tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45005087597653800692024-03-13T03:20:17.803-07:00Stripes-and-Shadowstruebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-51608778651103794562009-09-28T20:35:00.000-07:002009-09-28T21:31:47.146-07:00Polka Dots or Plain Vanilla.. ??<a style="font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxwGXQuoYI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/ZISoqHWDZqA/s1600-h/Boutet_1708_color_circles.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376295309799235970" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 308px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxwGXQuoYI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/ZISoqHWDZqA/s400/Boutet_1708_color_circles.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">(Above: Boutet's 7-color and 12-color color circles from 1708, Courtesy Wikipedia)</span>
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<br />Obsession with white</span>
<br /><div>We have both been obsessed with the plain beauty of white ; white walls, white curtains, white upholstery and even white cushions with color introduced in the form of <em>other objects</em> (books, rugs, paintings, whatever..), and have been in love with the results for many years. It is difficult to get away from the serenity of white; meaning there is no bright red wall breaking the line of sight.
<br />So then, why paint ?
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxV5vLegHI/AAAAAAAAJ00/v39apEUVyMI/s1600-h/P1100086.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376266505579036786" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxV5vLegHI/AAAAAAAAJ00/v39apEUVyMI/s400/P1100086.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh86JvBpPI/AAAAAAAAJ5w/Fg1yqJps0m4/s1600-h/white-pool.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379687093381473522" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 399px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh86JvBpPI/AAAAAAAAJ5w/Fg1yqJps0m4/s400/white-pool.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br />After broaching the idea with a few friends, and some research, we discovered - not so surprisingly, that many homeowners (at least in the US) have a mental tug-of-war going on about painting walls. It goes something like this: <span style="font-style: italic;">"I really want a sunshine-yellow wall, but what if the potential buyers of my house -sometime in future-may not like it? Will it bring down the value of my house? And make potential buyers shy away?"</span>.
<br />This dilemma results in many folks painting the universal color "beige"- or some <span style="font-style: italic;">neutral</span> color- much to their heart's discontent- and living with it for many years.
<br />We have nothing against "neutral", as long as its done for the right reason. The fact remains- that no matter what <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you</span><strong><em> or I </em></strong>like, the next person may like something totally different. So we figured, that there is no reason to burn the gray-matter in our heads and hold off on what we really like (unless of course there are imminent plans to sell the house).
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<br />Having said that, over the last couple of years many a thing has changed in our lives. We have added a little boy with whom came a whole new turn on decor and not to mention our growing collections of his "things" which add their own color and flavor. Is the white is beginning to look a little weary? We ponder...
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<br />For the lucky few who know exactly what they color they want, down to the perfect shade, our hats off. We join the millions of others, still baffled by that ever elusive shade, that will make tingles go down your spine. And ofcourse, we want multiple shades- all at once, in case the choice isn't complicated enough.
<br />What if we select from the 3564 shades of paint available (across 10 paint manufacturers- who by the way- all claim to have the highest pigment composition), and narrow it down to the last two, with artful precision, and the restraint of a yogi?... And end up with just two colors- <span style="font-style: italic;">Vert de Terre</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Pale Avocado</span>...And finally, finally, decide to go for <span style="font-style: italic;">Pale Avocado</span>...only to have that nagging thought always, at the back of our mind, whether we really, really should have gone for <span style="font-style: italic;">Vert de Terre</span> instead?
<br />We dread the very thought of it. Perhaps its best leaving that wall white, after all. As Scarlet Ohara says in Gone with the Wind. "I will think about it tomorrow..when I'm stronger".
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span>So we search for some fundamental questions: Like a warm or cool palette?
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpySluHF1WI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/0a63ID6GphY/s1600-h/Screen+Captures1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376333231904118114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpySluHF1WI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/0a63ID6GphY/s320/Screen+Captures1.jpg" border="0" /></a>A few hours of research reveals some tools (like the one below).
<br />Benjamin Moore's <a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=portletInstance_2&portletInstance_2_actionOverride=%2Fbm%2Fcms%2FContentRenderer%2FrenderContent&portletInstance_2currentNodeUUID=%2FBEA+Repository%2F5612&portletInstance_2NodeUUID=%2FBEA+Repository%2F30001&_pageLabel=fh_home">Color Viewer</a> is online tool that lets you play with a lot of Options. You can play around with almost all their colors and test drive in realtime (without messing you own walls). You can also experiment with different finishes/washes -Strie, Sponge-on, Rag-on, etc. to see what the texturing effect looks like. Not a bad place for a start, and it gives some instant-gratification too. :)
<br />As Step#2, They also have a <a href="http://store.swatchbox.com/start.asp?customer=bmv2&userID=&projectID=&sessionID=YT55KcbN25nfQGtZ12GRKhSTtLBxhW8MPpGLybvPG031vqG4MhnL%21275684860%211251761069987&ptype=BMvis">Personal Color viewer</a> that one can download for $10.00. This enables us to import photos of <span style="font-weight: bold;">our own rooms</span> and use the color tool on it. There's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9kfJC7X8Vk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fstore.swatchbox.com%2Fbmv2%2FyouTube.swf&feature=player_embedded">short video</a> of it on how it works on Youtube. (By the way- <a href="http://www.behr.com/colorsmart4/colorsmart/main.jsp">BEHR ColorSmart </a>lets you do this for Free)
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> Some samples images we created in less that a minute.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spx0UyrxfsI/AAAAAAAAJ1c/nOUBHe5BQjo/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+45723+PM.bmp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376299955725106882" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; cursor: pointer; height: 233px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spx0UyrxfsI/AAAAAAAAJ1c/nOUBHe5BQjo/s320/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+45723+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spx0UVdFmqI/AAAAAAAAJ1U/2VZuBEL6XGU/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+52743+PM.bmp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376299947878881954" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; cursor: pointer; height: 234px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spx0UVdFmqI/AAAAAAAAJ1U/2VZuBEL6XGU/s320/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+52743+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Caution:</span> This is a good software from a usability perspective- but NOT so accurate results. (As pointed out in some detailed <a href="http://reviews.houseinprogress.net/archives/001003.html">Reviews</a>). Again, the bottom line is that there is no software that can match a 100%, so dont sweat it. One can start with it as a guiding point to narrow down, and then use actual swatches to see what it looks like and get to that final shade.
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<br />Talking about swatches, many manufacturers now offer small "pots" -like the one below -of most colors that they offer, and is a very cost effective way for us to paint a small portion on our wall and compare the results side by side. <span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh85uLlpiI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/nffU4D1PFCw/s1600-h/pot.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379687085985080866" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 134px; cursor: pointer; height: 204px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh85uLlpiI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/nffU4D1PFCw/s400/pot.gif" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip: </span>We learnt that since our walls look different at night, and noon and day- in different natural light conditions, it is very important to leave the swatches on, and compare during different times of day and make sure we like ALL the results- not just morning results, or night results.
<br />(Below, Image Courtesy: Ralph Lauren Home)
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsA_x27NUpI/AAAAAAAAKEA/hrbNwCoOI3c/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105401+PM.bmp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsA_x27NUpI/AAAAAAAAKEA/hrbNwCoOI3c/s400/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105401+PM.bmp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386375280125104786" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Texture:</span> Finishes & Techniques give another dimension to adding color.</div>So<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>how do we achieve these finishes?</span> We found some really nice "How-to Video" pages on the <a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/paint/default_howto.asp">RL home website</a>, that offers a variety of online short videos on different techniques including step-by-step instructions on how to create effects such as <span style="font-weight: bold;">Candlelight, Antique Leather, Striping</span>, etc.
<br />(Below: Indigo Denim finish,Striping finish, <a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/paint/denim_howto.asp">Image Courtesy: RL Home</a>)
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh87aEVViI/AAAAAAAAJ6I/tKzHGZzqIZ8/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105206+PM.bmp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379687114945680930" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 218px; cursor: pointer; height: 498px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sqh87aEVViI/AAAAAAAAJ6I/tKzHGZzqIZ8/s400/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105206+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsA_xc_bHrI/AAAAAAAAKD4/j2VBs3GhMVc/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105701+PM.bmp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsA_xc_bHrI/AAAAAAAAKD4/j2VBs3GhMVc/s400/Fullscreen+capture+912009+105701+PM.bmp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386375273163464370" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A little about Color:</span>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Color Wheel:</span> Wolfgang Goethe's Theory of Colors (1810) was one of the first studies in the Physiological effect of colors, and the fore-runner for the Color Wheels in use today.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxwFwEoUaI/AAAAAAAAJ08/xCyDsMoMU6Q/s1600-h/GoetheFarbkreis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376295299279507874" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 384px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxwFwEoUaI/AAAAAAAAJ08/xCyDsMoMU6Q/s400/GoetheFarbkreis.jpg" border="0" /></a>You could purchase a modern version of this, like the one below from any paint or art supply store (including HomeDepot, Lowes and the like), or online from the <a href="http://www.colorwheelco.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TCWC&Category_Code=CW">Colorwheel Co</a>. The color wheel shows colors, and their natural relationships with each other. (Which is why some colors we notice, go well with others, while some just dont!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxyNCfKVmI/AAAAAAAAJ1M/CpnI1y2Hy34/s1600-h/big-wheel-color"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376297623504967266" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxyNCfKVmI/AAAAAAAAJ1M/CpnI1y2Hy34/s400/big-wheel-color" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br />Monochromatic color Palette:
<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1e_7zkjKI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/iBpD2KEyxUs/s1600-h/monocromatic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 78px; height: 78px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1e_7zkjKI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/iBpD2KEyxUs/s400/monocromatic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381061582256376994" border="0" /></a><span>Using flavors of a single color- either in its pure form, or by adding white (tint), gray (tone), or black (shade) to the color.</span> A Monochromatic room from the Palace in Wilanów, Warsaw.
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1dYyvDfvI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/aQa90ZB1Lco/s1600-h/monochromatic2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1dYyvDfvI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/aQa90ZB1Lco/s400/monochromatic2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381059810294988530" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analogous color Palette:
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1faa02zFI/AAAAAAAAJ8g/bil5q_c8928/s1600-h/analogous.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 78px; height: 78px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1faa02zFI/AAAAAAAAJ8g/bil5q_c8928/s400/analogous.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381062037259865170" border="0" /></a><span>Using a single color- and colors to the left and right of it on the color wheel</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.
<br /></span><span>I found this online to give an example of a room using an analogous palette.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><span>(Image Courtesy: Buildings.com,</span><span> Palette Icon Courtesy: DiamondVogel Paints</span><span>)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1MF4WqO7I/AAAAAAAAJ7w/C2I0Bjg0hDU/s1600-h/I_0308_AdvHealth1_lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1MF4WqO7I/AAAAAAAAJ7w/C2I0Bjg0hDU/s400/I_0308_AdvHealth1_lg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381040793688095666" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1MFs4crsI/AAAAAAAAJ7o/d6HE6ikf3pw/s1600-h/I_0308_AdvHealth6_lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1MFs4crsI/AAAAAAAAJ7o/d6HE6ikf3pw/s400/I_0308_AdvHealth6_lg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381040790608588482" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Triad color Palette:
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1nhaOwc-I/AAAAAAAAJ8o/WKNLeB4nCKs/s1600-h/triadic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 79px; height: 79px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1nhaOwc-I/AAAAAAAAJ8o/WKNLeB4nCKs/s400/triadic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381070953452172258" border="0" /></a><span>Using a color- and 2 colors that form a triangle with it on the Color wheel.
<br />In this case, Yellow, Red and Blue.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>All these colors can be used in different proportions to create different effects. e.g. Yellow paint on the walls, and Red and Blue upholstery and accents, or More of blue, by painting the wall blue, with other accents of yellow and red to reverse the effect. So the point is that ALL the color need not be on the wall itself ;-)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>to achieve our scientific quest for color harmony.
<br />(And while we're still on the topic, Green, Orange & Violet would form another Triad combination)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><span>(Image Courtesy: iStockphoto.com, Icon Courtesy: DiamondVogel Paints)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1TU5HIyJI/AAAAAAAAJ74/Oq7i2T0pAu0/s1600-h/triadScheme.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 352px; height: 248px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sq1TU5HIyJI/AAAAAAAAJ74/Oq7i2T0pAu0/s400/triadScheme.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381048748170856594" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span>Here is another <a href="http://www.diamondvogel.com/scfandeck/colorizer.htm">tool online</a> from midwest paint maker DiamondVogel, that lets you select a particular color and gives some suggestions for analogous, complementary, triads and other paint combinations that go well with the primary color you selected.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pantone: </span>
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<br /><span>While studying color it is almost impossible to ignore the strides made by Pantone- in defining it as a study ans science. For anyone in the color industry , from architects & designers to publishers & fashion designers, it has become the single authoritative source for color coding and standardization. It's worthwhile to check them out if you are looking for an exact match- and if you are pretty uncompromising on getting a 100% match with something you have in mind- or already have as a reference.
