deco

Some of you commented yesterday that you really liked the dark wood floors on the stairs and in the family room and that I should just replace the ceramic tiles with dark wood to match and call it a day. That was definitely my Plan B. My problem with this flooring is that it's engineered wood and for some reason it has that sort of swishy, sticky, hollow sound to it when you walk (drives me nuts). Also, it's made to look hand-scraped, which can be really pretty when done subtly, but ends up being a bit too much texture I think in a large space. Also, I really, really dislike the way they did the stairs, where you can see the individual pieces of wood instead of cut-to-fit planks. Even if we were going to keep the dark wood floors, I'd pull those off the wood on the treads and risers and have new planks cut. This look is not my favorite. For the record, I still really like the look of dark stained floors. I think it's classic and the contrast against light color walls is so pretty! My mom has really dark floors in her house and they're lovely. The stain shade on the wood in this house is almost the same as my mom's and I really like it. I actually spent a few days at the new house recently working on a pre-closing project (photos coming soon! Can't wait to share.) and the dust on the floors ended up being a daily chore to tackle. The footprints!! They were everywhere. I was practically married to my swiffer when we lived at the loft with the white epoxy floors, and the idea of having endless years ahead of me wiping up the dark floors every time the kids come in from playing in the backyard sounded like a nightmare. And while it would be less than half as expensive to replace the tile with the same dark engineered wood (assuming we could buy more of the same wood), I feel like it would be a little like throwing good money after bad. Since there's a good chance we'll live in this home for a long time, I'd rather put a bigger chunk of my renovating budget toward doing the floors right from the get go. So what am I envisioning? A light golden gray. Basically the color of dust and kid smudges. :) This first photo here is my inspiration. I'm shooting for a more classic "Paris apartment" color on the stain, which I think might be a little more trend-resistant than the really light grays (which are so, so gorgeous). We're putting in an order for 3.5" unfinished white oak. The bulk of the order will be sent in random lengths for all the straight-laying we'll do in most of the house. But in the library (which I'll show you next) I want to lay the wood in a herringbone pattern. The floor in the library is sunken about 8", which is not my favorite look normally, but it works pretty well to define the three different spaces we have going on in the front part of the house. It was going to cost thousands and thousands to fill in the step-down and we would have had to wait for 60 days for the concrete to cure before laying flooring down on top of the fill. I was on the fence about filling it anyway, so problem solved! Doing a herringbone will make the step down look more intentional I think. And actually, it's really a chevron pattern we're doing, where the planks aren't offset, but meet at an angle - just like in all the example photos above. I'm sort of getting ahead of myself though. More plans for the library and the parquetry in a bit. What do you think of our stain choice? We need to test some more samples, but it's looking like three parts golden oak to one part gray stain is just about right.

Well howdy do — Frank Lloyd Wright houses came with pink bathrooms, too. And just wait until you see the vintage 1964 Formica kitchen counter tops in Brady Bunch bittersweet orange  Proof yet again — that the most hi-falutin’ architect-designed homes and the most modest ones shared many common elements once inside. The Gordon House – located in Silverton, Oregon — is considered a prototypical “Usonian” house — and it’s one of the last ones ever commissioned. Let’s take a closer look…

I found the best write-up on The Gordon House on The Oregon Encyclopedia. It explained:

• The house was designed in 1957 — commissioned by farmers Conrad and Evelyn Gordon for their remote property along the Willamette River about 20 miles from Portland.
• The house was not built until 1964. It is the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Oregon.
• In 2000, new owners of the property were planning to tear down the house, which had fallen into decay. A well-publicized campaign was launched, and the house was moved to its present location in Silverton, Oregon, where it is now part of The Oregon Garden complex. The Oregon Garden is “an 80-acre botanical garden, featuring more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty that can be found in the Willamette Valley and throughout the Pacific Northwest.”
• The Gordon House was added to the National Historic Register in 2004.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Houses

Moreover, the Gordon House is considered a prototypical “Usonian” house. On Wikipedia, it says that this house was one of the last Usonian houses commissioned.

“USONA” was Frank Lloyd Wright’s acronym for United States of North America. Usonian houses were his vision for low-cost housing for the masses — he began work on the concept in the 1930s. You will recall that just yesterday, we wrote about Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House – Bucky’s vision for low-cost housing for the masses. Seems like all the big brains were contemplating this topic. Note: Seems to me that in the end, we ended up with variations on my heartthrob Royal Barry Will’s Cape Cod – albeit more and more “ranchified” especially as you moved to the west. Sometimes the easiest solution is the most practical solution… Also, I think that Americans are simply very conservative about the houses they want to invest in — the traditional Colonial is still the prototype for “The American Dream House” and the Royal Barry Wills Cape Cod is a Colonial variant. Architectural critics may turn down their noses. But what if smarty had a party and no one came to smarty’s party?

