5 Design Ideas from Italy

The beautifully vibrant artwork in last post got me thinking about my own trip to Venice with the in-laws a few years back.  It was a great experience and I enjoyed sharing it with our family.  Even my sis made an appearance... perfect timing to take this picture!

Piazza S. Lorenzo in Lucina, Rome

So I went back through  my photos for a chance to relive it and I started noticing some themes.  I decided to pull out photos that represented applicable architectural lessons... ones I might use in my own residential work. I found 5 design ideas that you might find interesting too...  

1.  Real Working Shutters:

Nothing feels more European (and vacationy) than operable blackout shutters.  They add depth and texture to a facade that could never be replicated with fake shutters that we see all over the US.

Facade in Venice

The mahogany doors behind them contrast beautifully with the dark green shutters.  And the detail work on the railing is pretty sweet too. 

Here are the shutters on the windows and doors of our hotel room that looked out to the balcony.  I love when you can black out your room... but you better ask for a wakeup call!

Hotel Ala in Venice

Here's an interesting track detail in lieu of hinges.

Shutters found on our walk down from San Miniato, Florence

    

2. Handmade doors

I took a lot of pictures of doors because they can offer so much character to a place.  I love the richness of this material and the simplicity of the design.  It's hard to tell if they are new or have been there forever.  I like that in a door.

Doors somewhere in Venice

These are more modern but just as rich in material.  As you can see, I like the horizontal board look.  

Storefront doors across from the Duomo in Florence

I particularly like the lean steel edge detail seen here...

Storefront doors across from the Duomo in Florence

Okay, so I'm cheating on this one...it's from another trip to Italy.  But it's such a welcoming entry I couldn't help but include it.  Nice 6 panel doors and a charming wood framed terracotta awning...

And from the same trip... this balcony is amazing for so many reasons!  The generous glass door, real working shutters, and a terra cotta ceiling, which leads me to my next idea...

3. Brick Ceilings:

The ceiling is often an afterthought, but with one like this people will be sure to notice.   This would make a beautiful porch ceiling or maybe a rustic kitchen ceiling.  Create your very own Tuscan villa!

Small covered alleys in  Radda in Chianti

I happened upon this store and got all excited about the great shoes and then... I looked up!  And I love the little window with the deep angled return. 

Shoe store in the small town of Radda in Chianti

4.  Architectural Use of Foliage:

This lush pergola creates a welcoming shaded area to sit.   It was located on the grounds of a Murano glass factory.  One of their pieces is thoughtfully displayed in the arch.   

 Murano glass factory 

Who doesn't love lush window boxes?! Again this feature adds depth to the facade and at the same time bringing the outdoors in close view from inside.  

  

Residence in Venice

What a lovely balcony fringed with geraniums.  They softened the edge and frame the beautiful views beyond. 

 View of the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence

5.  Clever Skylights



This isn't really a skylight but rather a way to ventilate the heat created from the glass production.  Can you believe such an amazing timber framed clerestory structure would be located in a factory?

Glass Factory on the island of Murano

I thought this was such a fun little skylight.  At the time, I was working on a project where I had a low sloped roof and this might have been a unique solution to bring some light into a bathroom.  I found this skylight tucked away between buildings in the Uffizi Gallery.

Uffizi Gallery skylight

I hadn't noticed at the time, that there is a flood light above that can give you the same effect at night! Makes a great little oculus feature in a small exiting hallway of the gallery.  

Speaking of oculi (what a great word!) ... this is the best one I've ever seen.  So I'll leave you with it... the one place I will never tire of visiting.

Pantheon in Rome

Where have you travelled that has made an impression on you and how you live?  A place where you just want to bottle it up and bring it home!

"What I Did on My Spring Vacation"

I spent the week in Carlisle, PA visiting the folks and wanted to share some photos of our trip. I debated whether this is relevant to my blog's 'purpose'... but it has a bit of architecture (a beautifully landscaped home), and some design (a fluorescent 'skylight'), and plenty of life (a toddler loving trains!)  I do appreciate that what I do for a living just happens to blend with my life.   Enough talk, here are the pics...



Can you believe this is a bulkhead to a basement?  I love its tiny scale, cheery red door, and moss covered shingles. Feels like it's from a fairy tale.

 

Have you ever seen a charming driveway?  Well, here it is...

Not only does it look nice, but it's sustainable; no repaving or maintenance. And it's better for the environment; less runoff into a near by stream. 



Speaking of the stream, it's a beautiful meandering backdrop to the springtime blooms and sculptural solar clock...

At my parent's house... I took a peak at the new laundry room my dad has been laboring over.  I was quite impressed with his sheetrocking abilities.  Here he inset a utilitarian 2 x 4 fluorescent fixture into a sheetrock soffit.  Given the great light quality, I'd swear it was a skylight... if it weren't in the basement!

Here you can see how the small molding holds in the fixture and allows the panel to be popped out to replace the bulbs.

We took a trip to Strasburg, PA in Lancaster County to check out the railroad museum.  I hadn't been there since I was a little kid so I wasn't sure what to expect.  Wow, I underestimated the grand nature of these majestic machines.

And I was amazed by my 22 month old's excitement! He was in train heaven. Here's what I like to call the 'train dance'...

Did you just have a spring break too?   Where did you go and what did you do?  Please, do tell!

Outdoor Dining

The beautiful weather over the weekend got me thinking about outdoor living again.  And so the annual search for the perfect outdoor dining chair begins!  Every year we talk about buying some new furniture for our deck so we can enjoy dining al fresco this summer.  But every year my husband and I debate the price point, material, style ...mostly because neither of us can make up our mind.  Here's a smattering of what I was thinking.  Timelessness and comfort are my too objectives.  I'd love to hear your opinion. 

Now you can't get any cheaper than this Ikea bistro chair...  it's only $15! 

It looks like it wouldn't be comfortable but we have two already and they do the trick.  And if you've ever spent some time in Bryant Park in NYC, you know they ain't half bad.  And who could beat that price!  

Here's the authentic Bryant Park version.  They are shipped from France by American Country.  Oooh la la, that red is fun!  They are priced at $198 for two.

This is from CB2 at $139.  It looks sturdy yet petite and I like the galvanized material... which should hold up better than wood.   We may or may not cover up the chairs in the winter so they've got to clean easily and not rust or rot.

Another chair from CB2 at $99.95.  These feel a bit more mod which could be fun.  I originally thought they were white plastic but now realize they are aluminum!   

Here is a polypropylene chair by Philippe Starck that could be wiped down easily.   I think I would choose the gray or orange.  I like the white but I think that's meant for a pristine location by a pool in LA!   You can find them at Unica Home for $656 for a set of four.

Thinking of orange reminds me of the great Starck chairs by the pool on our trip to Italy.  Something tells me I couldn't pull this off in Hoboken though...

This French classic has always been my favorite but the price tag keeps me from doing it every year.  This one is from DWR at $250.

Here is Pottery Barn's version for $199... or $750 for four.  I like the red and white options too.   I could see them at a rustic thick wood table. 

Speaking of tables, you'll see that I don't show any?   Well, I don't want a matching set and the chairs are most important to me stylistically.  So first the chairs and then we'll work on the table.  I'll want some input on that too.



So, let's take a vote!  Which one do you think we should pick?