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<br />By the way, for all the <span style="font-weight: bold;">iPhone enthusiasts</span> , there is a (Free) application from Benjamin Moore -called <a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=portletInstance_2&portletInstance_2_actionOverride=%2Fbm%2Fcms%2FContentRenderer%2FrenderContent&portletInstance_2cnp=public_site%2Farticles%2Fmain_page_articles%2Ffh_home&portletInstance_2np=public_site%2Farticles%2Fpromotions%2Fpromo_iphone&_pageLabel=fh_home">BEN Color Capture</a>, that lets you take any picture using your iphone camera, and present the corresponding paint colors from their palette on the iPhone. Again, great idea, not so accurate results- use it for the fun of it. 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mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:";font-size:12;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >use a tool like the <a href="http://www.pantone.com/pages/products/product.aspx?pid=31&ca=7&s=0">Pantone Color Cue</a> (shown below) (approx $250USD) that lets you click on any surface and get the EXACT match to the Pantone color code. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SqiGS71fqBI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/2nN8l2APsQ8/s1600-h/pantone-cue.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379697414751889426" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 200px; cursor: pointer; height: 184px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SqiGS71fqBI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/2nN8l2APsQ8/s400/pantone-cue.gif" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SqiMOlpXpdI/AAAAAAAAJ6w/S_Jq9enpv3E/s1600-h/pantone2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379703937145742802" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 484px; cursor: pointer; height: 231px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SqiMOlpXpdI/AAAAAAAAJ6w/S_Jq9enpv3E/s400/pantone2.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">(Image Courtesy: Pantone)</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nature as a guide: </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >Mother nature</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >has been juxtaposing hues long before man learnt about color. </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >And her vast experience about chromatic configuration shows rather obviously.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >Consider the image below</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >(not mine)</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" > from Napa Valley , and the colors on it that can be used to build a palette.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spypuum31nI/AAAAAAAAJ2w/t8C_RwMl6Jk/s1600-h/napa_valley.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376358675423680114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spypuum31nI/AAAAAAAAJ2w/t8C_RwMl6Jk/s400/napa_valley.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpypPmYYEpI/AAAAAAAAJ2o/luvVFp2yNFQ/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+95126+PM.bmp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376358140639449746" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 110px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpypPmYYEpI/AAAAAAAAJ2o/luvVFp2yNFQ/s400/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+95126+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br />Or this shot of a windmill from one of our trips to Solvang, CA.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpysUXORl0I/AAAAAAAAJ24/CopWGRFt244/s1600-h/solvang-windmill-joe.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376361521004779330" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpysUXORl0I/AAAAAAAAJ24/CopWGRFt244/s400/solvang-windmill-joe.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spyo6L69alI/AAAAAAAAJ2Y/rSXN9jmf-Ig/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+93032+PM.bmp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376357772759493202" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 115px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Spyo6L69alI/AAAAAAAAJ2Y/rSXN9jmf-Ig/s400/Fullscreen+capture+8312009+93032+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span> Use <a href="http://www.colourlovers.com/palettes/add">ColourLovers</a> to easily create a palette FROM any image that you love- be it nature, Mona Lisa, or simply your favorite jewelry or scarf!
<br />Well, the decision process, we find, is certainly getting interesting now.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Glazes:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Various types of paint glazes are used on different areas of a home. Below are the main broad categories of paint finishes.</span>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flats</span>- give a matte finish, helps hide surface imperfections, Normally used for ceilings and walls in areas not subjected to a lot of wear and tear, dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms.
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Satin /Eggshel</span>l- provides a soft luster sheen similar to that of an eggshell. Satin finish is more durable & stain resistant than a flat finish. Used in higher traffic areas-Kid's rooms, Hallways/stairways, etc.
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Semi-gloss</span>- very durable, easy to clean, and more stain resistant than satin.Best used on very heavy traffic areas/surfaces like kitchens and bathrooms. Also on wainscoting, wood trim,cabinets, etc.
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gloss Paint</span>- Most durable, and stain resistant. Easiest to maintain. Note: Gloss makes surface imperfections more noticeable. Generally used in kitchens, bathrooms,furniture, cabinets, floors, stairs, handrails, etc.
<br />Here's a <a href="http://interiordec.about.com/od/interiorpainting/a/diy_paintfinish.htm">link</a> on about.com with more details on basic paint glazes/finishes available for purchase. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">For preparation, </span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">tools (sand paper, rollers , brushes , drop-cloths), and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Painting101</span>, check out this link on<a href="http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-paint-room.htm"> Howstuffworks</a>. We found that its pretty detailed, and easy to follow.</span>
<br /><div style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </div>
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<br /><div><strong>Whether to paint all sides , ceiling?</strong> </div>Another alternative is to start with one wall- instead of all 4 walls of a room, while still achieving a painted effect. This also called an accent wall/feature wall, and typically would be the wall facing you as you walk into a room. (e.g. the wall that serves as a backdrop for a sofa, or bed, etc) <span>
<br />Below: An accent wall.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>(Image Courtesy: Ellen Kennon)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBLn7pDVjI/AAAAAAAAKEo/4uSQAaZKwQ4/s1600-h/MyRedPP.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBLn7pDVjI/AAAAAAAAKEo/4uSQAaZKwQ4/s400/MyRedPP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386388303731971634" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Painted ceiling</span>?
<br />We really didnt want to use Joe Nye's beautiful Beverely Hills apartment as an example, since its been quoted in pretty much every blog since it first came in House Beautiful magazine. However, we just couldnt resist, and the glossy ceiling reflecting the light says much more that we ever need to write here on how a painted ceiling <span style="font-style: italic;">can</span> work.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBCGxbUSXI/AAAAAAAAKEY/9JUb644mUHo/s1600-h/joenye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBCGxbUSXI/AAAAAAAAKEY/9JUb644mUHo/s400/joenye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386377838449674610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBDORQqWdI/AAAAAAAAKEg/jty1b5HG_gw/s1600-h/joenye2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBDORQqWdI/AAAAAAAAKEg/jty1b5HG_gw/s400/joenye2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386379066765629906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Manufacturers/Sources:</span>
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >Below are some of the sources of good paint in the US.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><a href="http://www.farrow-ball.com/default.aspx?language=en-GB">Farrow & Ball</a> (UK-based, but has US retail)
<br /><a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=fh_home">Benjamin Moore</a>
<br /><a href="http://valspar.com/">Valspar</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/paint/default.asp">Ralph Lauren Home</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.behr.com/">Behr</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/category/category_w_4products.jsp?navAction=pop&navCount=0&categoryId=cat1017001">Restoration Hardware</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.pantone.com/pages/paint/PaintsProducts.aspx">Pantone</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.diamondvogel.com/">DiamondVogel</a>
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<br />We cannot quote it here due to copyright violations, but a leading end-user study that we have subscribed to reports that after testing some of the less expensive ones like Behr, had a better performance rating in several categories than some of the pricier ones! That was a revelation.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How much paint do you need? </span><span style="font-size:0;">
<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">There are many simple Online Calculators which give you how much paint you need by inputting the dimensions of your walls. So no guessing, and minimum wastage. As a thumb rule, a gallon covers around 300-400 sq ft wall area.
<br /></span></strong><span style="font-weight: bold;">View an Online Paint Calculator <a href="http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20083&ca=34">here</a></span> (There are several others available as well)
<br /><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span>
<br />Trial and error.</strong> In the end- we learnt that there is no such thing as a back-seat painting. We learnt one has to get his feet wet and start by trial and error. There's simply no way to just browse and decide if your really want soul-satisfaction with painting.
<br />
<br />So we started painting one of the walls on our garage-and were pretty happy with the results. The money& effort spent on primer (before painting), and sanding for smoothness, were well worth the effort. This wall will probably retain status as an experiment wall for future projects to come.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Topping it off:</span>
<br />After hours of deliberations, with tints, tones and shades, values, triads, tetrads, complimentary and split complementary, our heads are feeling somewhat heavy. The only color Joe can see right now, is the color of the bottle of Merlot sitting on the table :)
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<br />And then again, we see the sheer beauty of white in a magazine open in front of us (image below)....and the battle continues.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBQSNnU_KI/AAAAAAAAKFI/rAHjKVkgq4Q/s1600-h/P1100163.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 234px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SsBQSNnU_KI/AAAAAAAAKFI/rAHjKVkgq4Q/s400/P1100163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386393428157594786" border="0" /></a>
<br />"To Paint or Not to Paint"... is the question of the day.
<br />(Courtesy: Shakespeare & Co.)
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxATW9_GaI/AAAAAAAAJ0U/B0NUGBTMgiM/s1600-h/topaintornot.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376242756500789666" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 372px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SpxATW9_GaI/AAAAAAAAJ0U/B0NUGBTMgiM/s400/topaintornot.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br />Wishing you COlORful Days ahead !
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<br /></div>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-14818938550782980602009-07-03T21:07:00.000-07:002009-07-03T23:02:57.255-07:00High Tea by the bayIn my last post , <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/06/patricias-tag-and-domestic-update.html">Patricia's Tag</a>, one of the questions was <span style="font-style: italic;">"What inspires you ?"</span> and my answer was <span style="font-style: italic;">"<span style="font-weight: bold;">Company of other inspired people, my friends</span> and of course my two boys!". </span>This post is about one such person who is my good friend and a constant source of inspiration:<br />My dear friend, Minnu.<br /><br />She is an artist , and now a full-time mom. She is the girliest girl I know and my one-stop rescue point for design consultation, DIY emergencies, Quick n Easy recipes, hot-off-the-rack fashion trends and 90210 updates.<br /><br />Last weekend was her daughter's 2nd birthday, and she had invited a couple of us friends over for tea. She had gone to great lengths setting the stage- which seemed so effortless at first look, but was carefully brought together. Here are some shots of the tablescape .<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Below:</span> Chunky Brownies & Pastries . I love the Pink spray-roses in the earthenware jar. They are so beautiful and I have tried to include them in every shot possible.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfTyhGGPI/AAAAAAAAJcg/gfJhfmkrnB8/s1600-h/P1080922.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfTyhGGPI/AAAAAAAAJcg/gfJhfmkrnB8/s400/P1080922.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352984794433460466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Below:</span> Simple snacks liven up the table. Home-made Crispy Crust Pizza & Fish Puffs, Banana Muffins from a nearby bakery and of lots of seasonal fruits. Her collection of simple linens and white china lend a grace to the table, and make the food even more appetizing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfU0yjQhI/AAAAAAAAJc4/AG1ODFRNvVM/s1600-h/P1080996.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfU0yjQhI/AAAAAAAAJc4/AG1ODFRNvVM/s400/P1080996.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352984812223414802" border="0" /></a><span><br />High Tea or Afternoon Tea is a light meal including <span style="font-style: italic;">Tea</span> (or sometimes <span style="font-style: italic;">Coffee,</span> to accommodate regional priorities) typically eaten between 3 pm and 5 pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganza (of Portugal) married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon, with her from Portugal. (Source: Wikipedia).<br />Note: Technically- the general term "High Tea" which we use for drinking tea with snacks in the afternoon is a misnomer. High Tea or "meat tea" originated in France and England and was typically heavier food with tea at around 5:00-7:00 in the evening (Not Afternoon), with dinner following much later in the evening. You can read the whole history of High Tea <a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HighTeaHistory.htm">here</a>.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Below: </span>I take a short break from the snacks to find a cup of coffee in the kitchen-nook with an inviting bay-window, and a old cane settee riddled with blue and white pillows to snuggle in.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfUSLq2jI/AAAAAAAAJco/bX0i9qPhUQU/s1600-h/P1080934.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkmfUSLq2jI/AAAAAAAAJco/bX0i9qPhUQU/s400/P1080934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352984802933529138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sk1OQYbI87I/AAAAAAAAJgE/JGqGgPch8tw/s1600-h/P1080937.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 393px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sk1OQYbI87I/AAAAAAAAJgE/JGqGgPch8tw/s400/P1080937.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354021575354545074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Above: </span>A mickey-mouse cake for the 2 year old and her friends. The kids had a lot of fun digging into it after the official cake-cutting .<br />We all had a great time at the party.. Well, who wouldn't when surrounded by such pretty things and good friends?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Below:</span> Minnu is re-orienting herself with her artist's tools after a rather long break. On one of the previous evenings we had met up, she made this sketch of me. I was modeling for first time and it was one of those spur-of-the-moment thoughts to sit for a portrait. I kept fidgeting the entire time , kept changing my expressions and had to offer-up my comments every now and then. Nevertheless, she did an impressive job for a midnight , right-under-the-lamp portrait of me :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Skqw92HhjQI/AAAAAAAAJd4/9vd6BOc4UPE/s1600-h/P1080871.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Skqw92HhjQI/AAAAAAAAJd4/9vd6BOc4UPE/s400/P1080871.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353285683628838146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Below:</span> Home-made Strawberry Jam from <span style="font-style: italic;">Minnu's Kitchen</span>. This is a gift she had given me a while back and I thought this would be good time to share it with you. Often we overlook the possibility of giving our friends, home-made gifts like these, which are relatively inexpensive but absolutely delights the receiver!! The next time before I run to the store to pick up an off-the-shelf-gift , I would definitely reconsider . Would you ?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SihaR-dfj_I/AAAAAAAAJNU/UbfXj_-l0N0/s1600-h/P1080173.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SihaR-dfj_I/AAAAAAAAJNU/UbfXj_-l0N0/s400/P1080173.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343620222746071026" border="0" /></a><br />Here is to friendship and friends !!<br /><br />-Aswathy<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-12310436126312512752009-06-24T15:50:00.000-07:002009-06-24T23:34:52.836-07:00Patricia's Tag.. and a domestic update<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Couple of weeks back </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://coloursdekor.blogspot.com/">Patricia of ColoursDekor</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> passed on a Tag, and "now ", I feel, would be the best time for me to take it up. I am not too good at writing ..let alone writing about myself. So this more me talking than writing :)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Before I get to the Tag, a Big Hi!! to everyone out there and a quick update on the Blue household. Lil Blu's school closed for summer vacation almost a month back. So the tornado is at home full-time and wreaking havoc around here. A good part of my days are spent shuttling between parks , play-dates, malls, the tub ( which he refers to as his personal swimming pool) and my car ( where he pretend-drives for hours on end) . Cooking, Cleaning, Home-projects and all other domestic activities have been put on a temporary hold..and all we do are sing ABC's, race Hotwheels, make freezer-pops and build fortresses out of sofa-cushions.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So now you know why I said NOW would be a good time to take up the Tag. I am badly in need of some grown-up time and some caffeine . And, here you go !