Anyway, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses all had a relatively small footprint… they were built on a T-plan… and shared certain concepts like lots of built-in storage and thick slab concrete floors with radiant heat underneath.

The Gordon House has 2,133 s.f. of floor space, according to Wikipedia.

Another feature of this house — and of all Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian houses (if I am reading the research correctly) — is the “fretwork” window screens used throughout the house, shown above. Each FLW Usonian house received a unique design. The screens are strategically located on windows to block the high sun of the summer. There is no known meaning to the designs, although it’s believed they reference FLW’s love of Japanese woodblock prints.

This house is built of concrete block and cedar.

Lots of built-ins, to maximize living space and make the house easier to clean.

Here are the orange Formica counter tops we promised. I am pretty sure I spy a vintage Revco refrigerator peeking into the photo at the left – see this story showing a Revco fridge, confirmed in the wild.

And apparently (again, if I am reading the writeups correctly), the ceiling in the kitchen is two stories high. I don’t know if I like that particular FLW idea. High ceilings are less cozy, and I think I think a kitchen should be cozy. Also, I think it would feel like there is more opportunity for dust to be flying around up there and falling into my food… It must be something to see, though…

Can anyone identify the built-in oven (with warming drawer underneath??), the stove top — with cover!… and dishwasher? This is a lovely, no-nonsense kitchen. Very nice.

The fretwork is so pretty and sparkly-like with the light streaming in… Also notice the square recessed can lighting. We have done research indicating where you can still get square recessed can lighting today.

Link love:

• The Gordon House by Frank Lloyd Wright

See The Gordon House our epic list of 59 mid-century & modern historic house museums you can visit

The post Gordon House — one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last Usonian houses appeared first on Retro Renovation.

This shrink plastic brooch “KATZI” by danadamki is hand painted with permanent markers on shrink plastic, baked, shrunk and varnished. All of danamaki’s shrink plastic brooches are individual artworks. Etsy find of the day!

Sébastien Cordoléani, talentueux designer français basé du côté de Barcelone – Espagne revient suite à la présentation de la lampe Trame afin de nous présenter Jeu de Miroirs, une collection réalisée en collaboration avec la Manufacture de Sèvres.

Projet réalisé en réponse à une carte blanche de la Manufacture de Sèvres, un jeu de miroirs en porcelaine émaillée or ou platine…

Le designer s’amuse des éléments à disposition en réalisant un grand miroir, un jeu de découpes et autant de miroirs à main à manipuler.

Il nous expose ses Observations préliminaires et Conséquences :

• L’or et le platine sont des éléments importants dans l’ornementation à Sèvres. / Des surfaces réfléchissantes : miroirs
• Contrainte de temps : production d’un seul moule. / Un objet contient les suivants, ils seront découpés après le démoulage.
• Tradition de vaissellerie de Sèvres / Une ligne semblable à la base d’une assiette dessine les différents miroirs.

« Un projet initié en 2008, relancé en 2011 … et bientôt édité » avance le designer.

Résidence à la Manufacture de Sèvres.

Partenaires : Villa Noailles / Exposition Cordoleani/Fontana,festival Design parade 03

Matériaux : Porcelaine, or et platine. Collaboration avec Franck Fontana

Son actualité, il expose également en ce moment à la Galerie Roger Tator – Lyon – France, un projet nommé Hélice. (Exposition › 07.06.13 › 26.07.13)

L’ensemble des visuels de l’exposition, visitée pour son vernissage sont disponibles sur les différents réseaux sociaux du blog (Instagram)

Plus d’informations sur le designer : Sébastien Cordoléani

By Blog Esprit Design

Visst är det något charmigt och nostalgiskt med trädgårdar där det hänger fullt av sänglinnen och dukar på tork. Nu är det ju äntligen sommar - men visste du att tvätten kan torka utomhus även mitt i smällkalla vintern?

Tvätt som får självtorka i vinden är bra för miljön och dessutom blir tvätten så slät. I en nybäddad säng doftar ÅKERFRÄKEN, BJÖRNLOKA och LINBLOMMA ljuvligt av fräsch sommarvind och nytvättat.

Maria L, Livet Hemma redaktionen På bara några timmar är tvätten ren och torr. BERTA RUTA rutig metervara, röd/vit 69 kr/m, EVALILL förkläde, ros 69 kr, SICKAN kökshandduk, blandade modeller 39 kr/2 st. BRANÄS tvättkorg med klädd insida, rotting 349 kr, ÅKERFRÄKEN påslakan 1 örngott, flerfärgad rand 249 kr, LINBLOMMA påslakan 1 örngott, vit 449 kr.

 

Just a shot of my favorite girl.

