have spent as long looking for the sofa for the lining room, so lets knock off 2 hours of that charge. WHAT? If they thought it was so easy, why didn't they look for their sofa? But because all of us are starving these days, we take it and say,"Thank you. May I have some more?". And don't get me started on how so many clients totally disregard the contract that they sign with the unspoken message,"try and sue me."
I bet that you think that the architectural profession treats us as equals, as we often have to work together on projects. Wrong again. We are looked upon as the steriotypical "interior DECORATOR" who doesn't know sh_t from shinola. We are looked at with annoyance at joint meetings until we prove ourselves to them that we do know what we are doing and can even point out things that are wrong with the plans that they did not catch. I always LOVE that moment when I make that first valid point that catches the architect off guard and I can see it in his face. Usually, from that point on, he does treat me differently.
So, my friends, if any of you out there are passionate about becoming an interior designer, I will not discourage you, because I LOVE what I do. But realize that just because you have a degree and possibly even some adavanced education as well, and maybe have won an award or two for your work, you will still have to work every day at proving you deserve your client's or your fellow subcontractor's respect. It is a wonderfully fulfilling career, but you have to generate your respect and pride from within, and don't expect anyone to just give it to you. And, as you accumulate the years of design work, you will cringe less and less when someone calls you an interior decorator, and my even let it pass without correcting them. Because the only person who knows the difference is you.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Vintage--wihtout the grapes
I was looking one of the last "Pottery Barn" issues, and the title was "Vintage Style", which got me thinking. When I mention the word "vintage", what comes to your mind? Victorian antiques? Things that were in your grandmother's house? Things that belong in a museum? And what does "vintage" look like to you?
The truth is, vintage means something different to everyone, depending on where you grew up. For those of us who grew up in the Midwest, vintage means old iron beds with chipped paint; simple, wooden shaker nightstands with glass knobs (painted or stained); homespun looking quilts, tin ceilings; and most any non-manufactured furniture piece made from zebra-grained oak. I have only mentioned a few elements. There are many more.
On the eastern seaboard north of the Carolinas, vintage can be more classic, with furniture styles from Queen Anne, to Hepplewhite, to Adams. This is because of the direct influence this area had had from England when it was first being settled, as well as very masterful cabinet makers who resided there. And you'll also find more interesting woods used, such as cherry, walnut, and pecan, because they were all indigenous to the area. You'll still see quilts, but they will be made out of finer materials, such as silks and velvets. In fact, most everything crafted on the east coast had a finer design to it. And if the piece was made close to a coastal port, there will be nautical themes present too.
On the west coast, the people who crafted vintage furniture, etc. were inspired by the ocean and the tropical trees and flowers. Hard woods were not as plentiful, so they used bamboo and reeds to form wicker and rattan materials. Here is where you will find vintage deck chairs and cabana furniture. Instead of the fabrics being of cotton with small prairie flowers like in the Midwest, or formal images like cabbage roses on glazed cotton, the west coast had more coarsely woven fabrics that even had visible slubs sometimes. This added texture went perfectly with the more textural wicker and rattan furniture that they had. And, of course, the images printed on their fabrics were often palm trees and hibiscus flowers, as that was what was all around them. You can find even some whimsy in some of the furniture and accessories, reflecting the fun, care free attitude a west coast person had.
So you can see that the word "vintage" does not just mean one thing or style. It relies on the area of the country that the piece came from as to what vintage "look" it has. Upper east coast has classical English influences, the Midwest has more rustic, prairie influences, and the west coast has a more textural, tropical influence. Depending on what vintage look you want will determine what part of the country you need to visit to find your treasures.
Shown below are some images illustrating what I mean. Write back to me and let me know how you feel about what I have written!
Here is a vintage Franklin desk from the east.
This is a vintage federal lamp that you would also find in the east.
Pictured is a classic cherry, vintage Queen Anne high boy, common in the eastern states.
Now we have traveled to Midwestern vintage. Notice the use of calico and prairie-influenced images on the fabrics.
The cupboard, bench and even clapboard walls all scream out Midwestern vintage (not so much the large sea turtle on the wall).
Can't you just see "Aunti Em" from The Wizard of Oz stepping out of this kitchen? Soooo Midwestern.
Check out the freshness of this vintage California bedroom. A wicker nightstand and a bamboo vanity chair bring in that texture.
These were usually used on the porch or patio, but I have seen pictures of these being used inside the home as well.
I wanted to include some vintage accessories too. Notice how this earthenware from California is glazed in all of the colors of the ocean.
The truth is, vintage means something different to everyone, depending on where you grew up. For those of us who grew up in the Midwest, vintage means old iron beds with chipped paint; simple, wooden shaker nightstands with glass knobs (painted or stained); homespun looking quilts, tin ceilings; and most any non-manufactured furniture piece made from zebra-grained oak. I have only mentioned a few elements. There are many more.
On the eastern seaboard north of the Carolinas, vintage can be more classic, with furniture styles from Queen Anne, to Hepplewhite, to Adams. This is because of the direct influence this area had had from England when it was first being settled, as well as very masterful cabinet makers who resided there. And you'll also find more interesting woods used, such as cherry, walnut, and pecan, because they were all indigenous to the area. You'll still see quilts, but they will be made out of finer materials, such as silks and velvets. In fact, most everything crafted on the east coast had a finer design to it. And if the piece was made close to a coastal port, there will be nautical themes present too.
On the west coast, the people who crafted vintage furniture, etc. were inspired by the ocean and the tropical trees and flowers. Hard woods were not as plentiful, so they used bamboo and reeds to form wicker and rattan materials. Here is where you will find vintage deck chairs and cabana furniture. Instead of the fabrics being of cotton with small prairie flowers like in the Midwest, or formal images like cabbage roses on glazed cotton, the west coast had more coarsely woven fabrics that even had visible slubs sometimes. This added texture went perfectly with the more textural wicker and rattan furniture that they had. And, of course, the images printed on their fabrics were often palm trees and hibiscus flowers, as that was what was all around them. You can find even some whimsy in some of the furniture and accessories, reflecting the fun, care free attitude a west coast person had.