</span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkMXQPhiMQI/AAAAAAAAJRM/YToi0w4D-2I/s1600-h/P1080787.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SkMXQPhiMQI/AAAAAAAAJRM/YToi0w4D-2I/s400/P1080787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351146350058811650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">June 24, 5 pm</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">1. What is your current obsession ?</span> <br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The organic milk chocolate bars from Equal-Exchange , they are out-of-this-world!</span><br /><span style="display: block; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Italic" class="gl_italic" border="0" /></span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2.What is your weirdest obsession ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Well, I have been told by many that I have a mild degree of OCD. I am constantly in the quest of Order. I am sure most of my friends would testify to it ..I have offered to several of them to re-organize their spaces ( that is, as soon as I am done with mine ) ;-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">3.What are you wearing today?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> White shirt and denim.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">4.What is for dinner?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Chicken Cutlets, Bread, Boiled corn and fruits for dessert.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">5.What is the last thing you bought?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> A white canister ( for coffee )</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">6.What are you listening to right now ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> CNN .. and Blu trying to spell out the headlines</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">7.What do you think about the person who tagged you?</span> <br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Patricia-Very friendly , Spirited , Adventurous and Thoughtful. I would love to have her for a friend :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">8.If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> India; Trivandrum to be specific</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">9.What are your must have pieces for summer ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Linen pants, sun glasses and a good pair of sneakers</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">10.If you could go anywhere in the world for the next one hour where would you go ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Hmmm , just an hour ??!! I would rather take a nap :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">11.Which language would you like to learn ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> French</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">12.What is your favourite quote?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. -Helen Keller</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">13.Who do you want to meet right now ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Joe, my husband. He left for work before I woke up in the morning.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">14.Whats your favorite color ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Don't you know already ?? It is Blue !</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">15.Whats your favorite piece of clothing in your closet ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Denim by Gap</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">16.What is your dream job ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> A pastry chef ... you said dream-job right ??</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">17.What is your favorite magazine ?</span> <br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">None really !! I occasionally flip through Country Living, Real Simple and Better Homes and Gardens . But I dont subscribe any .</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">18.If you had a $100 now , what would you spend it on ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> A Vintage train-set for the boy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">19.What do you consider a fashion faux pas?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Anytime you try to be trendy forgetting to check if you actually look good in it .</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">20.Who are your style icons ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Shabana Azmi, Michelle Obama</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">21.Describe your personal style ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Depends, sometimes athletic, sometime relaxed .. ( it is not in my style to be dressy .. comfort rules !!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">22. What are you going to do after this ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Take Blu out for a walk .</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">23.What are your favourite movies ?</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Beautiful Mind, Scent of a Woman,Pursuit of Happiness, Amistad, Bharatham( Malayalam), Mounaragam (Tamil) are some of them... and most of the Mohanlal movies in the 80's and early 90's .</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">24. What are your three cosmetic/ makeup/ perfume products you cant live without ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Moisturizer , lip balm and deodorant.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">25.What inspires you ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Company of other inspired people , my friends and of course my two boys !</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">26.Give us 3 styling tips that always work for you ?</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> In terms of home decor (1) Fresh flowers (2) No rules; anything goes..as long as YOU like what you see (3) If you "cant see the room"...Edit, Edit, Re-Edit !!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">27.What do you do when you have "nothing to wear" , even when your closet is packed ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> I usually grab a T-shirt from Joe's side.. and on rare occasions , I have gone rightaway to shop for something new</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">28.Coffee or tea ?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Strictly Coffee :)</span><br /><br /><em style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">*<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The rules are: Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own.</span></em><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So ,That's me !!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I am taking a rain check on passing the tag.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Happy summer to you all</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-Aswathy</span>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-32959419708504162802009-06-03T16:12:00.000-07:002009-06-04T10:08:14.746-07:00Postage Stamp Basket : QuiltingIn<a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/05/houses-on-row-back-to-quilting-1.html"> one of my previous posts</a> I had mentioned how I started on a rather ambitious project right after a weekend class on Quilting. This is how it turned out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sic-fP736nI/AAAAAAAAJLs/uFzp1XBMwek/s1600-h/P1080769.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sic-fP736nI/AAAAAAAAJLs/uFzp1XBMwek/s400/P1080769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343308189472909938" border="0" /></a><br />A short recap.. In 2004 fall, I had taken this weekend class on Quilting to make a gift for a dear friend. In the class , the instructor taught us how to make a crib-size quilt , and the basic techniques of <span style="font-weight: bold;">measuring</span> , <span style="font-weight: bold;">cutting</span> the fabric, <span style="font-weight: bold;">piecing</span> (i.e. joining the bits of fabric together to make a fabric-"block") , <span style="font-weight: bold;">quilting stitches</span> ( i.e. stitches that hold together the 3 layers of a quilt- the top layer of fabric, the cotton batting in between, and the bottom layer of fabric), and finally <span style="font-weight: bold;">binding</span> ( i.e. finishing the edges after the layers are stitched together) .<br /><br />I cant tell you how liberating an experience it was. I was always so envious of Joe, for being so passionate about the things he liked to do : cars, drawing, designing , reading and his list goes on ... and for me I could never figure out that "one thing" which would grip my heart 'n soul...but finally it looked like quilting was that evasive "answer" I was looking for!<br /><br />At the time one of the fabric stores in our neighborhood was having a Christmas Sale and we decided to take a look. We got back home with pieces of at-least 25 different designs. The next thing that followed was a book called "Quilts! Quilts !! Quilts !!!"- by Diana McClun . For the next few days we made countless trips to the nearby craft-store for other supplies and gadgets and of course....for more fabric. The season also got me one of the best surprises ever, a sewing machine - a very thoughtful gift from my husband .<br /><br />My inspiration was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Postage Stamp Basket</span> quilt in Ms.McClun's book. The block- construction looked fairly simple and though the possible design layouts were endless , I decided to stick to the basic layout and color scheme from the book (though we had to change the scale). <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> Joe made this image on MS Word , scaling it down to the size that we had wanted at the time. This was the starting point.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SiczJEThKWI/AAAAAAAAJLk/AtkIesCLSAA/s1600-h/postage+stamp+quilt-8-final-image.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SiczJEThKWI/AAAAAAAAJLk/AtkIesCLSAA/s400/postage+stamp+quilt-8-final-image.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343295713765828962" border="0" /></a>All those specks of color on the white background looked so cheerful and I was sure it would make the perfect accessory to brighten up any room, any day. The blocks were laid out in such a manner that '<span style="font-style: italic;">same color patches</span>' made a diagonal line, creating a lot of visual interest. It might sound like I was on an easy course , since I had decided to follow the layout and color instructions from the book, but getting the different patches of fabric to create that diagonal-line was tough. I had to get just the right shade of yellow or red, otherwise it would stick out and completely wreck the picture I had in mind.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>By the first week of January 2005 I had started working on it , averaging an hour a day. I remember the instructor in my class saying that she preferred to do at-least some part of the process by hand (like the <span style="font-weight: bold;">quilting stitches</span> , or the <span style="font-weight: bold;">binding</span> ) rather than by machine .. that's what adds the personal touch. I particularly enjoyed the "stitching by hand" part and decided to use the sewing-machine only for <span style="font-weight: bold;">piecing</span> and to do the <span style="font-weight: bold;">quilting</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">binding</span> by hand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Siben3DnysI/AAAAAAAAJLI/L4XroX0zdFg/s1600-h/P1080682.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Siben3DnysI/AAAAAAAAJLI/L4XroX0zdFg/s400/P1080682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343202784297077442" border="0" /></a>It took me a long 6 months to get it to what you are seeing now, "almost finished" ( well, it is still not complete according to my original plan.. nevertheless by finished, I mean , usable and presentable) and it made the perfect gift for Joe on his birthday that year ! He was thrilled.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SibenLB76DI/AAAAAAAAJKw/hmqDmTKYAaQ/s1600-h/P1080675.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SibenLB76DI/AAAAAAAAJKw/hmqDmTKYAaQ/s400/P1080675.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343202772478847026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SibencQovnI/AAAAAAAAJK4/aok-SbrzUf4/s1600-h/P1080678.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SibencQovnI/AAAAAAAAJK4/aok-SbrzUf4/s400/P1080678.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343202777103908466" border="0" /></a>In case I have managed to pique your interest in quilts by now , here is some more information and specs on it. The finished quilt measures 82" X 96 " . There are 120 finished blocks on it and each block is finished with 8 pieces of fabric ( 2 squares, 3 big half-square triangles, 2 small half-square triangles and the handle applique ) . A finished block measures 6"X6". Here is a close-up of one of the blocks (below). You can also see the quilting stitches on the white background fabric.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sib5SWo8a7I/AAAAAAAAJLY/Jj7OrrQyHiU/s1600-h/P1080680.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 386px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sib5SWo8a7I/AAAAAAAAJLY/Jj7OrrQyHiU/s400/P1080680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343232101631945650" border="0" /></a><br />Happy Quilts to you all !!<br />~ Aswathytruebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-39917276339268870602009-05-30T01:11:00.000-07:002014-07-10T23:20:33.574-07:00British Colonial Style/ Plantation Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdGseMgVafI/AAAAAAAAIeg/KL0GVDEGvtk/s1600-h/Copy+of+arms_bw.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdGseMgVafI/AAAAAAAAIeg/KL0GVDEGvtk/s200/Copy+of+arms_bw.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319222269654166002" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 98px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 84px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;">If the charms and grandeur of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">colonial-era <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">design</span></span> fascinate you, you will find some hidden gems in this post. While I have tried to be true to what "Colonial", and "Plantation" <span style="font-weight: bold;">design </span>mean to me, this is by no means an authoritative journal on the historical accuracy of these periods, ethics of colonization, or the styles of that period.
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<br />If nothing else, the intention of the post is to simply set you thinking, and find your own inspiration and to plant some seeds for innovation and ingenuity. The images are intended to be a kaleidoscope and hopefully will provide some cohesive imagery that brings the Colonial/Plantation style together.
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<br />I have tried to provide references and links as far as possible, crediting the authors/websites from where I have sourced information, and so that the readers can themselves explore more on the respective websites.
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<br />While many references are to British Architecture and Design from the late 1800's and early 1900's, you will even find references and images here from Colonial United States to British colonies in India and Singapore, and even some vintage French Louis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Vuitton</span> trunks. (In short, the specifics of the style described here, exist more as a figment of my imagination. And the only rule that's applied in gelling all this together is: If it appeals to the ("colonial") eye, it stays there. :-) Happy Reading.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exception:</span> If you are looking for Island Style-this post does NOT cover it (I've seen some folks classify that under Colonial style). It's just my personal preference to classify it as a different style on its own.
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">A little bit of background: The British Empire and the spread of the Colonial style
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">The British were forerunners of the Colonial/Plantation style, and left influences in many of their colonies spanning the ends of the earth in every literal sense- from the Colleges in Fort William (now part of Calcutta) to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Williamsburg</span> , Virginia, to the Governmental mansions in Singapore- all testaments to a bygone era. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">(It's noteworthy, that the Dutch, Portuguese, French and Spanish were all great ocean-trotters and had their own colonies and unique styles)
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZiiNSaeY2I/AAAAAAAAIJA/J3Sf8KXpf8I/s1600-h/hume530.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZiiNSaeY2I/AAAAAAAAIJA/J3Sf8KXpf8I/s320/hume530.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303166910393639778" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 252px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above: </span>Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mackays</span> Bungalow, from Colonial days in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Serampore</span>, Calcutta.</span></div>
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<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzUgtCJsBI/AAAAAAAAILo/t0rnoUttGHQ/s1600-h/Copy+of+763340178_152800e2b1-KanadSanyal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzUgtCJsBI/AAAAAAAAILo/t0rnoUttGHQ/s320/Copy+of+763340178_152800e2b1-KanadSanyal.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304348119445123090" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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<br />(Photo Courtesy: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71449732@N00/763340178"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kanad</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sanyal</span></a>)
<br />The Colonial era poured in enormous amount of wealth into the hands of a few who built mansions such that this one in Calcutta. Lets us not get into a discussion of "right money" versus "wrong money", since many of these were amassed by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Zamindars</span> favouring the British East India Company, <span style="font-style: italic;">both</span> exploiting the local workers and resources. However, strictly from an Architectural perspective, these are simply elements of timeless beauty, though its a shame that many have fallen to ruins because of lack of Government funding for these, or the sheer amount of resources needed to maintain these which often became a burden for the private inheritors of these properties.
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzdvqFtnvI/AAAAAAAAILw/EzusflMutJA/s1600-h/Copy+of+Raffles_Hotel,_Aug_06.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzdvqFtnvI/AAAAAAAAILw/EzusflMutJA/s320/Copy+of+Raffles_Hotel,_Aug_06.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304358271957442290" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 210px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above: </span>The colonial icon of Singapore- Raffles Hotel, named after Sir Stamford Raffles (widely known as the architect of Singapore), and built in 1887.
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> A lithograph depicting a view of Old Colonial Calcutta.