Love the elegant, architectural lines of the Aspen Tunic from the Soyer fall/winter 2013 collection — perfect. (via soyer)

Fashion designer Nuno Benito sees no reason why a country home should be rustic simply because of its location — his modern vacation home is a definite contrast to the surrounding Portuguese countryside of Alentejo. Vivid and full of personality, it's a warm and welcoming place to be whether you're outside or in. (photography by montse garriga for elle decor spain. via sukio)

Good news for American fans of the lovely Canadian shop Black Rooster Decor — many of their products are now shipping FREE within the USA! Now it's even easier to add a little glam style to your space — such as this wonderfully sculptural Pentagonal Table/Stool, which is not only gorgeous, but versatile, too. And shipping is still free to Ontario residents! Tinder is having a Spring Shipping Special this month, with a flat rate for all orders — $10.00 for Canada and $15.00 for the USA! A perfect time to stock up on their lovely, often hand crafted items for household, kitchen, outdoors — and stationery, too. For a limited time only, though! Start shopping at Tinder here. Looking for a little sophisticated inspiration for your home? Have a look at this recent project by Jamie Herzlinger Interiors — a Scottsdale, Arizona home featured in the latest issue of Traditional Home magazine! Read all about how Jamie worked with owners Rick and Peggy Federico to create the highly personal home they love. And you too can benefit from Jamie Herzlinger's experience with JH ONLINE, her online design service that gives you access to a nationally renowned interior design firm at your fingertips — warm, courteous and professional interior design service is just a click away! Add classic mid 20th century style to your space with the stunning Womb Chair, a high quality reproduction from Rove Concepts. Available in either Classic Boucle Wool or Premium Cashmere Wool from Denmark, the entire chair is hand stitched around a synthetic 'dimension true' curvature shell poised on a high quality aluminum base in a chip and flake resistant satin finish. This quality piece will give you years of stylishly comfortable seating, as well as instantly becoming the focus of any room! Have a look at your many Womb Chair options here. Pam of the lovely Etsy shop Bates Mercantile Co cordially invites you to visit the related blog — Mercantile Muse. Here you'll find her blogging regularly about graphic and interior design, nature, food and recipes, photography, inspiration, the handcrafted movement, art, artist interviews, and more. Take a break from your busy day and drop by for a visit!  

You may recall a recent blog posting about planting all the urns that adorn the terrace at Skylands, my home in Mt. Desert Island, Maine.  In between planting, ...

Why, hello!     Did you know there are people who buy cottages just for the purpose of having something else to decorate.  It’s true.  I am not one of those people. I can’t afford the cottage or what it would take to decorate it.  Or the drive to the cottage.  A coop, though? THAT [...]

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Love

“Integrity is the essence of everything successful.” ― Buckminster Fuller

A Full Moon Kids’ T-shirt, handprinted in Brooklyn. What’s not to love?

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” - R. Buckminster Fuller

My kids were lucky to get their hands on a not yet released TocaBoca app called Builders. I have never seen both my 7 and 3 year old more enthralled by a game. Ella kept shouting: “This is so much fun!”

And now that they’re sleeping, it’s my turn! Make sure to watch the above video to see what the fun is all about. The app is scheduled to be released on Thursday!

TocaBoca keeps impressing!

Welcome Paint Lovers to this week’s Power of Paint PaRtY… a party all about paint and only paint.

Last week was an awesome paint party!

Lots of pretty furniture and décor.  Let’s check them out…

Click here to join the party...

The post 182nd Power of Paint Party {PoPP} appeared first on Domestically Speaking.

{Inside/9 by Elizebeth Heltoft}

Yvonne Kone and Line T. Klein are obviously very close friends. Handbag and accessories designer Yvonne and photographer Line visit friends or professional partners together ... Yvonne rummages through their favorite things for an hour while Line captures the atmosphere ... 

Result: beautiful INSIDES ... 9 homes so far and here are my favorite pics from each home ...

[MORE IMAGES]

Inside/8 ... we are lucky to see Barbara's home who is co-owner of the Danish company Soft Gallery

Inside/7 is where Maria lives ...

 

We're meeting La Graphic Design in Inside/6 ...

Sille Bjarnhof is another friend of Line and Yvonne ... enjoy Inside/5 ...

Inside/4  ... Julie who lives in NY is a talented graphic designer and works for graphic studio nr2154 ... Line visited her ...

Inside/3 ... visiting the home of Jo ... of Danish goldsmith duo Line and Jo.

Inside/2 ... Line and Yvonne captured Amalie Bjarnhof's cozy Copenhagen apartment 

 Inside/1 ... were it all started ... As Øland´s warm universe ...

 

.. Portfolio photographer Line T. Klein

... Shop Yvonne Kone