So you can see that the word "vintage" does not just mean one thing or style. It relies on the area of the country that the piece came from as to what vintage "look" it has. Upper east coast has classical English influences, the Midwest has more rustic, prairie influences, and the west coast has a more textural, tropical influence. Depending on what vintage look you want will determine what part of the country you need to visit to find your treasures.
Shown below are some images illustrating what I mean. Write back to me and let me know how you feel about what I have written!
Here is a vintage Franklin desk from the east.
This is a vintage federal lamp that you would also find in the east.
Pictured is a classic cherry, vintage Queen Anne high boy, common in the eastern states.
Now we have traveled to Midwestern vintage. Notice the use of calico and prairie-influenced images on the fabrics.
The cupboard, bench and even clapboard walls all scream out Midwestern vintage (not so much the large sea turtle on the wall).
Can't you just see "Aunti Em" from The Wizard of Oz stepping out of this kitchen? Soooo Midwestern.
Check out the freshness of this vintage California bedroom. A wicker nightstand and a bamboo vanity chair bring in that texture.
These were usually used on the porch or patio, but I have seen pictures of these being used inside the home as well.
I wanted to include some vintage accessories too. Notice how this earthenware from California is glazed in all of the colors of the ocean.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Naturally Comfortable---Bringing the Outdoors In
It seems like everyone these days is all about making everything in their life "green". The environment is one of the top concerns of multiple generations, and the focus on our outdoors has created an interest in having our interiors have the feeling, if not the colorations of the outdoors. We also are seeing more directly the use of recyclable materials in the backgrounds of our spaces, such as bamboo floors, slate floors and counters, and rattan to name a few. So in the quest to make your rooms more like the outdoors, lets look at why we are wanting this, and what are different ways to achieve it. Finally, I will have illustrations of what I have spoken about so you don't have to recreate my concepts in your mind.
The most obvious way to have the outdoors come inside is to bring in live plants to your spaces. I know that they have come out with some good silk imitations, but there is nothing that is silk that can recreate the variations in color within one leaf, or the shadowing a real plant makes when up lit. I hear a lot of you now saying,"I have indoor plant death syndrome"! You are not alone (my wife is also one of you). THE most common reason for killing a plant is in either over watering or under watering it. If you don't understand the watering instructions for a plant you have just brought home, go to your local nursery and ask someone who deals with plants all of the time to SHOW you what the instructions mean. The second most common reason is that the plant is in a place where it either doesn't get enough light, or it gets too much light. This should be your main criteria when buying a new plant. If you need it for a room that gets very little natural daylight, then DO NOT choose a plant that requires sun 75% of the day! It will NOT adapt---it WILL die. There are all sorts of plants out there that can survive in a wide variety of conditions. Just buy one for the correct lighting and stay true to the amount of water it needs and you will have a thriving plant.
Elements from nature are predictable, as they are around us all of the time. Because of this, they are calming and comfortable, like an old pair of jeans you've had forever. The four elements of nature are earth, fire, air, and water, and when you parallel any of these elements in an interior, you are recreating some of what makes up the comfort of outdoors in your own home. If you ever hear anyone say that there is no psychology behind interior design, they are completely wrong. The whole approach to making your interior spaces feel more like the outdoors is at least 50% psychological.
The most influential part of making your space feel inspired by nature is color. Color on the walls, ceiling trim, fabrics, and accessories all play a big part in completing that goal. When you walk outside, you will see an endless combination of colors from nature that you can put together to create the pallet for your room or rooms. I will list some colors that I particularily like, and then you can take it from there. Colors I like from nature include: leaf green, grass green, pebble beige, bark brown, earth brown, stone grey, sky blue, ocean blue, ocean green, white cloud, foamy water white, sun yellow, firey yellow-orange, and stormy grey.
The backgrounds you use for a space are crucial in how the space ultimately feels. Backgrounds include the wall and ceiling colors, whether the trim is stained or painted and the flooring materials, to name the main ones. In one of my first postings, I wrote about what to look out for if you are wanting the paint you use to be "green" friendly. And we just finished talking about paint color. So next we should talk about whether you have stained or painted trim. Neither choice is wrong. Stained woodwork brings your trim to the forefront in your space, making it a decisive part of your scheme. Because it is natural, it obviously has that feeling of nature that you wanted. But if you paint it, it still can give you that feeling. The wood element will be a part of the subconcious make-up of your space, whereas the color will take the forefront. The more trim you have, whether it is painted or stained, the more that natural feeling will be a part of your room. Flooring is the next backgound to examine. Again, natural is what it all is about right now, so there have been a lot of new material introduced lately, as well as some old ones that have been reurected. Some of these materials can also be used on various countertops through out your home. Some of them are: Wood, slate, granite, marble, limestone, cork, and bamboo. They all have their own specific characteristics, so it is very important to find out what these are before you commit to buying anything. Additonal things that can be added to your backgrounds would be beams on your ceiling, either rough or finished; wainscoting from the floor to 40"+ up on the wall; or various types of wood mingled together in a herringbone or some other floor pattern. On top of these floors, a nice natural thing you can bring in is a sisle or jute rug. Or your funiture can be made of rattan, or have caning inserted into the back &/or the seats of your chairs. The list goes on.
The whole approach for the look you want will depend on how "outdoorsy" you want to make the space. A very formal interior can have influences from the outdoors in its make-up. I have a picture to illustrate this. Or you can swing to the other side of the pendulum to a log home with a split log interior and a cast iron wood stove in your living room. Decide the amount of outside influences you want to have, and then decide if you want these influences to be overtly outdoors looking, or if you just want the calming and soothing effects in your space that the outdoors does to you. The illustrations listed below will clarify any questions you might have. Let me know what you think about this posting, or give me any questions you might have.
This pretty simple interior looks very comfortable by using natural elements. From the colors to the natural fabrics to the stone floor, a lot of the outdoors has made its way into this room.
This room has a very transitional style, but they used natural fabrics, a wood floor, colors from nature, and accessories from nature to give it a soothing feeling.
An existing wood floor was refinished to begin this room's renovation. The beams, the wood ceiling, the natural colors, and the feather motif on the screen all help to add that touch of nature that makes this a very comfortable space.
Here is a very formal space that doesn't seem cold or uninviting because of the use of nature in its formation. The wood floor, the stone fireplace, the live plant, and the colors from nature combine to accomplish this.