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZirZreFyqI/AAAAAAAAIJY/wxWRfq_7eAQ/s1600-h/calcuttaesplanade2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZirZreFyqI/AAAAAAAAIJY/wxWRfq_7eAQ/s400/calcuttaesplanade2.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303177018882771618" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 298px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a>
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</span><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">So what do we need to do to create colonial-design style?</span></span>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">DESIGN ELEMENTS: </span><span style="color: white; font-size: 100%;">Coming back to the core topic of this post-"DESIGN"</span><span style="color: white; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">, </span><span style="color: white; font-size: 100%;">lets now take a look into the 'design elements' that would be needed to conjure up this style, if we were to emulate this style in the current era.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">The Portico</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portico">portico</a>/porch treatment is perhaps what defines the grand scale of Colonial Architecture edifice to begin with. Again, many elements have been borrowed from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Greco</span>-Roman days, and sets the stage before you even step <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">into</span> one of these buildings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Columns:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 100%;">Note the fluted Doric columns flanking the background in the picture below. (Note: The Columns <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ofcourse</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">havent</span> changed much in style since the Greeks and Romans. Mankind is yet to find a more classic column design in a long time. The colonial style simply borrows, and immortalizes these old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Greco</span>-Roman column designs- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doric_order">Doric</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionic_order">Ionic</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_order">Corinthian</a>, or an amalgam of these.)
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Below: The Maharajah's</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">and their love affair with the colonial style.</span></span></span>
</i>The British Architecture had deep influence on the Indian nobles as well. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Many Indian nobles' palaces and mansions in the 1700-1800's were British Colonialism influenced.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Image Courtesy- Sepia Mutiny.com)</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Note: </span>By the way, the picture above is Maharani <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Gayatri</span> Devi of Jaipur beside her ride. (You cant really have a discussion of the Colonial ages without the Maharajah's and their Rolls <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Royces</span>. :-) <a href="http://sify.com/news/offbeat/fullstory.php?id=13610952">Here's</a> an article if you're really interested in reading more on the topic. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span> The Maharajah of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Alwar</span> ordered 7 Rolls <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Royces</span> in Mayfair, and had them ALL used to collect <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/4193893/Bejewelled-carriageways.html">Municipal waste</a> (you read right), because he was snubbed by a snooty Rolls-salesman.
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</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVKe5D48jI/AAAAAAAAIy4/Z6Eg50ht8ak/s1600-h/rolls1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVKe5D48jI/AAAAAAAAIy4/Z6Eg50ht8ak/s400/rolls1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329247628636516914" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 343px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 344px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> The Red-Oxide glazed floor of <a href="http://www.vanillacounty.in/">Vanilla County</a>, a B&B in Southern India, and Pillars that flank the portico- in my opinion, great elements of the Colonial Style. Interestingly, the British left several timeless summer-homes and retreats in many corners in India from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Ooty</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Shimla</span>. (Note: From the looks of it, this one certainly seems like one of those as well, but I am still in the process of verifying it with the owner.)
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZibw6voP8I/AAAAAAAAII4/DPQNRvgWdwM/s1600-h/varandha-vanillacounty.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZibw6voP8I/AAAAAAAAII4/DPQNRvgWdwM/s320/varandha-vanillacounty.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303159825933811650" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 236px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 243px;" /></a>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below: </span>An interior view of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Note the similarity in tones and palette to the one above.
</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdBX3BaRYEI/AAAAAAAAIdo/vjJg4n2NqC8/s1600-h/800px-Rafflesnorthbridge.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdBX3BaRYEI/AAAAAAAAIdo/vjJg4n2NqC8/s320/800px-Rafflesnorthbridge.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318847762707603522" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Wall Treatment</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">:
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> A <a href="http://www.paulmontgomery.com/portal/?TabId=74">Paul Montgomery hand-painted wall-paper</a> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">creates an aged look, with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe_l%27oeil">t</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe_l%27oeil"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">rompe</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">l'oei</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe_l%27oeil">l</a> effect and adds depth and period, to an otherwise blank room or wall. (Check their website out for some really aged, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">handpainted</span> wall paper. Really sets the mood for a room.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiCWyMBmDDI/AAAAAAAAArc/ooQywtRVnDU/s1600-h/SeaPortB.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiCWyMBmDDI/AAAAAAAAArc/ooQywtRVnDU/s400/SeaPortB.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341434947026947122" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 312px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Furniture
</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Below: A plantation style chair from <a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/collection/sp08_capelodge.asp">Ralph Lauren (Cape Lodge Collection)</a>. Mahogany and Teak suit this style best.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZiVY1mQkMI/AAAAAAAAIIw/AIu1_nIUQzI/s1600-h/093-03-RalphLauren.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZiVY1mQkMI/AAAAAAAAIIw/AIu1_nIUQzI/s320/093-03-RalphLauren.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303152815165706434" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> An <a href="http://www.wshome.com/products/p1416/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd1mviewall%7C24%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cbritish&cm_src=SCH">antique chair</a> from Williams <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Sonoma</span> British Collection.
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfupT1b26HI/AAAAAAAAI7E/wfM1vMEGtA0/s1600-h/img60n-williams-sonoma.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfupT1b26HI/AAAAAAAAI7E/wfM1vMEGtA0/s400/img60n-williams-sonoma.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331040742149646450" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> OK, this one's purely for inspirational purposes. It's a <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/40429-popup.html">museum piece</a>- currently in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and shows what Classic British taste combined with Indian artisan's dexterity can conjure! (BTW, the material is carved Ivory, partly gilded, with caned seat)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVDn5ulNKI/AAAAAAAAIyo/6BYAJjTHqsE/s1600-h/40429-large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVDn5ulNKI/AAAAAAAAIyo/6BYAJjTHqsE/s400/40429-large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329240086853006498" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> An Antique English Rosewood table, 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">th</span> century. Some of these are available from antique dealers in the US & UK. I remember my late paternal grandfather had one (now inherited by one of my cousins) that looks much the same at our ancestral home. The one featured above is from a NY dealer called <a href="http://center44.com/Home/Inventory/product/params/object/3521/page/3/style/19/default.aspx">Center44</a>. (Courtesy: http://center44.com/), and has been listed at $12,000.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> (An estate Sale or eBay might reveal similar treasures at much lesser cost if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">youre</span> willing to spend some time hunting.)
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZpTP6yRBKI/AAAAAAAAIKw/wUNoNbGi-yw/s1600-h/d24_rosewood_table_1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZpTP6yRBKI/AAAAAAAAIKw/wUNoNbGi-yw/s320/d24_rosewood_table_1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303643044125410466" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 271px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a></span>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Settees:</span> Note the "Rising Sun" back splash of this two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">seater</span> that I found on <a href="http://www.british-regency.com/">British Regency</a>, a US-based colonial furniture reproducer/manufacturer. (probably symbolizing<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>the now outdated ;-) phrase- <span style="font-style: italic;">"the Sun never sets on the British empire"</span>)
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</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvyOVmpmVI/AAAAAAAAI8E/iArS2cTWalY/s1600-h/Benches__ottomans___23.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvyOVmpmVI/AAAAAAAAI8E/iArS2cTWalY/s400/Benches__ottomans___23.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331120912054458706" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 326px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bedroom:</span>
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">There's</span> nothing like a classic teak Four-poster bed to adorn any colonial bedroom. This is one from an old resort somewhere in Ceylon (I forget which one), but similar four poster beds can also be found in <a href="http://www.ethanallen.com/category?categoryId=8353&context=contextualNavFromBreadCrumb&category=british+classics">British Classic</a> collection of retailers like Ethan Allen. (Warning!: I must say here that I am not really a big fan of the "modern versions" of these, and your best choice would be to find something salvaged, or from an antiques dealer). The new ones have that sheen, and lack of age that might just take away that aged look that you are trying so hard to create. My fundamental rule for this style would be- "As far as possible, avoid anything that's new, shiny and looks like it just came off the shelf". Stick with all that shows the age, and looks like it has a story to tell. A good piece of old furniture will speak to you- just dream it up and experiment till you get it right.
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzT-ZJ2jDI/AAAAAAAAILI/eeTfdog91VU/s1600-h/fourposter-ceylon.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzT-ZJ2jDI/AAAAAAAAILI/eeTfdog91VU/s320/fourposter-ceylon.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304347529993161778" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 210px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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<br />Mirrors: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">The below floor mirror is from <a href="http://www.bombay.ca/product.php?productid=16211&cat=354&page=1">Bombay Co</a> (closed its operations in the US, but still has a presence in Canada) is in the Colonial Style and would be a great accessory that can double as a dresser mirror, or an entryway mirror. Again-if you can find an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">old</span> piece that has similar lines- use it, else substitute with a replica like the one below.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb7kB7oYYI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/Y0omMck3vHA/s1600-h/fluted-cheval-mirror-BombayCo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb7kB7oYYI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/Y0omMck3vHA/s320/fluted-cheval-mirror-BombayCo.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316213006569857410" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 298px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">The Study, Library:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">A well stocked library /study is a critical component in Colonial design. The <a href="http://www.elijahslocum.com/product.php?pid=202">below desk</a>, and <a href="http://www.elijahslocum.com/product.php?pid=257">Library steps</a>, both in English Cherry are from Elijah Slocum, a fine maker of English furniture in the US. I have featured some more pieces from this maker in the Dining Section below.</span>
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfvxm1EW3XI/AAAAAAAAI7k/cDcdN2I7gAM/s1600-h/202.F12606_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfvxm1EW3XI/AAAAAAAAI7k/cDcdN2I7gAM/s400/202.F12606_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331120233305791858" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 236px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 360px;" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvyDDMuK5I/AAAAAAAAI78/gWPxHOiBZok/s1600-h/257.F15101_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvyDDMuK5I/AAAAAAAAI78/gWPxHOiBZok/s400/257.F15101_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331120718135307154" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 194px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Colonial Accessories (Steamer Trunks, etc)</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">
<br />Travels to the corners of the earth was the essence of colonialism (among the other obvious motives which I wont cover here). Essentially, there evolved fine transportation modularities that are rare to come by in the current age. I doubt if the below Louis Vuitton Steamer trunk can actually be linked directly to Colonial baggage (I dont have any proof). Nevertheless, LV trunks were in use since 1854, and the stlyle, I personally feel, fits in if you are trying to put togther a colonial decor inspired room. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZn5KHfXYfI/AAAAAAAAIKo/5Pyu0dsJQ5I/s1600-h/LV-trunks.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZn5KHfXYfI/AAAAAAAAIKo/5Pyu0dsJQ5I/s320/LV-trunks.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303543988410081778" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 299px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below: </span>And what's colonial style without a Campaign desk? Again-one of the antiques I found online from a dealer called Perry & Thomas, listed at Center44. (Image Courtesy:http://center44.com). This is a very beautiful piece that can accent a Study, Hallway or bedroom, whichever way you chose to improvise.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZpaue5gfOI/AAAAAAAAIK4/jFnb8VAeP2U/s1600-h/a3_campaign_desk_1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZpaue5gfOI/AAAAAAAAIK4/jFnb8VAeP2U/s320/a3_campaign_desk_1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303651265796930786" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a></span>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Storage: </span>As I mentioned above in the Bedroom Section, some retailers like Ethan Allen and William's Sonoma, do provide a range of furniture that adhere's to this style. Though personally I would not pick all of these and club it under the Plantation Style, these are also a great source for off-the shelf elements that make these products more accessible- as compared to authentic ones which would require countless time hunting them down and would be much more expensive.
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below: </span>An armoire from <a href="http://www.ethanallen.com/product?productId=2869">Ethan Allen's British Classics</a>
</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbZAiPpFHI/AAAAAAAAIZQ/RJJUz3T6jSw/s1600-h/british-classics-armoire.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbZAiPpFHI/AAAAAAAAIZQ/RJJUz3T6jSw/s320/british-classics-armoire.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316175013373088882" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 219px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Dining: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Lets move into</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">the dining space.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">The following pieces are a lighter tone from some of the above. I just wanted to bring in the tonal variance to show the different type of woods that could be used with this style.
<br />Mostly, Mahogany, Rosewood and Teak were used in British Colonial design.The corner cupboard shown below is English Oak, from <a href="http://www.elijahslocum.com/product.php?pid=72">Elijah Slocum</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, </span>a great reference and source of English style furniture.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
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<br />Below: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">The four pieces below- Cupboard, <a href="http://www.elijahslocum.com/product.php?pid=222">Queen Anne Mahogany Pedestal Dining Table</a>, and Queen Anne Chairs are all from Elijah Slocum.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvxwhwzLhI/AAAAAAAAI7s/-Cc3PcbYjxM/s1600-h/72.F11415_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfvxwhwzLhI/AAAAAAAAI7s/-Cc3PcbYjxM/s400/72.F11415_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331120399922179602" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 319px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv6_JmxhwI/AAAAAAAAI8U/f9yxvLltt6Q/s1600-h/222.F7202_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv6_JmxhwI/AAAAAAAAI8U/f9yxvLltt6Q/s400/222.F7202_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331130546740365058" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 134px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 360px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv7vQL5gwI/AAAAAAAAI8k/RYS2-ejNfL0/s1600-h/295.S502A_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv7vQL5gwI/AAAAAAAAI8k/RYS2-ejNfL0/s400/295.S502A_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331131373140411138" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 148px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfyPIy9XkoI/AAAAAAAAI8s/3y9to6STiTQ/s1600-h/296.S503_large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfyPIy9XkoI/AAAAAAAAI8s/3y9to6STiTQ/s400/296.S503_large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331293440180720258" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 211px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 144px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standalone pieces:
<br />Below: </span>The chair below blends both Chippendale and Queen Anne styles, and is piece from my own collection, that I restored. It's estimated around the 1800-1850's (perhaps earlier). Standalone pieces like this can be used in corners, entryways, hallways, or just about anywhere you have space to throw a chair. Fine British furniture manufacturers like Sheraton, Chippendale and Hepplewhite all manufactured "portable" furniture for the Colonial officers of the British army. These pieces had to be easy to transport, be able to be knocked down and assembled back easily, and often "collapsible"- leading to an entirely new approach in furniture design.
