Tag Archives: Vintage

Travel: Italian Hardware

November 6, 2013

Doorways of all kinds host lovely knockers to announce visitors. This charming and welcoming doorway is in Bologna.Slideshow

Last May I posted my photos of door hardware in Paris. I recently returned from Italy and have more photos to share. Not only is the hardware beautiful, detailed and well crafted–the textures of the doors themselves add to their charm.  I was drawn to the patina of rich colored woods and the peeling paint as well as the tarnished brass and corroded iron door knockers and pulls that have softened with age and environmental conditions. Each one reveals something about the style of the building and the taste of the owners. Clearly, they are all “vintage,” but I know nothing of their actual age. Somehow it doesn’t seem to matter.

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Nostalgia: Retro Baths

November 5, 2013

Square tubs were all the rage in the small baths of the 30's. This one in mint green with a built in seat was quite fancy. Matching green tile with pink trim is very much of the period.Slideshow

Recently, I went to a wonderful 1920’s Tudor style house situated on a golf course in Westchester County, NY. The rooms had gracious proportions, the interior details original and the condition perfect.  That is, except for the bathrooms. They too were original and untouched but certainly not attractive. It was hard to imagine a time when a lilac colored floor and mint green walls would have been considered pretty.  Or, bubble gum pink fixtures appropriate for the master suite  bath.  The tiles, no matter what the color, were 4 x 4 with huge grout joints. The most redeeming feature of the 4 baths was the use of technical tile trim pieces installed to go in, out and around corners, finish walls, and frame inserts.

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Inviting Bath

November 28, 2012
Photo published in Elle Decor, October.

Slideshow

The details of this bath, published in the October issue of Elle Decor, are fabulous. It starts with sculpture; the bathtub is set in front of an appropriately scaled dark wood fireplace original to the house.The mantle holds an assortment of personal objects and the painting above is not only interesting but a great size for the wall. Clearly, the space is large and the ceilings tall, always a great feature for a master bath. In this space, it is the combination of a grand hanging light, large scale pattern on the roman shade, wood floors and just the right furniture that make it so appealing.  Finally, natural light adds ambient warmth and an invitation to relax.  Not seen in this photo are highly decorative demi-lune tables for sinks and unusual sconces.

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A Classic American Bath

November 28, 2012

Slideshow

Several weeks ago I published a post on a bath that had good bones but lacked a sense of style or a reflection of its’ owners personal taste. The bath pictured in today’s post was published in THE GREAT AMERICAN HOUSE by Gil Schafer and tells quite a different story. Unlike my comments previously, this bath not only has great bones and detail, but it also reflects a very sophisticated and stylish resident. Clearly, this bath is in a traditional house or apartment where the use of bead board is an appropriate material. The tall base molding with a distinct profile and a crisp chair rail confine the lower portion of the room and define the space. It is obvious that the tall window has well articulated moldings and the door has simple yet refined hardware.

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