Another transitional interior seems almost spa-like from its use of natural elements. They used natural fabrics and colors, a wood floor, wood moldings on the walls, natural accessories, and a stone top cocktail table to create a calming and comfortable space.
I wanted to show a very contemporary photograph of how natural elements can work in these interiors. First, they used natural colors to soften the hard tendencies of a contemporary look. Then, they added actual items from nature, like the skull on the wall, the long bowl filled with horns and bones and antlers, and the tall goblet filled with more bones. The colors of the rug and flooring really anchors the whole look.
Wow, could they have used more elements from nature for the backgrounds of this room? Rough hewn beams and wood ceiling give this space its immediate impact. Other items from the outdoors include the live plants, the stone floor, the river rocks in the fireplace opening, and the accessories. Natural colors and fabrics fill out the list that created such a warm and cozy space.
The "green" aspect comes to play in this kitchen, where they have reused two antique tables to function as islands. The beams, the natural wood trim, and the stone floor all show off their natural origins, and the use of natural colors finishes off a very warm but dramatic kitchen.
An interior that uses elements of nature doesn't always have to be muted, as is shown in this photo. What could have been a garrish step back into the 1970's was saved by including a beautifully stained and distressed ceiling, a stone floor and fireplace, and live plants. Use of natural fabrics, and colors and accessories from nature finish out the room. There is a little "pop" to the overall calmness here.
This space is the epitome of what my post is all about. They used wood wainscoting almost to the ceiling, but then took the remaining wall space and the ceiling and put natural raffia wall covering on it. The furniture is sea grass, they used a live plant on the cocktail table, and accessories from nature as well. They capped it off by using natural fabrics, colors from nature, and a seascape. How much more influenced by nature can you get?
The most obvious way to have the outdoors come inside is to bring in live plants to your spaces. I know that they have come out with some good silk imitations, but there is nothing that is silk that can recreate the variations in color within one leaf, or the shadowing a real plant makes when up lit. I hear a lot of you now saying,"I have indoor plant death syndrome"! You are not alone (my wife is also one of you). THE most common reason for killing a plant is in either over watering or under watering it. If you don't understand the watering instructions for a plant you have just brought home, go to your local nursery and ask someone who deals with plants all of the time to SHOW you what the instructions mean. The second most common reason is that the plant is in a place where it either doesn't get enough light, or it gets too much light. This should be your main criteria when buying a new plant. If you need it for a room that gets very little natural daylight, then DO NOT choose a plant that requires sun 75% of the day! It will NOT adapt---it WILL die. There are all sorts of plants out there that can survive in a wide variety of conditions. Just buy one for the correct lighting and stay true to the amount of water it needs and you will have a thriving plant.
Elements from nature are predictable, as they are around us all of the time. Because of this, they are calming and comfortable, like an old pair of jeans you've had forever. The four elements of nature are earth, fire, air, and water, and when you parallel any of these elements in an interior, you are recreating some of what makes up the comfort of outdoors in your own home. If you ever hear anyone say that there is no psychology behind interior design, they are completely wrong. The whole approach to making your interior spaces feel more like the outdoors is at least 50% psychological.
The most influential part of making your space feel inspired by nature is color. Color on the walls, ceiling trim, fabrics, and accessories all play a big part in completing that goal. When you walk outside, you will see an endless combination of colors from nature that you can put together to create the pallet for your room or rooms. I will list some colors that I particularily like, and then you can take it from there. Colors I like from nature include: leaf green, grass green, pebble beige, bark brown, earth brown, stone grey, sky blue, ocean blue, ocean green, white cloud, foamy water white, sun yellow, firey yellow-orange, and stormy grey.
The backgrounds you use for a space are crucial in how the space ultimately feels. Backgrounds include the wall and ceiling colors, whether the trim is stained or painted and the flooring materials, to name the main ones. In one of my first postings, I wrote about what to look out for if you are wanting the paint you use to be "green" friendly. And we just finished talking about paint color. So next we should talk about whether you have stained or painted trim. Neither choice is wrong. Stained woodwork brings your trim to the forefront in your space, making it a decisive part of your scheme. Because it is natural, it obviously has that feeling of nature that you wanted. But if you paint it, it still can give you that feeling. The wood element will be a part of the subconcious make-up of your space, whereas the color will take the forefront. The more trim you have, whether it is painted or stained, the more that natural feeling will be a part of your room. Flooring is the next backgound to examine. Again, natural is what it all is about right now, so there have been a lot of new material introduced lately, as well as some old ones that have been reurected. Some of these materials can also be used on various countertops through out your home. Some of them are: Wood, slate, granite, marble, limestone, cork, and bamboo. They all have their own specific characteristics, so it is very important to find out what these are before you commit to buying anything. Additonal things that can be added to your backgrounds would be beams on your ceiling, either rough or finished; wainscoting from the floor to 40"+ up on the wall; or various types of wood mingled together in a herringbone or some other floor pattern. On top of these floors, a nice natural thing you can bring in is a sisle or jute rug. Or your funiture can be made of rattan, or have caning inserted into the back &/or the seats of your chairs. The list goes on.
The whole approach for the look you want will depend on how "outdoorsy" you want to make the space. A very formal interior can have influences from the outdoors in its make-up. I have a picture to illustrate this. Or you can swing to the other side of the pendulum to a log home with a split log interior and a cast iron wood stove in your living room. Decide the amount of outside influences you want to have, and then decide if you want these influences to be overtly outdoors looking, or if you just want the calming and soothing effects in your space that the outdoors does to you. The illustrations listed below will clarify any questions you might have. Let me know what you think about this posting, or give me any questions you might have.
This pretty simple interior looks very comfortable by using natural elements. From the colors to the natural fabrics to the stone floor, a lot of the outdoors has made its way into this room.
This room has a very transitional style, but they used natural fabrics, a wood floor, colors from nature, and accessories from nature to give it a soothing feeling.
An existing wood floor was refinished to begin this room's renovation. The beams, the wood ceiling, the natural colors, and the feather motif on the screen all help to add that touch of nature that makes this a very comfortable space.
Here is a very formal space that doesn't seem cold or uninviting because of the use of nature in its formation. The wood floor, the stone fireplace, the live plant, and the colors from nature combine to accomplish this.