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0SXB3EIRI/AAAAAAAAI-E/pNheEmc7iVU/s1600-h/Copy+of+JM-chippendale1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0SXB3EIRI/AAAAAAAAI-E/pNheEmc7iVU/s400/Copy+of+JM-chippendale1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331437720722219282" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Plantation Shutters: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">These add a definitive character to the Colonial/Plantation Style, and are obviously named so for the same reason-they were used in plantations (though actual their origins can perhaps be traced back to Greece).</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Again, the key is to preserve or bring out an aged look, so source reclaimed ones whereever possible, if not go for one that has a distressed look (even if its new) to get the best 'period effect'. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">You could improvise with these as well. The shutter's need not necessarily go on a window- if you find an old pair, they could adorn your wall as well as a non-functional decortaive element.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbO5meoe4I/AAAAAAAAIZA/bL4NA7UTb5E/s1600-h/writers-shutter1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbO5meoe4I/AAAAAAAAIZA/bL4NA7UTb5E/s320/writers-shutter1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316163899134344066" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 210px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbPXe39x_I/AAAAAAAAIZI/ml_aI66VfGk/s1600-h/plantation-shutters.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbPXe39x_I/AAAAAAAAIZI/ml_aI66VfGk/s200/plantation-shutters.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316164412489189362" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 100px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip!:</span> Watch out for low quality ones with staples attached to louvers- they will sag/fall out. Pick ones with metal/brass secures that attach the louvers to central tilt-bar).
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fabric:</span> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Again, my personal preference is that its best NOT to dilute the 'colonial' effect with a too much color, and white/pale linen shades do the most justice for curtains, tableware, furniture fabric including sofa's and </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">cushions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Again, no hard rule here. Experiment and find what works best once you have the rest of the main elements in the framework together. Colourful fabrics can be used in a restrained manner, with a tasteful eye, while keeping a check on not going overboard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Some makers of fine fabrics include <span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.sanderson-uk.com/">Sanderson</a>,</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/fabric/default.asp">RalphLauren</a>,</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.vervain.com/home.html">Vervain</a> &</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.yvesdelorme.com/">Yves Delorme</a> to name a few. (The below samples are from Ralph Lauren, Vervain) </span>
</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdBXvTzozLI/AAAAAAAAIdg/bRPHDaJ90K0/s1600-h/calico-corners-ainsworth-equestrian-tea.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdBXvTzozLI/AAAAAAAAIdg/bRPHDaJ90K0/s320/calico-corners-ainsworth-equestrian-tea.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318847630206880946" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 250px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 250px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDGma7XIOI/AAAAAAAAAr8/DjikX-UHzGs/s1600-h/200510181000140.ARISEAMA-AUTUMN-Web.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDGma7XIOI/AAAAAAAAAr8/DjikX-UHzGs/s400/200510181000140.ARISEAMA-AUTUMN-Web.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341487521427038434" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 247px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 247px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Animal & Botanical Prints: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Flora/fauna prints also go well with this design, reminiscent of the various hunting endevours of the colonial period. Though trade of most animal skins are banned in current times (as opposed to colonial times), technically you can still evoke the same 'canvas' by using prints from the same fabric providers mentioned above for cushions, upholstery, curtains, and the like - again the key is to use in "restrained quantities" against the bulk of a generally white (or sober) palette of fabric. It would be hard to classify a room full of zebra prints as colonial design.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDBjvC2d1I/AAAAAAAAArs/hUM2wn3ZhgM/s1600-h/Recently+Updated1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDBjvC2d1I/AAAAAAAAArs/hUM2wn3ZhgM/s400/Recently+Updated1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341481977729414994" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 226px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 302px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDBjaDigVI/AAAAAAAAArk/zslMfPqNfBk/s1600-h/Recently+Updated.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDBjaDigVI/AAAAAAAAArk/zslMfPqNfBk/s400/Recently+Updated.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341481972095156562" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 227px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 303px;" /></a></div>
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<br />Curtains & Window Treatments: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Simple linen</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">shades of neutral colour are preferred, but one could use raw silk as well for more sophisticated treatments. However, the fact remains that curtains are not a necessity in Colonial design. You could just leave the windows bare with just the beauty (and protection) of the plantation shutters being the only window element- pretty powerful on its own.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDHFrscsoI/AAAAAAAAAsE/L-SyHAepZdw/s1600-h/LFY62083F.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDHFrscsoI/AAAAAAAAAsE/L-SyHAepZdw/s400/LFY62083F.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341488058503836290" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 244px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 307px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfpQLz_JDbI/AAAAAAAAI30/gSS3b8prrEU/s1600-h/P1080390.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfpQLz_JDbI/AAAAAAAAI30/gSS3b8prrEU/s400/P1080390.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330661272810229170" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 297px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Image Courtesy: </span>Tuscan Style 2009, Meredith Publications. Featuring designer Jenny Peter's home in Biscayne Bay, Florida. Note the pale palette, with only the Persian-looking rug making a contrast. The dark woods of the Sri-Lankan four poster bed, Cane-settee, and door make a stricking contrast against the different shades of whites in linen, sofas walls, and curtains. Note the antique 4-poster Sri-Lankan bed (remember that Sri-Lanka was a British colony too)
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Wood Paneling, Trimwork & Wainscoting: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Note the sophistication that dark wood wainscoting and paneling brings in below. Again, not overly done- but just enough. Elaborate scrollwork and intricate designs in trimwork would tend towards the more sophisticated french style. The British colonial style simply classicizes the straight lines.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>Below: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The game room from the Kusumvilas Palace in Gujarat which was designed for Indian royalty in Colonial days.</span>
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflP37x_h0I/AAAAAAAAI3A/Z0aPBRu9TPE/s1600-h/bg_6-kusumvilas-palace.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflP37x_h0I/AAAAAAAAI3A/Z0aPBRu9TPE/s400/bg_6-kusumvilas-palace.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330379456328468290" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 254px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflQMQd0ooI/AAAAAAAAI3I/EuMMRoe2jlU/s1600-h/z1105_23_0001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflQMQd0ooI/AAAAAAAAI3I/EuMMRoe2jlU/s400/z1105_23_0001.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330379805478396546" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 278px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> OK. I'm going to use my creative license to bend the rules here a bit. The above is technically neither Colonial nor British, but <span style="font-size: 100%;">from<i> <a href="http://www.cot.cz/zobrazcl.php?id=5465">Archduke Franz Ferdinand d’Este</a></i><a href="http://www.cot.cz/zobrazcl.php?id=5465">'s </a></span><a href="http://www.cot.cz/zobrazcl.php?id=5465">Chateau</a> in Prague. The image and the colour-scape resonates with what I had in mind, so I'm throwing that in here. Note the tall ceilings, dark wood wainscoting against the white walls, and contrasting green floor-like that of a Gentleman's Billiards table. You get the picture. :-)
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Light & Fixtures:
<br />Ceiling Fan: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Vintage ceiling fans can add a lot of character if you have enough room height to provide one<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I found quite a few including 1918 Diehl, and a 1910 Western Electric fan on a site called <a href="http://www.vintagefans.com/gallery/ceiling_fans/diehl/1918cdiehl52antiqueceilingfan.html">Vintagefans.com</a> ! Check it out.</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SccB47tJ90I/AAAAAAAAIao/hFWavrgXc7c/s1600-h/vintage-fan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SccB47tJ90I/AAAAAAAAIao/hFWavrgXc7c/s200/vintage-fan.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316219962745550658" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Lighting:
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Below are some examples of Colonial style lighting. I've covered lantern style, and a chandelier, both from <a href="http://www.thefederalistonline.com/">The Federalist</a> (one of my favorites). (Note: The Fedaralist is a source for American Colonial accessories, but overall their lighting styles fits in just as well)</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">.
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</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDcMnnNIiI/AAAAAAAAAsc/nSMpbljUq5s/s1600-h/5a735b0c17cb93e3730592b77fa76c23.image.480x600.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDcMnnNIiI/AAAAAAAAAsc/nSMpbljUq5s/s320/5a735b0c17cb93e3730592b77fa76c23.image.480x600.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341511267411370530" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 227px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 196px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDcMrz6MeI/AAAAAAAAAsU/-7rn4nLiblI/s1600-h/20b135818e4fd3ec663c75279a981684.image.480x600.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDcMrz6MeI/AAAAAAAAAsU/-7rn4nLiblI/s320/20b135818e4fd3ec663c75279a981684.image.480x600.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341511268538397154" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 239px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 192px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Note: </span>I wanted to include a <span style="font-weight: bold;">table lamp</span> as well, but I really couldnt find anything perfect that either excited me, or came close to a fuzzy image that I had in mind. So I'll leave it for a later update on this same post.
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Electrical Switches: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">One can never underestimate the charm of the old bakelite switches. Thankfully there are a handful of manufacturers that still make these beautiful electrical compositions. This is one place where I make an exception- try and find a new bakelite switch-just in terms of safety. The old ones may have worn out wiring, and unless you have a certified electrican guaranteeing the product, its simply safer to use a remade version- some of these are as good as the orginal ones. I found some great pieces on <a href="http://www.architecturalclassics.com/en/Brown-Bakelite-Two-Way-Switch-2429.html">Architecturalclassics.com</a></span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaNNusSMSI/AAAAAAAAIzg/isfWdt684Kk/s1600-h/PLS_BAKE55_BR.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaNNusSMSI/AAAAAAAAIzg/isfWdt684Kk/s320/PLS_BAKE55_BR.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329602476051149090" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 209px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 209px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Accessories: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Naval accessories, especially good quality reproductions can evoke the conquests of the early campaigners and explorers.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> Below is a model of <a href="http://www.atalto.com/">U.S.S. Constitution</a>. One must go for the best quality, and detail that one's budget can afford. These are indeed timeless.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SccnzFlAUiI/AAAAAAAAIa4/K3V-AAMKTOw/s1600-h/san-felipe-woodenmodelships.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SccnzFlAUiI/AAAAAAAAIa4/K3V-AAMKTOw/s320/san-felipe-woodenmodelships.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316261643758359074" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 238px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above</span>: The San Felipe, from <a href="http://www.woodenmodelships.com/">woodenmodelships.com/</a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paint:</span>
<br />My personal preference would be just WHITE walls- whatever shade that suits you- as long as its a shade of white. Nothing compliments this style as best as dark furniture juxtaposed against white walls, and terracotta floors. But if you need to deviate a little but, a general guideline would be to stick with a <a href="http://www.farrow-ball.com/productlist.aspx?cid=PC&language=en-GB">neutral palette</a> from a paint maker with high pigment percentage- like <a href="http://www.farrow-ball.com/company/fbdifference.aspx?language=en-GB">Farrow & Ball</a> (again, a British paint maker since 1930's) that has been known to excel in this space. Personally I like <a href="http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/paint/default.asp">RL shades</a> as well (Note: Try and stick to the neutral ones, as Colonial is a usually a neutral palette.) The RL site also lists an array of useful videos on "How to" techniques.
<br />However, If you're not afraid of experimenting with more bolder colors such as RL's Tapestry Green, go for it. Let no one dictate any hard and fast rules. There arent any! :-)
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbLi3gmd2I/AAAAAAAAIY4/xjTMcbJC7Oo/s1600-h/RL-Tapestry+Green+VM107.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScbLi3gmd2I/AAAAAAAAIY4/xjTMcbJC7Oo/s320/RL-Tapestry+Green+VM107.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316160210034128738" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 100px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Floor:
<br />Base: </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Red Oxide, Reclaimed wood</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">, </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Terracota, Tiles<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>are all good options. (Most of them are on this post if you look at flooring in the various images on this page- in case you need some visuals)</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Personally, I would have two choices- reclaimed wood, or red-oxide. Both work well in my opinion. I found the below from a <a href="http://www.wiwpine.com/woodfloor_photos.htm">reclaimed wooden floor provider</a> in the US. It's crucial to select the right tone of colour, and right "age". We neither want a "Too new" look not "Too light" colour. A dark, well worn look would be just right!</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVRIzoG3YI/AAAAAAAAIzQ/h-XEOOrkGPI/s1600-h/wiw-antiquefloor.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVRIzoG3YI/AAAAAAAAIzQ/h-XEOOrkGPI/s400/wiw-antiquefloor.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329254945802083714" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rugs: </span>Sisal or Persian? One could go both ways. Each lending it's own charming, and effect to the room. Two distinct flavors. If you want a richer look, go with a nice persian silk or wool carpet.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> Else the simple look of a sisal rug has a right in itself and would look absolutely in place in Colonial design.</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzfyPI0JsI/AAAAAAAAI9s/zRkXmJ0Vvrw/s1600-h/sisal-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzfyPI0JsI/AAAAAAAAI9s/zRkXmJ0Vvrw/s400/sisal-2.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331382113049781954" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 225px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> A sisal rug from <a href="http://www.naturalrugstore.co.uk/">Natural RugStore</a>. You can check it out for different varieties, but Sisal rugs are available from many leading retailers worldwide. (In the US including Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel)
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> The other side of the equation- Wool/Silk rugs. It is interesting to note that smaller woolen/silk rugs can be used on top of the sisal rugs to define specific areas-<span style="font-style: italic;"> (see below)</span>. So you can get the best of both worlds. (I've tried it and it works for me). If you take a close look at the cover of one the books I've put in the reference section below, you will find a Persian rug sitting on a canvas covered of a campaign tent. Rugs were often acquired on travels and campaigns and the British officers held used these memorabilia to tone-up their modest outdoor spaces.