Another transitional interior seems almost spa-like from its use of natural elements. They used natural fabrics and colors, a wood floor, wood moldings on the walls, natural accessories, and a stone top cocktail table to create a calming and comfortable space.
I wanted to show a very contemporary photograph of how natural elements can work in these interiors. First, they used natural colors to soften the hard tendencies of a contemporary look. Then, they added actual items from nature, like the skull on the wall, the long bowl filled with horns and bones and antlers, and the tall goblet filled with more bones. The colors of the rug and flooring really anchors the whole look.
Wow, could they have used more elements from nature for the backgrounds of this room? Rough hewn beams and wood ceiling give this space its immediate impact. Other items from the outdoors include the live plants, the stone floor, the river rocks in the fireplace opening, and the accessories. Natural colors and fabrics fill out the list that created such a warm and cozy space.
The "green" aspect comes to play in this kitchen, where they have reused two antique tables to function as islands. The beams, the natural wood trim, and the stone floor all show off their natural origins, and the use of natural colors finishes off a very warm but dramatic kitchen.
An interior that uses elements of nature doesn't always have to be muted, as is shown in this photo. What could have been a garrish step back into the 1970's was saved by including a beautifully stained and distressed ceiling, a stone floor and fireplace, and live plants. Use of natural fabrics, and colors and accessories from nature finish out the room. There is a little "pop" to the overall calmness here.
This space is the epitome of what my post is all about. They used wood wainscoting almost to the ceiling, but then took the remaining wall space and the ceiling and put natural raffia wall covering on it. The furniture is sea grass, they used a live plant on the cocktail table, and accessories from nature as well. They capped it off by using natural fabrics, colors from nature, and a seascape. How much more influenced by nature can you get?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Is the Room Well Done or Overdone?
There have been so many times when friends finish a room on their own and then ask my wife and me over to get our opinion. And so many times they ask, "Is it too much, or is it OK?" Sometimes we luck out and our friend has hit it right on, and then there are other times where we have to pull out the diplomacy and gracefully mention what things are bad that are changeable without too much additional cost. I think this topic will be best served by illustrating it with pictures rather than with my text (my wife is applauding in the background). The elements to think about when you are looking at my pictures are:
My term for this interior would be "rustic elegance". What makes this a well done interior is that the designer knew how to balance the textures of the ceiling, the floor, the lamps, the night tables and the cocktail table with smoother textures in the room. The basically monochromatic color scheme based on a mid-tone color of burlap softens any use of pattern in the space. Thus, the striped bed bolster, and the three patterned loveseat pillows exist harmoniously together. I love the addition of the iron on the cocktail table as an unexpected texture and as another element of rusticity.
This beautiful, traditional interior has a lot of elements involved in its make-up, but notice how there is essentially 2-3 neutral colors that make up the majority of colors used. This allows the designer to bring in many fabric patterns using an accent color of soft blue and not make the space too busy. A wonderfully unexpected rustic wood cocktail stays in the established neutral tones, but takes some of the staid quality out of the space.
So many times an ultra traditional interior looks overdone because the designer felt like there needed to be tons of accessories on every surface and all of the wall space needed to be filled. This room, however, works well because the opposite was done. The cocktail table is very reserved in its accessorization, and the pictures on the wall are even smaller than one would expect. But the bookcases are treated similarly, and by doing so, create a formal balance in the room that is reintroduced by the two brown chairs flanking the normal size cocktail table. The fact that through the middle of this picture the color pallet is very monochromatic tones down what could be a visually much busier room.
If you can notice the scale of this room, it has very large proportions. The designer brought the room into human scale by painting out the paneled walls a soft blue color, thereby luring your eye down to the upholstery level of the room by removing the distraction of all of the squares. All of the furniture has very simple lines, even the walnut chest in the background. Further room unification occurs through the wood tones of the lyre-based tea table, the chest and the front door. A spark of gold leaf on the round cocktail table and the two candle sticks brings some interest and excitement into this very soft, soothing space.
I love this bedroom. The only complex pattern is at the head and the foot of the bed. The two chairs at the foot of the bed mimic the shape and feeling of the headboard so much so that at a quick glance, they look like the bed's footboard. The fabric on the chairs has the same muddy, old world quality that the painted headboard does, giving the bed a unified feeling. Take away the picture above the bed, and the night chests would look like two big, black blobs flanking an otherwise softer pallet. The artwork creates a triad, of sorts, in black. Any other patterns on the bed are subservient to the rest of the room as they are kept in the same color family. The one "pop" comes from the decorative bolster that contains all of the colors that are in the headboard.
Now, I know. You're looking at this picture saying, "Why is this not overdone?" The designer wisely chose to paint the walls and the ceiling the same tone of white creating a buffer for all of the blue in the room. Also, there are a variety of blues used here, and they are found in a variety of scaled patterns. And even though the sofa pattern in and of itself could be considered "busy", the simplicity of everything else in the space softens the pattern. Also, the addition of deep wood tones anchors the room and takes some focus away from the blue.
You're saying, "Wow, no way is this not overdone!" "I couldn't live in all of that color." I wanted to show you that you can have fun with a beach home (this is on the East Coast) and not have to resort to sailboats and awning stripes. And since it is a second home, you can be more daring with colors. The aqua of the drapes and the background of the sofa draws the aqua from the ocean into the room. The orange chairs and the flowers on the sofa tie in perfectly together and establish a color rhythm for the table top. The natural wood floor and the wooden dining table absorb the intensity of the colors everywhere else, as does the white walls and ceiling. The slatted ceiling is a fun touch.
Using this tapestry as the main artwork for this room could have started a downward spiral of too many patterns and too many colors. But this designer was smart and used the tapestry as the spoke that everything else pivots around. All of the upholstery is neutral, and the pillows are solid colors from the hanging, except for the great dragon pillow on the loveseat. The only exception that I take with this room is the paisley pattern on the French armchair. I wish that the red tones in the fabric we just a little bit more orange. The ceiling and walls are painted out the same color as the loveseat which unifies the space.
What a dramatic room! What makes this room work is the combination of the bold yellow balancing out the large scale of the floor, the table, the chandelier, and the striping of the walls. Also notice the strong geometry of the objects in the space. Diamonds, squares, circles, and rectangles all play a role in the balance of the room. And keeping the chairs in an off-white material lets the eye truly appreciate what the space is saying.
Now, for the overdone spaces.
Where do I begin? All of the fabric textures are the same giving the viewer no relief. The colors used everywhere are all of the same value, making everything look murky and muddy. And the scale of everything is oversized, so nothing has the ability to show itself off. This is an advertisement for a furniture line, so I will cut them some slack since a professional designer didn't do this (I hope). But don't you think that they would want their pieces to compliment each other so the picture isn't so painful to look at?
Some designers consider this a viable look--very English garden. But I think that there are way too many fabric patterns that, to me, don't relate well enough to be used together. And the scales of the patterns are also too similar that it makes it hard to look at both of the chairs together. I also feel that there are too many, what I call "look at me" items in the room, causing the viewer confusion as to where to look first. And is that tiger print hassock in front of the background chair really necessary? I'm just not a fan.
OMG! Again, this is an advertisement for a shop in Dallas, Texas0C VB , but did they really think that they needed to put EVERYTHING in their line in the photo? I included this shot to illustrate the point of too many elements. There is stuff everywhere, and it makes you dizzy to look at the picture. If this were a real interior, you would need to simplify the dining table, decide on whether you wanted to use the rug or the tapestry, but NOT both. Take most of the copper pots off of the wall and just display 3-5 of them. And simplify the top of the armoire and the French cupboard (maybe even having nothing on top of the cupboard). And it goes without saying to get rid of the kiddies' table and chairs. And, finally, paint a nice, normal color on the walls rather than that vibrating orchid color.
I bet the kitchen designer that did this kitchen would have gone to the big sub-zero in the sky if they had seen how this kitchen was accessorized. I dare you to try and find ANY open counter space (except on the island). It ends up looking just junky when you have no space to separate groups of accessories. Accessories are the final element that balances out a room, so it is really one of the most important steps of the design process. Having too few accessories can make a space look sterile and uninviting. Having too many can make you feel claustrophobic and agitated. After you set up some accessories in a room, step back and look at what you have done. Then analyze what the rest of the room needs based on what you have already done. Take it one step at a time, and you will be able to recognize when you should be finished.
It can be a fine line between well done and overdone, so if you are in doubt, bring in other opinions BEFORE you are done with the space. Or, better yet, hire a qualified interior designer that you trust, and that person can educate you as you go through the steps to having a well-done interior. Let me know what you think about what I have said, or if you still have questions, put them in the comments and I'll get back to you.
- Color
- Pattern
- Texture
- Scale
- Balance
- Quantity of any one element
My term for this interior would be "rustic elegance". What makes this a well done interior is that the designer knew how to balance the textures of the ceiling, the floor, the lamps, the night tables and the cocktail table with smoother textures in the room. The basically monochromatic color scheme based on a mid-tone color of burlap softens any use of pattern in the space. Thus, the striped bed bolster, and the three patterned loveseat pillows exist harmoniously together. I love the addition of the iron on the cocktail table as an unexpected texture and as another element of rusticity.
This beautiful, traditional interior has a lot of elements involved in its make-up, but notice how there is essentially 2-3 neutral colors that make up the majority of colors used. This allows the designer to bring in many fabric patterns using an accent color of soft blue and not make the space too busy. A wonderfully unexpected rustic wood cocktail stays in the established neutral tones, but takes some of the staid quality out of the space.
So many times an ultra traditional interior looks overdone because the designer felt like there needed to be tons of accessories on every surface and all of the wall space needed to be filled. This room, however, works well because the opposite was done. The cocktail table is very reserved in its accessorization, and the pictures on the wall are even smaller than one would expect. But the bookcases are treated similarly, and by doing so, create a formal balance in the room that is reintroduced by the two brown chairs flanking the normal size cocktail table. The fact that through the middle of this picture the color pallet is very monochromatic tones down what could be a visually much busier room.
If you can notice the scale of this room, it has very large proportions. The designer brought the room into human scale by painting out the paneled walls a soft blue color, thereby luring your eye down to the upholstery level of the room by removing the distraction of all of the squares. All of the furniture has very simple lines, even the walnut chest in the background. Further room unification occurs through the wood tones of the lyre-based tea table, the chest and the front door. A spark of gold leaf on the round cocktail table and the two candle sticks brings some interest and excitement into this very soft, soothing space.
I love this bedroom. The only complex pattern is at the head and the foot of the bed. The two chairs at the foot of the bed mimic the shape and feeling of the headboard so much so that at a quick glance, they look like the bed's footboard. The fabric on the chairs has the same muddy, old world quality that the painted headboard does, giving the bed a unified feeling. Take away the picture above the bed, and the night chests would look like two big, black blobs flanking an otherwise softer pallet. The artwork creates a triad, of sorts, in black. Any other patterns on the bed are subservient to the rest of the room as they are kept in the same color family. The one "pop" comes from the decorative bolster that contains all of the colors that are in the headboard.
Now, I know. You're looking at this picture saying, "Why is this not overdone?" The designer wisely chose to paint the walls and the ceiling the same tone of white creating a buffer for all of the blue in the room. Also, there are a variety of blues used here, and they are found in a variety of scaled patterns. And even though the sofa pattern in and of itself could be considered "busy", the simplicity of everything else in the space softens the pattern. Also, the addition of deep wood tones anchors the room and takes some focus away from the blue.
You're saying, "Wow, no way is this not overdone!" "I couldn't live in all of that color." I wanted to show you that you can have fun with a beach home (this is on the East Coast) and not have to resort to sailboats and awning stripes. And since it is a second home, you can be more daring with colors. The aqua of the drapes and the background of the sofa draws the aqua from the ocean into the room. The orange chairs and the flowers on the sofa tie in perfectly together and establish a color rhythm for the table top. The natural wood floor and the wooden dining table absorb the intensity of the colors everywhere else, as does the white walls and ceiling. The slatted ceiling is a fun touch.
Using this tapestry as the main artwork for this room could have started a downward spiral of too many patterns and too many colors. But this designer was smart and used the tapestry as the spoke that everything else pivots around. All of the upholstery is neutral, and the pillows are solid colors from the hanging, except for the great dragon pillow on the loveseat. The only exception that I take with this room is the paisley pattern on the French armchair. I wish that the red tones in the fabric we just a little bit more orange. The ceiling and walls are painted out the same color as the loveseat which unifies the space.