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzZKTJ1l2I/AAAAAAAAI9k/4704uOTA45g/s1600-h/l-007-222.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzZKTJ1l2I/AAAAAAAAI9k/4704uOTA45g/s400/l-007-222.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331374829863278434" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 274px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Image Courtesy:</span> <a href="http://carpetmuseum.ir/">Carpet Museum of Iran</a> (it's one of the finest sources of rug-images on the web- sorry none for sale, but can give you plenty of ideas before you go carpet shopping)
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Below: </span>As mentioned in the above paragraph, I've made a collage out of a Sisal rug, and a Kilim just to make the point that one could have the best of both worlds by simply overlaying. (The Kilim rug I have shown here is the Malatya rug featured on <a href="http://www.kilim.com/shopping/productdetail.asp?lblProdid=3073&lblForm_no=9998&lblAON=1#">Kilim.com</a>)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0xs4bnIJI/AAAAAAAAI-U/lGCQtrijs9w/s1600-h/Le+Courtyard2-kilim-sisal-collage.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0xs4bnIJI/AAAAAAAAI-U/lGCQtrijs9w/s400/Le+Courtyard2-kilim-sisal-collage.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331472181008736402" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 309px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">Wall Art:
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Classic Botanicals like the below, <a href="http://www.ebanista.com/index.php/site/catalogue/C17/">from Ebanista</a> would complement the 'Colonial walls', especially if you want to "tone it down" a bit, avoid an overly masculine overtures. You could also order botanicals from sites like Art.com and frame them yourself for a more wallet-friendly approach. </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVHHrsJrRI/AAAAAAAAIyw/HOJpukUn3Po/s1600-h/EthanAllen-Botanical-Collage.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfVHHrsJrRI/AAAAAAAAIyw/HOJpukUn3Po/s400/EthanAllen-Botanical-Collage.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329243931375414546" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 322px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art / Lithographs:</span> like the one shown below (J.F Herring's Fox Hunting Scenes- I happened to find one of these myself)<b>. </b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Realism, Oriental or early Impressionist (or similar) <a href="http://foxhuntscene.com/john_herring_jr">oil paintings</a></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> would add great depth as well</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;">.
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb56p-jzJI/AAAAAAAAIaA/UQm2z0XlGtA/s1600-h/1024_1-herrings.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb56p-jzJI/AAAAAAAAIaA/UQm2z0XlGtA/s320/1024_1-herrings.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316211196253424786" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 218px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb6Fbj7PRI/AAAAAAAAIaI/KPzA2LxAoUY/s1600-h/john_f_herring_jr_b1137_prepairing_for_the_hunt.133134121_std.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Scb6Fbj7PRI/AAAAAAAAIaI/KPzA2LxAoUY/s320/john_f_herring_jr_b1137_prepairing_for_the_hunt.133134121_std.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316211381362179346" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 211px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span>"<a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism" title="Robert Clive">Robert Clive</a> and his family with an Indian maid", painted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism" title="Joshua Reynolds">Joshua Reynolds</a>, 1765. (Source Wikipedia)
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzUZcVlUJI/AAAAAAAAILg/9bbgyylkaWI/s1600-h/Reynolds.clive.750pix.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZzUZcVlUJI/AAAAAAAAILg/9bbgyylkaWI/s320/Reynolds.clive.750pix.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304347994704138386" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 242px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Maps, Nautical Instruments, Guns: </span>Since all these are relevant to the colonial period, adding them would generally enhance the overall "colonization" factor to your design, as well as add the period-tone in the details. I'll just cover the maps element below for sake of brevity.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(There is plenty of stuff out there for collectors on the other 2 items on the web, including on ebay)<span style="font-weight: bold;">
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Maps:</span> Maps make a great addition to wall decor in this style. Campaigns were charted with old maps and old copies, or good replicas would bring in the conquests without a word spoken. Typically wooden frames go best with maps. Use the same woods (refer General Woods section in this post) - Mahogany,Teak, Rosewood- or similar finishes if you have other types of woods- a more cost effective option.
<br />The map below serves a double-purpose in this post. It's also the a map showing the vast expanse of the British empire in the 18th-19th centuries. (Marked in Red)- Click on the map and check it out! <span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br />Historical Fact: </span>The tiny island kingdom of Great Britain,of just 94,000 sq miles (244,000 sq km) by 1920, had by conquests, expanded into the British Empire and held sway over a population of about 458 million people, i.e. one-quarter of the world's population, and covered more than 13,000,000 square miles (33,670,000 km²) i.e., approximately a quarter of Earth's total land area! Talk about Colonization. (Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire">Wikipedia</a>)
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</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzugsjOIyI/AAAAAAAAI98/0Y7xbRiZdh4/s1600-h/British_Empire_1897.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfzugsjOIyI/AAAAAAAAI98/0Y7xbRiZdh4/s400/British_Empire_1897.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331398304381936418" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 304px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/SiDGcjD-KEI/AAAAAAAAAr0/W9Zwclsg7pY/s400/00000149.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341487351811942466" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 324px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0cjUqJffI/AAAAAAAAI-M/nEOCCzesLjA/s1600-h/framedArt-Brit-Col-Map.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf0cjUqJffI/AAAAAAAAI-M/nEOCCzesLjA/s400/framedArt-Brit-Col-Map.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331448927043026418" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 343px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip: </span>If you want to see a frame for your map/picture, you can upload your own image at Frames sites like <a href="http://www.pictureframes.com/">PictureFrames.com </a></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">and see for yourself before you order </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">(I've used it to create the 3rd image of the framed map above) . It's disappointing, that even at the time of writing this article in 2009, framing shops in the US like Michaels and Aaron Brothers, do NOT have any imaging solution where you can see a full visualization of your complete framed picture anywhere before you see it delivered! (Pretty unbelievable to me in this digital age). <span style="font-weight: bold;">
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</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coat/Hat Racks & </span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Umbrella Stands</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Creating a Gentleman's corner. This umbrella/coat/hat stand on <a href="http://www.rubylane.com/">RubyLane</a> (a great source of period furniture) is a good example of building up the design right from the entryway. Much lighter pieces are available in the $800-$1500 range, if "heavy" puts you off. The <a href="http://www.rubylane.com/shops/pamelascollections/iteml/H29353150#pic1">one below goes for about $3600</a>, and in my opinion a fine piece of woodwork with brass trim.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuvaI3KayI/AAAAAAAAI7U/GgvG4P48Lyo/s1600-h/H29353150.1L.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuvaI3KayI/AAAAAAAAI7U/GgvG4P48Lyo/s400/H29353150.1L.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331047447513426722" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 280px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Other Details:
<br />Remember. </span>It's all in the details. Down to the last one. If you think you've covered it all- revisit. Because some items out of place can simply spoil the whole picture. For e.g. An ultra-modern light switch or door-knob would look totally out of place. I've added some below to give an outline of what to look for, but this list is by no means comprehensive.
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Escutcheon: </span>A keyhole protector/enhancer
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTlTkN47I/AAAAAAAAI0Q/5j3Jo4wMF3g/s1600-h/PTVE002AB_escutcheon.69379.255x300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTlTkN47I/AAAAAAAAI0Q/5j3Jo4wMF3g/s320/PTVE002AB_escutcheon.69379.255x300.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329609478156182450" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 111px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 111px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Window Latches/Cabinet Pulls, etc.</span>: These can be used on existing cabinetry, or for ones that you may be refurbishing.
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTZFYIXlI/AAAAAAAAI0I/mJ-iX-4Fq4o/s1600-h/mot3005_1_alwoeid.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTZFYIXlI/AAAAAAAAI0I/mJ-iX-4Fq4o/s320/mot3005_1_alwoeid.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329609268188962386" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 149px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 149px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coat Hooks:</span> Pretty self explanatory.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTOGH9DbI/AAAAAAAAI0A/Y9JAUSdvSqI/s1600-h/DCH182_hook.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaTOGH9DbI/AAAAAAAAI0A/Y9JAUSdvSqI/s320/DCH182_hook.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329609079410986418" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 191px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 191px;" /> </a>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Espagnolette: </span>Adds a touch of class to tall doors. You can read more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espagnolette">here</a>. You can chose the level of detail that works for you. If this is overkill for you leave it out (these can be expensive as well). If the minutest details give you the sparks..go for it. :-)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaUolgzpAI/AAAAAAAAI0Y/ZOxC-5keayQ/s1600-h/FRS_ESP_6972_IMP.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfaUolgzpAI/AAAAAAAAI0Y/ZOxC-5keayQ/s320/FRS_ESP_6972_IMP.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329610634024952834" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /> </a><span style="font-weight: bold;">General purpose Wood:</span> If you need to acquire or build custom pieces, Mahogany, Rosewood, Teak would be some of the best options, though others like English Cherry can be used as well. (Note: For a more economical approach, you could use other woods as well and then use wood- stainers to attain the finishes of the woods mentioned above.)
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Phones:</span> Restored phones like this go in the range of $400-$1500. A working model with that nostalgic ring is worth it, but ofcourse you may still need your modern phone as a "hidden" back-up for wireless, voicemail and all the new features we have become so used to ;-)
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Investing in non-working model may be an economical way as well- to add the charm. You find one online like this one I found at <a href="http://www.oldphoneworks.com/antique-phones/by-date/1900s/">Oldphoneworks</a>. Good alternatives would include the <a href="http://www.ianbell.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/old_phone.jpg">black bakelite phone</a> which some of us may still remember from childhood days. (No push buttons please- stick to the rotary dial)
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfkiKc6zJJI/AAAAAAAAI2Y/gtcwFrpL1cA/s1600-h/CMZ1335PS2020AN-phone.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfkiKc6zJJI/AAAAAAAAI2Y/gtcwFrpL1cA/s400/CMZ1335PS2020AN-phone.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330329196926542994" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 195px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Silverware: </span>Nothing adds class like some antique silver-ware. You could get some pieces like this one- or an assorted amalgam from authentic dealers of british antique silverware like this old <a href="http://www.mplevene.co.uk/searchresults.aspx?categoryid=1020">London store</a>, or substitute with similar pieces which you maybe able to get for a steal off ebay-if you keep looking.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfk37cimb5I/AAAAAAAAI2o/UkQSjeO7eVs/s1600-h/TEAPOT.SHAW.1886.500-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfk37cimb5I/AAAAAAAAI2o/UkQSjeO7eVs/s400/TEAPOT.SHAW.1886.500-2.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330353128382820242" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 125px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clocks: </span>Good working condition grand-father clocks can be expensive, but do make a statement- like they've always been sitting there..for a hundred years. <a href="http://www.brianloomes.com/index.html">BrianLoomes</a> of North Yorkshire, England is a good source. The images below are from <a href="http://www.brianloomes.com/details/detailellis.html">their website</a>.
</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfuo_fAQh8I/AAAAAAAAI68/MYuCjJ2H4K0/s1600-h/full-1765-CroomeWotton-Walnut.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfuo_fAQh8I/AAAAAAAAI68/MYuCjJ2H4K0/s400/full-1765-CroomeWotton-Walnut.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331040392530921410" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 262px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuqE44_2QI/AAAAAAAAI7M/Xy2rwn290ug/s1600-h/briggs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuqE44_2QI/AAAAAAAAI7M/Xy2rwn290ug/s400/briggs.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331041584890763522" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 129px;" /></a>
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<br />Trophies & </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hunting Memorabilia:
</span>Evoke the memories of old hunting campaigns with trophies. If youre lucky, you may have some of these still left in your family. Please NOTE: Trading of Tiger skins is illegal and punishable, but again if you have one that you inherited (grandfather clause), you can use that as well. (Animal rights activists, please excuse. fyi- I neither support the killing of animals or skinning thereafter- the intention of this post is NOT a debate on the above topic)
<br />As I mentioned towards the beginning of this post, Colonial influence had a prominent effect on the Indian royalty (and vice-versa), and the design influence combined with the skills of Indian "royal-artisans" spread to many of the Indian palaces built in the 17th-19th centuries. As a corollary, many of the pieces that the British claim today as 'spoils of war' sitting in British museums are fine blends of indian craftsmanship. (See the ivory and cane chair displayed on this post).
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below: </span>The image below is from the Ranjit Vilas Palace in Wankaner, Gujarat.<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Image Courtesy:</span> Corbis, </span><span id="mainImageInfoControl1_lblCreditLine">(<a href="http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=%7BC158F56E-755D-45A6-AC2F-FE625948A131%7D">© Lindsay Hebberd/CORBIS</a>)</span>. Note the school of tiger-heads in the backdrop. Unfortunately, I cannot say "no tigers were hurt in the making of this design".
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflOqUAQ2BI/AAAAAAAAI24/cODKTpgEPEs/s1600-h/LY002051.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflOqUAQ2BI/AAAAAAAAI24/cODKTpgEPEs/s400/LY002051.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330378122800977938" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 268px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Space and Volume: </span>We may not always have the luxury or choice of picking the best building structures, and may have to live with what options we have. But vertical space is a very important concept in Colonial design. It's best not attempted in very small spaces, where other design styles may best optimize the space. Colonial design calls for invoking a certain level of understated grandeur (not opulent, but at the same time a hidden tone of elegance in design). The point I am trying to make here is- this design is best attempted in spaces that have reasonably good volume. 12-15 foot ceilings or even higher brings out it's own character.
<br />Again, no hard rule here. Try for yourself and see what works best. Moderate spaces, cleverly worked out in planning may be able to pull it off too.
</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfvvmf4-edI/AAAAAAAAI7c/i0dkjf2GMRU/s1600-h/470_37824.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfvvmf4-edI/AAAAAAAAI7c/i0dkjf2GMRU/s400/470_37824.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331118028597656018" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 270px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image Courtesy:</span> </span><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/image/37824/index.html?cat=30">Associated Content, British Colonial Design Style, by Sandy Mitchell</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">
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<br />Experimenting: </span>Once you get the bones in place, you could expiriment with variants to suit your own convenience and functionality. By now, we already know know some of the striking elements that say "British Colonial".
<br />For example, you could even bring in a Canvas Canopy element to your ceiling, or walls for an added effect. (Remember, most of the British Campaigns from South Africa to Asia were launched in tents, and some of the finest furniture we regard today in this style were used to make classic decor under a modest canopy. (And hence Nicholas Brawers's aptly titled book- "Elegance under Canvas"-<span style="font-style: italic;"> see below under Books/References</span>)
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<br />More Inspiration:
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</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Movies:</span> You could draw plenty of inspiration from Hollywood as well. Movies like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DNfzocPxRo&feature=PlayList&p=CFB5261DE3D50A28&index=15">Lawrence of Arabia</a> has plenty of scenes where British Officers, and old Consulates are featured.
</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflRMxP7nkI/AAAAAAAAI3Q/NWLEIIua2Uk/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+4272009+111143+PM.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SflRMxP7nkI/AAAAAAAAI3Q/NWLEIIua2Uk/s400/Fullscreen+capture+4272009+111143+PM.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330380913790131778" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 182px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books:</span> Also, I couldn't pass this book that i chanced upon, on Amazon- (I don't have a copy of the book yet but do intend to get it once it becomes available again)-<span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Furniture-British-India-Ceylon-Collections/dp/1851773185">Furniture from British India and Ceylon</a>- by Amin Jaffer
</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sccq-AhuS0I/AAAAAAAAIbA/OEfoMrd37-Q/s1600-h/Furniture-from+BritIndCeylon-AminJaffer.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sccq-AhuS0I/AAAAAAAAIbA/OEfoMrd37-Q/s320/Furniture-from+BritIndCeylon-AminJaffer.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316265129915861826" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>And the most authoritative book on the subject- mostly furniture related. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">British Campaign Furniture: Elegance Under Canvas, 1740-1914</span> (Hardcover), by Nicholas A. Brawer<span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span>An absolute gem, in fact is out of print. The book's original price was $45, but now the only copies available from used-book sellers are in the $350-$400 range! You can get a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/British-Campaign-Furniture-Elegance-1740-1914/dp/0810957116">sneak preview </a>of some of the inside pages on Amazon.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(This is the ONLY book I could find that was a 100% true to the subject).<span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv1ZYHSH4I/AAAAAAAAI8M/Yx-oYZXXsrM/s1600-h/Brawer3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sfv1ZYHSH4I/AAAAAAAAI8M/Yx-oYZXXsrM/s400/Brawer3.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331124400241647490" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 250px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">On the money: </span>"OK, so now what? Is this going to take a million (or few) bucks to do? This could all add up, you know?"
<br />My personal opinion is, that it well could certainly add up to that (should you chose so), and you could do it without it as well. The second option is the much more painfully slow way, of collecting piece by piece, over the years, salvaging the non-working condition treasures for much less and restoring them. Substituting originals with whatever comes close. DIY-ing wherever you can.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span>Patience, a good eye, and some creativity can get you there as well with a much lesser spend . That's my belief.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span>In the end<span style="font-weight: bold;">, </span>it's my personal conviction that one's design should emanate Class and Elegance, not Opulence. Aristocracy, not Snobbery.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Which is why you will find references here to pieces that cost a hundred thousand dollars, and others which are absolutely low cost alternatives costing just a few dollars.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
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<br />Tying it all in:</span>
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A design is never fully done. The worst thing anyone can do to space is to be completely done with it, and move on. I believe every space should be evolving- always. And the space should look like it's still falling in place. Never too complete. Never too bookish. And never never too 'hotel'-ey. So take time, and create your space-piece by piece. Its the process that will give you much pleasure, even more so, than the end result itself!
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However, to someone "walking in new", if youre able to create a feeling that nothing there has been moved in a century- that "time standing still look"- you've got it!
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A final note:</span> I hope you liked reading this post..I have had much fun putting it together with many many months of research going into it. Please do leave your comments and feedback. I wish you happy hunting, great finds and many blissful colonial design moments to come!
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<br />- joe
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<br />Jacob Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05204236825673122985noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-9500424908187598332009-05-22T10:42:00.000-07:002009-05-27T10:46:31.758-07:00Time for Reflection : Mirrors<span class="sqq"><span>Here's an "intriguing"-and according to me-"debatable" quote. :-) Anyway, I thought of putting it out here to kick off this post on mirrors!<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"Men look <span style="font-weight: bold;">at</span> themselves in mirrors. Women look <span style="font-weight: bold;">for </span>themselves" -</span> Elissa Melamed<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/ShzeR6NJa3I/AAAAAAAAArQ/ufngFm30Vnc/s1600-h/prod1593076_av3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4AM8d55Hwvw/ShzeR6NJa3I/AAAAAAAAArQ/ufngFm30Vnc/s400/prod1593076_av3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340387657418107762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Above: </span>This oversize <a href="http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp;jsessionid=1BTIQ2KR0YETXLAWCQLCBHVMCYKBKH20?productId=prod1593076&navCount=1">Entablature mirror</a> from Restoration Hardware is what inspired us to do this post. <span style="font-size:85%;">(Image Courtesy: Restoration Hardware)</span><br /><span class="sqq"><br /></span><span class="sqq"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some History:</span> Mirrors come in all sizes and shapes and have been a fascination for mankind in some form or fashion </span>as early as 6000 B.C. Early mirrors were made of polished metal or stone. The history of the modern glass mirror coated with mercury, as we know it today can be tracked to more recent times- around the 16th-18th centuries. You can read an exhaustive history on it on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror#History">Wikipedia</a>. (So we wont deep dive into it here). As many of you, we too have been curious and thrilled by mirrors and more so the work around the mirrors, and materials, and shapes, and sizes which have become equally important (if not more)- than rather just the reflective surface alone!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Materials: </span>Wood is the most common material used in mirror frames, and metal comes in second. In recent times though, composite, driftwood, shells and pretty much anything you can wrap around a shiny surface has been used to frame mirrors.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our Collection:</span><br />Below are some of the mirrors we have acquired in our personal collection over a period of time. And finally we thought we had enough pieces to start a post atleast. ;-) So here goes..<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Below:</span> </span>This hand painted Chinese mirror is one of our favorites. It features delicate floral patterns and butterflies in a muted palette, set in a frame that's carved in a stepped manner. This one was quite a challenge mounting as it was close to a 100lbs. (More tips on hanging heavy mirrors below)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOUTiXbKI/AAAAAAAAJJY/6MNBo0PZbG0/s1600-h/P1080591.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOUTiXbKI/AAAAAAAAJJY/6MNBo0PZbG0/s400/P1080591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339103468996488354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below:</span> It's important to envision the big picture, and to do careful consideration of positioning before committing to mounting large mirrors on walls, because it's not easy to undo, and move around like you can with smaller ones. The night-shot below doesn't do much justice to the details, but you can see how this mirror fits in overall.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOULumcbI/AAAAAAAAJJI/1Tw8iA5Mj0I/s1600-h/P1080564.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOULumcbI/AAAAAAAAJJI/1Tw8iA5Mj0I/s400/P1080564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339103466900320690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below:</span> This is a much smaller mirror (about 1.5 ft apart at the longest ends of the oval). The mirror features plaster detail on the wood-work. Many mirrors (as well as frames) in the 1800-1900's featured plaster work molding on a wooden base, such as this one. I found this tucked away in an antique shop in Niles district. (We probably will do a separate post on Niles one of these days)<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTFEB2LyI/AAAAAAAAJJg/kV8_opzW-aE/s1600-h/P1080588.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTFEB2LyI/AAAAAAAAJJg/kV8_opzW-aE/s400/P1080588.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339108704693661474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTGGZcMiI/AAAAAAAAJJw/RF9blHg292Q/s1600-h/P1080604.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTGGZcMiI/AAAAAAAAJJw/RF9blHg292Q/s400/P1080604.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339108722509361698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below:</span> This one's a French Ormolu mirror (metal), awaiting restoration. (est-1800's). This one probably held a beveled mirror which was missing by the time we got it. It's one of our projects awaiting restoration, and we are planning to have the rear-side upholstered, and use as a vanity mirror. So now we've already covered 3 totally different materials in mirror making (wood, plaster, and metal..and they all look beautiful in their own way!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTFwcKnoI/AAAAAAAAJJo/QucfM-FNxKo/s1600-h/P1080596.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhTFwcKnoI/AAAAAAAAJJo/QucfM-FNxKo/s400/P1080596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339108716615212674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Mirrors & Space:</span> Mirrors are a great tools for doubling or multiplying space. Though used in such grandeur such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galerie_des_Glaces">Hall of Mirrors</a> in the Palace of Versailles, where these is no dearth of space, many of today's decor applications of mirrors come from the need to create an illusion of "increased space", and works very effectively in hallways, nooks, small rooms,basements and anywhere you really need to visually open up the space but cannot physically do it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 204);">Some points to consider when installing a mirror:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eyeballing the location:</span> Though its a good idea to measure out the exact location for positioning a mirror on a wall, it's a science as well as art in getting it to the most aesthetically pleasing location. There ARE certain sweet-spots and for lighter mirrors, its a good idea to have some one hold it for you, so you can step back and take a look at the "big picture" before you start drilling. (Note: This may be difficult/not feasible for larger mirrors). Interestingly, the mathematical center of a wall is often NOT the ideal position, rather it maybe a little more to the left, or right, or up or down. It depends on where the "visual focus" of the room lies (which very often is different from the 'measured center'), and this depends on the other elements in the room- including furniture, windows, shape and size of wall, etc. For example, in one of our projects, we centered the mirror against the dining table not at the mathematical center of the wall (which was about 2 feet off). See below.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use your Illusion*:</span> What does the mirror reflect in its intended position?<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>This is an interesting point, and one we often tend to omit (till the mirror actually goes up on the wall). The spot may be perfect, but remember the mirror may reflect something that is totally out of place with the setting (like the back of your television with all the wires, etc., for an example). So before you start 'digging for oil', make sure the reflection matches the overall picture you are trying to build. Otherwise it will really end up as a failed exercise.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weight: </span>Will the drywall hold it? Some mirrors like the hand-painted one we have featured here are over 100lbs and can be quite a challenge to install correctly (and safely). Use plastic or metal anchors. (You will find some very valuable tips <a href="http://www.doityourself.com/stry/hangheavymirror">here</a>). Note that screws in the U.S. have weight ratings- 100lbs, 150lbs, 200lbs, etc. (It's safer to use ones that comfortably exceed the weight of the mirror.)<br />If you have a brick wall, be sure to use strong and deep nails that go beyond the plaster so that it will not crack and come off with time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tools:</span> Tools that we have found very useful in mounting mirrors include a Stud finder to detect the strong points in a wall, Laser level to ensure level lines with other pictures, or reference points, Drill kit (very useful), Measuring Tape, Anchors/Molly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOUWrMLFI/AAAAAAAAJJQ/xMENQAdRpXw/s1600-h/P1080584.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOUWrMLFI/AAAAAAAAJJQ/xMENQAdRpXw/s400/P1080584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339103469838806098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> This one was featured on our post on our <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/04/life-on-walls.html">Dining room Salon wall</a>. It's no antique but probably a commercial reproduction of an antique (though we really cant tell the difference when it sits on the wall). We love it for its fine lines, proportion and unique shape.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDB1q8gI/AAAAAAAAI-0/7a_mnZyJq-U/s1600-h/P1080456.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDB1q8gI/AAAAAAAAI-0/7a_mnZyJq-U/s400/P1080456.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332240020607267330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> This one came of a estate sale from a couple who had been collecting for over 60 years. It remains one of our favorite pieces.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOTwktz8I/AAAAAAAAJJA/2YkZ_rTN_is/s1600-h/P1080545.