What a dramatic room! What makes this room work is the combination of the bold yellow balancing out the large scale of the floor, the table, the chandelier, and the striping of the walls. Also notice the strong geometry of the objects in the space. Diamonds, squares, circles, and rectangles all play a role in the balance of the room. And keeping the chairs in an off-white material lets the eye truly appreciate what the space is saying.Now, for the overdone spaces.
Where do I begin? All of the fabric textures are the same giving the viewer no relief. The colors used everywhere are all of the same value, making everything look murky and muddy. And the scale of everything is oversized, so nothing has the ability to show itself off. This is an advertisement for a furniture line, so I will cut them some slack since a professional designer didn't do this (I hope). But don't you think that they would want their pieces to compliment each other so the picture isn't so painful to look at?
Some designers consider this a viable look--very English garden. But I think that there are way too many fabric patterns that, to me, don't relate well enough to be used together. And the scales of the patterns are also too similar that it makes it hard to look at both of the chairs together. I also feel that there are too many, what I call "look at me" items in the room, causing the viewer confusion as to where to look first. And is that tiger print hassock in front of the background chair really necessary? I'm just not a fan.
OMG! Again, this is an advertisement for a shop in Dallas, Texas0C VB , but did they really think that they needed to put EVERYTHING in their line in the photo? I included this shot to illustrate the point of too many elements. There is stuff everywhere, and it makes you dizzy to look at the picture. If this were a real interior, you would need to simplify the dining table, decide on whether you wanted to use the rug or the tapestry, but NOT both. Take most of the copper pots off of the wall and just display 3-5 of them. And simplify the top of the armoire and the French cupboard (maybe even having nothing on top of the cupboard). And it goes without saying to get rid of the kiddies' table and chairs. And, finally, paint a nice, normal color on the walls rather than that vibrating orchid color.
I bet the kitchen designer that did this kitchen would have gone to the big sub-zero in the sky if they had seen how this kitchen was accessorized. I dare you to try and find ANY open counter space (except on the island). It ends up looking just junky when you have no space to separate groups of accessories. Accessories are the final element that balances out a room, so it is really one of the most important steps of the design process. Having too few accessories can make a space look sterile and uninviting. Having too many can make you feel claustrophobic and agitated. After you set up some accessories in a room, step back and look at what you have done. Then analyze what the rest of the room needs based on what you have already done. Take it one step at a time, and you will be able to recognize when you should be finished.It can be a fine line between well done and overdone, so if you are in doubt, bring in other opinions BEFORE you are done with the space. Or, better yet, hire a qualified interior designer that you trust, and that person can educate you as you go through the steps to having a well-done interior. Let me know what you think about what I have said, or if you still have questions, put them in the comments and I'll get back to you.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Slide Open the Door to Design
If any of you were born sometime in the late 40s or the 50s, you know firsthand about sliding doors and pocket doors. The new architectural craze in the 50s was rethinking the traditional home that had colonial exterior shutters and a raised panel front door. All of a sudden there were pitched ceilings that followed an exterior off-center peak and triangular windows to conform to that pitch. Rooms were open to each other, and in order to cordon off space to suggest a dining room or a living room, accordion doors came from one side of the space and locked in to the other side of the space. Any doors that did exist, were either plain-faced with a simple, convex knob, or they were pocket doors that slid into the walls. The concept of doors that moved out of the way and did not intrude into the space was ground breaking. It totally went with the space-age concept of modern.
Now that 60+ years have passed, pocket doors and accordion doors have lost a little of their excitement. They are often used as having a strictly utilitarian purpose, rather than being a part of the design element of the room. Only when we think of a warehouse/loft space does a person think of doors on tracks. And when accordion doors are mentioned, the image of my grandmother's plastic accordion door that was in her basement to block the eye from her laundry room flashes before my eyes. However, this is exactly where we should be looking at those types of doors again if we want our home to stand out from our neighbors'.
I know what you are thinking: I have a very traditional house, so there is no way that I could have doors like this. WRONG. As a matter of fact, my sister and brother-in-law live in a turn of the century home that couldn't be more traditional in its appointments. But, the very smart architect who designed and built their house used 10-feet tall French pocket doors to shut off the living room from the entry, and the parlor from the living room. Back at the turn of the century, privacy, private conversations, and intimate visits from friends were the norm. But very grand, elaborate parties were also thrown, so these doors allowed the space to be open and flowing for a large scale party (or for air flow during the hot months of the year), or closed and secluded for every day life. The doors have raised panels, bead molding, and other traditional appointments in keeping with a house of that period. And in case you are wondering how difficult it is to pull shut or slide open these doors, they still can operate with two fingers!
Now, with real estate being so expensive, and the cost of utilities climbing as we speak, the trend is that homes are becoming smaller to make them more affordable and less expensive to heat and cool. But you don't have to lose the drama from you home just because it isn't larger than the White House. And these doors allow you to maximize those smaller spaces by not having to deal with door swings. Take a look a the pictures that follow; these are some great examples of pocket, sliding, and accordion doors that fit right in to today's way of living. Be sure to let me know what you think of what I have said or if you have questions about my examples.
This sliding door not only defines the space, but it acts as a wonderful design element. The circular openings are also functional in that they continue to let light in from the room beyond.
Here is a great example of how a pocket door can have a very traditional presence. The door glides in a pocket that is recessed into the ceiling. The finish and design of this door is particularly outstanding.
Typically, a sliding glass door is associated with an exterior door, but with this sliding door, they have cleverly used sandblasted glass with decorative striping to block the kitchen from the dining room.
A set of over-sized French doors add drama to this entry hall purely by the size and the simplicity of the doors. This simplicity would also lend these doors to work in either a contemporary or a traditional interior.
It may be hard to see in this size of picture, but this pocket door has been made into a unique part of the room design by the use of an unusual material; modeled metal.
This was an ingenious pocket door design. When partially open, the notch in the door becomes part of the geometry of the wood shelf on the opposite wall. When closed, it conforms around the shelf and becomes a part of the sculptural design of the shelf. And, on the lowest of levels, the notch is also how you operate the door.
Two very important features of this set of traditional doors. First, they close off a very large opening that gives great flow to both rooms. And because of the size of the opening, the doors need to be large scale to close off the rooms when needed, giving them a sense of importance in otherwise smaller scale rooms. Secondly, the way that they slide on an outside mounted track, they take on the appearance of sliding barn doors, which adds to the rustic French design of this home.
I know what you are saying. "But what about the accordion door?" Well, here is an accordion door for today's home. These happen to be very simple, painted flat doors that are hinged together and then attached to a track above. But what if you found a six or eight paneled hand-painted screen; an antique lover's jackpot? Think about separating each of the panels, then hinging them back together, and placing them on a similar track. This could be a room divider for your living room/dining room, a way to conceal your kitchen (as they did here), or as a floating wall when you don't need quite so much space. Or how about multiple like-sized antique doors in the same scenario? The possibilities are endless.
Now that 60+ years have passed, pocket doors and accordion doors have lost a little of their excitement. They are often used as having a strictly utilitarian purpose, rather than being a part of the design element of the room. Only when we think of a warehouse/loft space does a person think of doors on tracks. And when accordion doors are mentioned, the image of my grandmother's plastic accordion door that was in her basement to block the eye from her laundry room flashes before my eyes. However, this is exactly where we should be looking at those types of doors again if we want our home to stand out from our neighbors'.
I know what you are thinking: I have a very traditional house, so there is no way that I could have doors like this. WRONG. As a matter of fact, my sister and brother-in-law live in a turn of the century home that couldn't be more traditional in its appointments. But, the very smart architect who designed and built their house used 10-feet tall French pocket doors to shut off the living room from the entry, and the parlor from the living room. Back at the turn of the century, privacy, private conversations, and intimate visits from friends were the norm. But very grand, elaborate parties were also thrown, so these doors allowed the space to be open and flowing for a large scale party (or for air flow during the hot months of the year), or closed and secluded for every day life. The doors have raised panels, bead molding, and other traditional appointments in keeping with a house of that period. And in case you are wondering how difficult it is to pull shut or slide open these doors, they still can operate with two fingers!
Now, with real estate being so expensive, and the cost of utilities climbing as we speak, the trend is that homes are becoming smaller to make them more affordable and less expensive to heat and cool. But you don't have to lose the drama from you home just because it isn't larger than the White House. And these doors allow you to maximize those smaller spaces by not having to deal with door swings. Take a look a the pictures that follow; these are some great examples of pocket, sliding, and accordion doors that fit right in to today's way of living. Be sure to let me know what you think of what I have said or if you have questions about my examples.
This sliding door not only defines the space, but it acts as a wonderful design element. The circular openings are also functional in that they continue to let light in from the room beyond.
Here is a great example of how a pocket door can have a very traditional presence. The door glides in a pocket that is recessed into the ceiling. The finish and design of this door is particularly outstanding.
Typically, a sliding glass door is associated with an exterior door, but with this sliding door, they have cleverly used sandblasted glass with decorative striping to block the kitchen from the dining room.
A set of over-sized French doors add drama to this entry hall purely by the size and the simplicity of the doors. This simplicity would also lend these doors to work in either a contemporary or a traditional interior.
It may be hard to see in this size of picture, but this pocket door has been made into a unique part of the room design by the use of an unusual material; modeled metal.
This was an ingenious pocket door design. When partially open, the notch in the door becomes part of the geometry of the wood shelf on the opposite wall. When closed, it conforms around the shelf and becomes a part of the sculptural design of the shelf. And, on the lowest of levels, the notch is also how you operate the door.
Two very important features of this set of traditional doors. First, they close off a very large opening that gives great flow to both rooms. And because of the size of the opening, the doors need to be large scale to close off the rooms when needed, giving them a sense of importance in otherwise smaller scale rooms. Secondly, the way that they slide on an outside mounted track, they take on the appearance of sliding barn doors, which adds to the rustic French design of this home.
I know what you are saying. "But what about the accordion door?" Well, here is an accordion door for today's home. These happen to be very simple, painted flat doors that are hinged together and then attached to a track above. But what if you found a six or eight paneled hand-painted screen; an antique lover's jackpot? Think about separating each of the panels, then hinging them back together, and placing them on a similar track. This could be a room divider for your living room/dining room, a way to conceal your kitchen (as they did here), or as a floating wall when you don't need quite so much space. Or how about multiple like-sized antique doors in the same scenario? The possibilities are endless.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Exposure (Not the Trenchcoat Kind)
My wife and I just came back from a two week trip to the Perigord region of France, and had a spectacular time. This is the region that foie gras, truffles, and walnuts come from. It is also the location of where the 100 Years War was fought. The first town we stayed in (Sarlat) is a perfectly preserved renaissance town in the middle (called old town) that has beautiful shopping courtyards, limestone buildings, and fabulous restaurants. Every Wednesday, the town hosts a produce, fish, meat, cheese, and pastry market where the locals come and do their main shopping (there is a super market in the new part of town that carries essentials such as milk). It was like stepping back in time 60-70 years, as you saw the older townspeople getting together looking very dapper to have their weekly "catch up", and food vendors with berets hawking their goods in French (these are farmers or small businesses, so no one spoke much English). The language barrier was not very tall, as we made due just fine with our very limited French. The ambiance was nothing short of magical.
The second town we stayed in (Beynac) was a perfectly restored medieval village, complete with castle. In fact, Castle Beynac was one of the main fortresses in the 100 Years War. We stayed in what was once the attic of the home that was the village blacksmith's, complete with 800-year-old beams. Original cobblestone streets lead the way up and up until you reached the castle at the pinnacle of the hill. The walk was very steep and made me very thankful that I still work out three times a week. This countryside was rolling and green and very treed, and our apartment looked right over the Dordogne River, which separated the French from the English in the 100 Years War. These buildings were also limestone, but not quarried in blocks, and most of the homes still had remnants of old architectural features, like the indoor/outdoor bathroom (see picture).
I know this post doesn't sound like it deals with anything related to interior design, but you couldn't be more wrong. This trip, as in all the trips that my wife and I have taken, has exposed us to a period in time that we never had much insight into. How the people lived, worked and played, are all very important pieces of knowledge to anyone who aspires to either be a confident arm chair designer, or a full fledged degreed designer. But it will also open the eyes of anyone who experiences it. Exposure to different cultures and different periods in history provides the background needed when selecting a fabric or a piece of furniture for any space. It shows you why there were so many tapestries during the medieval period (to ward off drafts in the room, to record historic events, or for fashionable decoration), or why there were turrets on so many chateaus (you had to have a turret to be called a Chateau, otherwise you were just a Manor), or why there are heavy beams at the ceiling in a lot of larger new homes (they are trying to recreate the beam support that a chateau had to have to support a stone floor).
And I am not saying that you must travel all of the way to Europe to be exposed (even though this is where all of the historic trends in design and architecture started). Travel in your own backyard to the nearest city, and take an architectural tour. Go to a historic site (Williamsburg, Virginia is like stepping into the colonial days again) and observe the colors and fabrics and furniture that are shown. And if all of those options are too expensive, go to your local library or bookstore and read books about different cultures and different periods in time or go online and research history that way. The less hands-on you get, the less interesting it might be (unless you are a history buff). Seeing it in person gives a dimension to your information that nothing else can. An if you are touring with a particularly good guide, he or she can give you so much more insight about what you are seeing than a book or a website can. I know history initially sounds dry as a bone, but in the right place with the right atmosphere, it is like opening up a really good book that you just can't put down. It will lead you to look up parallel information to what you have learned, which will lead you further on, like a good mystery. And that is exactly what you are doing; unlocking the "mystery" of what makes up good design.
So look on a map and choose a city or a country that you have always wanted to go to, research what it is that makes that area interesting, and start saving your pennies for a trip that will not only be relaxing, but exciting and enriching toward the history of design. It will set a pattern for you for the rest of the trips you take! Write me a comment on this or ask me any questions you have.
The outside of our apartment in Sarlat. Fountain is in the foreground. We were on the top floor where the dormer windows are.
A Renaissance home made into a first floor shop and upper apartments.
A great example of Renaissance architectural ornamentation.
A produce vendor with a lot to show.
One of the many bread vendors. Notice the cloth that he has put under the bread and its pattern.
My wife selecting skate for one of our dinners, loving every minute of it.
Our attic apartment in Beynac. There was another flight of stone stairs to get to this point!
The courtyard of our Beynac apartment. Notice at upper left there is a rectangular area of stone projecting away from the building next door. They have walled underneath the opening, but when someone used the bathroom inside it just dropped onto the wall on the outside under this area. It gives a whole new meaning to "Look out below!"
Castle Beynac
The Dordogne River from Castle Beynac.
Castle Beynac--The Great Room for the guards.
The second town we stayed in (Beynac) was a perfectly restored medieval village, complete with castle. In fact, Castle Beynac was one of the main fortresses in the 100 Years War. We stayed in what was once the attic of the home that was the village blacksmith's, complete with 800-year-old beams. Original cobblestone streets lead the way up and up until you reached the castle at the pinnacle of the hill. The walk was very steep and made me very thankful that I still work out three times a week. This countryside was rolling and green and very treed, and our apartment looked right over the Dordogne River, which separated the French from the English in the 100 Years War. These buildings were also limestone, but not quarried in blocks, and most of the homes still had remnants of old architectural features, like the indoor/outdoor bathroom (see picture).
I know this post doesn't sound like it deals with anything related to interior design, but you couldn't be more wrong. This trip, as in all the trips that my wife and I have taken, has exposed us to a period in time that we never had much insight into. How the people lived, worked and played, are all very important pieces of knowledge to anyone who aspires to either be a confident arm chair designer, or a full fledged degreed designer. But it will also open the eyes of anyone who experiences it. Exposure to different cultures and different periods in history provides the background needed when selecting a fabric or a piece of furniture for any space. It shows you why there were so many tapestries during the medieval period (to ward off drafts in the room, to record historic events, or for fashionable decoration), or why there were turrets on so many chateaus (you had to have a turret to be called a Chateau, otherwise you were just a Manor), or why there are heavy beams at the ceiling in a lot of larger new homes (they are trying to recreate the beam support that a chateau had to have to support a stone floor).
And I am not saying that you must travel all of the way to Europe to be exposed (even though this is where all of the historic trends in design and architecture started). Travel in your own backyard to the nearest city, and take an architectural tour. Go to a historic site (Williamsburg, Virginia is like stepping into the colonial days again) and observe the colors and fabrics and furniture that are shown. And if all of those options are too expensive, go to your local library or bookstore and read books about different cultures and different periods in time or go online and research history that way. The less hands-on you get, the less interesting it might be (unless you are a history buff). Seeing it in person gives a dimension to your information that nothing else can. An if you are touring with a particularly good guide, he or she can give you so much more insight about what you are seeing than a book or a website can. I know history initially sounds dry as a bone, but in the right place with the right atmosphere, it is like opening up a really good book that you just can't put down. It will lead you to look up parallel information to what you have learned, which will lead you further on, like a good mystery. And that is exactly what you are doing; unlocking the "mystery" of what makes up good design.
So look on a map and choose a city or a country that you have always wanted to go to, research what it is that makes that area interesting, and start saving your pennies for a trip that will not only be relaxing, but exciting and enriching toward the history of design. It will set a pattern for you for the rest of the trips you take! Write me a comment on this or ask me any questions you have.
The outside of our apartment in Sarlat. Fountain is in the foreground. We were on the top floor where the dormer windows are.
A Renaissance home made into a first floor shop and upper apartments.
A great example of Renaissance architectural ornamentation.
A produce vendor with a lot to show.
One of the many bread vendors. Notice the cloth that he has put under the bread and its pattern.
My wife selecting skate for one of our dinners, loving every minute of it.
Our attic apartment in Beynac. There was another flight of stone stairs to get to this point!
The courtyard of our Beynac apartment. Notice at upper left there is a rectangular area of stone projecting away from the building next door. They have walled underneath the opening, but when someone used the bathroom inside it just dropped onto the wall on the outside under this area. It gives a whole new meaning to "Look out below!"
Castle Beynac
The Dordogne River from Castle Beynac.
Castle Beynac--The Great Room for the guards.
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