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOTwktz8I/AAAAAAAAJJA/2YkZ_rTN_is/s400/P1080545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339103459611103170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOTs5snEI/AAAAAAAAJI4/21kCfuO3Jug/s1600-h/P1080540.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShhOTs5snEI/AAAAAAAAJI4/21kCfuO3Jug/s400/P1080540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339103458625363010" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="sqq"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Special Note: Aranmula <span style="font-style: italic;">Kannadi</span> (Mirror)</span><br />We wanted to include this as a tribute to the State we come from. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranmula_kannadi">Aranmula <span style="font-style: italic;">Kannadi</span></a> (Mirror) is made of metal that is polished to a high sheen. This process of metal mirror-making tradition survives ( from the 14th century ) at the small village of Aranmula, in the State of Kerala, in India. A unique composition is the most critical factor in giving it the ability to be polised to a mirror-like sheen (cast high-tin bronze mirror, 33% tin with highly polished surface.)<br />The British Museum in London has a 45 centimeter tall Aranmula metal mirror in its collection.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> The Aranmula Mirror featured below in conch shape design belongs to one of our friends.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShnUdEVXFEI/AAAAAAAAJKA/6EpA9K3jSec/s1600-h/P1060070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ShnUdEVXFEI/AAAAAAAAJKA/6EpA9K3jSec/s400/P1060070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339532429069063234" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="sqq"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mirrors & Superstition: </span>Probably one of the oldest superstitions worldwide-is still alive among millions of people today-the superstition that breaking a mirror brings 7 years of bad-luck. This one has been in vogue since the Roman days, when a mirror was believed to be a reflection of ones soul, and breaking it would have a connected impact. Our take on it? Well there's already enough bad stuff happening worldwide to people nowadays even without breaking mirrors. So don't worry about it. However, its probably better to handle these with care- more for your family's safety reasons especially with children around. :-)<br /><span class="sqq"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Note: "Use your illusion" is a copyright of Guns'n'Roses</span></span></span>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-18508063928160874452009-05-12T13:25:00.000-07:002009-05-16T09:27:24.814-07:00Post-a-Card : From Lego Land, Billund<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg3_7EPYgaI/AAAAAAAAJEs/IgSqkGmBfOs/s1600-h/P1070614.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 225px; display: block; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336202523719532962" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg3_7EPYgaI/AAAAAAAAJEs/IgSqkGmBfOs/s400/P1070614.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> Baby Blu making Lego towers.</span><br /><br />The Blue family is slowly swinging back to action after little Blu brought back home a really bad bug.. and happily passed it on to us grown-ups too. Two weeks of aacchhoo!(s) & ouch!(s) , red noses, ER visits, soups & toasts and a TV running 24-hours ...we are now raring to go!<br /><br />On the plus side, Blu who had so far refused to play with anything else other than "Cars"..has finally found another thing to do.. making Lego-castles for mommy after he saw Ellie ( his favorite elephant from <a href="http://www.pocoyo.com/">Pocoyo</a> ) making one! So it was a real surprise when we got a post-card from Legoland, Billund (Denmark) in last week's mail... just in time for the Lego sky-scraper-phase that we are going through now :) Blu's <span style="font-style: italic;">"Uncle Ribo"</span> ( that's not his real name, but Blu's version of it ) was visiting Denmark and had posted a card for him from there.<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br />Below: </span>That's a picture of the postcard sitting on our table<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg3yRbxqL1I/AAAAAAAAJEc/No6WIGZFZdo/s1600-h/P1080487.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 258px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336187514831646546" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg3yRbxqL1I/AAAAAAAAJEc/No6WIGZFZdo/s400/P1080487.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />As "jobless" as I can be, I decided to do some trivia-hunt on Lego and here they are! But before that, let me show you one kit put together by my beloved husband and partner-in-crime, Joe.. I call it his "Wheels (only!) in Dreams"- a Lego replica of the $1Million Enzo Ferrari <a href="http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8653">(</a><a href="http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8653">kit available online</a><a href="http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8653">)</a>. It took him a few after-work-sleepless-nights though, to put it together.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4fqKUNVoI/AAAAAAAAJF8/4JzQNVCEa54/s1600-h/P1080510.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 287px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336237417664697986" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4fqKUNVoI/AAAAAAAAJF8/4JzQNVCEa54/s400/P1080510.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span> Two car fanatics checking out the works :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4fqUQGVII/AAAAAAAAJGE/G_7jsieDsFQ/s1600-h/P1080520.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 305px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336237420331816066" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4fqUQGVII/AAAAAAAAJGE/G_7jsieDsFQ/s400/P1080520.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Now to the trivia :</span><br /><ul><li>The Lego brand of toys was first made in 1932, by Ole Kirk Kristiansen ,a Danish carpenter. The toys were made of wood and called Lego , a contraption of 2 Danish words <span style="font-style: italic;">"leg godt"</span>, meaning "play well".</li></ul><ul><li>The Lego-brick which our kids get to play with now was designed in 1957 and was introduced to the consumers in 1958, and has remained the same in design eversince. So a brick made in 1958 would still be compatible with the bricks that are available now. <a href="http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Lego-AS-Company-History.html">read more </a></li><li>Lego is the fifth largest toy company in the world and can be found in about 75% of American and 80% of European households with children<br /></li><li>LEGO has 4 theme parks all over the world, oldest and the largest one being in Billund,Denmark. The park opened there in 1968. The other 3 are in Windsor(England), Gunzburg (Germany) and Carlsbad (USA).</li><li>The <a href="http://www.worldamazingrecords.com/2008/05/worlds-tallest-lego-tower-at-legoland.html">worlds tallest LEGO tower</a> is at the Windsor Legoland made of 500,000 Lego bricks and and stands almost a 100 ft tall. (below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg339H-TTmI/AAAAAAAAJEk/m4R8vQSJsrY/s1600-h/EXPERIMENTS1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 291px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336193762988346978" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg339H-TTmI/AAAAAAAAJEk/m4R8vQSJsrY/s400/EXPERIMENTS1.jpg" border="0" /></a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Lego sculptures:</span><br />While scouring the internet for Lego sculptures, this name kept popping up - <a href="http://brickartist.com/">Nathan Sawaya</a> . Mr.Sawaya is a freelance artist who designs and builds custom Lego sculptures. Check out some of his really cool and mind-blowing creations, below.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Circle Triangle Square </span>(below)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HOXaFARI/AAAAAAAAJFE/txjkFNM_06c/s1600-h/Circle-Triangle-Square-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px; display: block; height: 376px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336210551863574802" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HOXaFARI/AAAAAAAAJFE/txjkFNM_06c/s400/Circle-Triangle-Square-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Think</span> (below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4Hl6tdI7I/AAAAAAAAJFs/Esxorh5xFiI/s1600-h/think.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px; display: block; height: 260px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336210956477080498" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4Hl6tdI7I/AAAAAAAAJFs/Esxorh5xFiI/s400/think.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Reflection </span>(below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HPDALJJI/AAAAAAAAJFc/P7EhgF9Tzi8/s1600-h/reflection.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px; display: block; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336210563566085266" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HPDALJJI/AAAAAAAAJFc/P7EhgF9Tzi8/s400/reflection.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Red </span>(below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HOzSAAnI/AAAAAAAAJFU/mE8fd8dXBvY/s1600-h/Red-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 223px; display: block; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336210559345885810" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HOzSAAnI/AAAAAAAAJFU/mE8fd8dXBvY/s400/Red-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Grasp </span>(below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HO6PoYZI/AAAAAAAAJFM/fR9Nddyz7QY/s1600-h/grasp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 247px; display: block; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336210561214996882" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HO6PoYZI/AAAAAAAAJFM/fR9Nddyz7QY/s400/grasp.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mt.Rushmore Replica</span> (below)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HwhWkatI/AAAAAAAAJF0/oVNeqxq6K84/s1600-h/Rushmore1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 214px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336211138648763090" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4HwhWkatI/AAAAAAAAJF0/oVNeqxq6K84/s400/Rushmore1.jpg" border="0" /></a>....and a Life Size Replica .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4CNxsdc8I/AAAAAAAAJE0/_8wyrJhm3EU/s1600-h/Neiman7-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 232px; display: block; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336205044181988290" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sg4CNxsdc8I/AAAAAAAAJE0/_8wyrJhm3EU/s400/Neiman7-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And if you cant have enough of these tiny bricks..visit Sawaya's website at <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist</a>.<br /><br />Happy Weekend to all of you!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dedication:</span> This post is dedicated to our dear friends' son <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Tim</span> and his feverish passion for Lego's., and our baby Blu's <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"Uncle Ribo"</span> who sent us the Legoland postcard from Denmark, inspite of his packed schedule, and inspired this post to begin with. Tim is the best Lego artist I have known personally; it takes him less than a couple of hours to put together a 3000pc sculpture , and that too without referring any directions :)truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-9653108944521291082009-05-09T07:50:00.000-07:002009-05-09T12:36:28.482-07:00Houses on a Row : Back to Quilting (1)Happy Mothers Day to all Mommas out there !!<div><br /></div><div>This year I am treating myself on Mothers' Day and picking back up on a passion that I had left behind for a while now. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJ1P8QaI/AAAAAAAAJB0/ibRQaTkjuWQ/s1600-h/P1080463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJ1P8QaI/AAAAAAAAJB0/ibRQaTkjuWQ/s400/P1080463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332972412230975906" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Before Prozac , there was Quilting"-Anon.</span><br /><br />I cant agree more !! I dont know what Prozac can do for you..but I do know that Quilting can be quite therapeutic and much more !<br /><br />I started quilting about 5 years back. My dearest friend was going to have a baby in the fall of 2004 and I wanted to gift her with something extra-special. And the best thing I could think of was a handmade quilt. Thinking back, I feel I might have been a little over-confident at the time ;I had very limited knowledge of needlework .. my proudest achievement till then was a cross-stitch I had made for Joe and that had taken me some 3 months to complete. So here I was, with no sewing machine, not even a proper scissor to cut fabric, but just enough enthusiasm to make that "extra-special" gift!<br /><br />I enrolled for weekend class at one of the local quilting-supplies shop. In the two days I got an overload of information on the "gadgets" needed,how to choose a design, how to pick fabric to make that design successful, the layers that make the quilt, and even how to use a sewing machine .... and also at the end of the weekend each of us in the class had one unique crib-size quilt ready!<br /><br />I was brimming with enthusiasm the following days . Got myself couple of books from eBay and was determined to learn more. As I flipped though the pages , I was amazed to get a feel of the passion poured into the quilting process by the quilters. I soon discovered that quilters in the US share a sisterhood.<br /><br />That same year Joe got me just the perfect Christmas gift, a quilting/sewing machine ...and right after New Years I started on my next big project, a queen size quilt. Over the years I have come to like hand-piecing ( joining the bits of fabric by hand ) and hand-quilting ( doing the quilting stitches by hand) rather than by machine.<br /><br />After quite a long break, I am going start quilting again. This time to pick up on an unfinished project that I started 3 years ago.It was the picture of a row of houses in a magazine I saw at that time, that inspired me to design this quilt (picture below). I made the image below in MS word, just to give me a overall picture of the color composition and the yardage ( fabric needed).. so please forgive the imperfections ( you can see that some of the blocks and borders are out of place).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKQanu_4rI/AAAAAAAAJCE/YGI5D-hy63s/s1600-h/Fullscreen+capture+562009+40834+PM.bmp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 339px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKQanu_4rI/AAAAAAAAJCE/YGI5D-hy63s/s400/Fullscreen+capture+562009+40834+PM.bmp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332983695777194674" border="0" /></a><br />After I started the project 3 years back, I got distracted with some smaller projects and a cross-stitch ...and of course , my in-house tornado of a toddler! So here I what I have done so far :<br /><br />The 6 finished blocks ( another 36 to go ). Though I started off with all hand-piecing..I don't think it is going to be practical given the size of the project..hence planning to switch back to the machine now.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJ1P8QaI/AAAAAAAAJB0/ibRQaTkjuWQ/s1600-h/P1080463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJ1P8QaI/AAAAAAAAJB0/ibRQaTkjuWQ/s400/P1080463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332972412230975906" border="0" /></a><br />Here is what one finished house (<span style="font-weight: bold;">block</span>) looks like . Each finished square is made up of 17 smaller bits of fabric. The block shown below is one of hand-pieced ones ( all the bits of fabric are joined by hand).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJxITrmI/AAAAAAAAJB8/shnyx7IGl-w/s1600-h/P1080467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJxITrmI/AAAAAAAAJB8/shnyx7IGl-w/s400/P1080467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332972411125214818" border="0" /></a>Here is the stash.. all the fabric that I intend to use in this quilt. I have already cut the fabric for the house-blocks and segregated them in individual bags (lest the little-tornado would swipe away anything out in the open and in plain sight ). I am yet to cut the green , grey and red fabrics for the borders.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJWDtwAI/AAAAAAAAJBs/isyBQO-289c/s1600-h/P1080462.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SgKGJWDtwAI/AAAAAAAAJBs/isyBQO-289c/s400/P1080462.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332972403858194434" border="0" /></a>The finished quilt would be almost Queen/Full size ( 82" x 92") with 42 house-blocks and adjoining borders.<br /><br />I hope to get working on this tomorrow itself. Will post updates in a month. :)<br /><br /></div>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-11405841919996162032009-04-30T22:15:00.000-07:002009-05-08T15:00:09.637-07:00Life on the Walls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDB1q8gI/AAAAAAAAI-0/7a_mnZyJq-U/s1600-h/P1080456.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDB1q8gI/AAAAAAAAI-0/7a_mnZyJq-U/s400/P1080456.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332240020607267330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">" A work of art goes through many phases of development ..but in each phase it is always a work of art "- Hans Hoffman</span><br /><br />This quote comes to my mind when friends often ask me if there is some-thing "missing" on this wall- since its lacks the 'expected' symmetry. Our ever-evolving dining room, and the collage of art work on its walls keep changing with time.<br /><br />When we started our lives together many years back, decorating our modest apartment became our most-cherished pastime- like many of you. It was all very clean lines back then, awash with white walls & white linen with simple, modern & colorful accessories. However, over the years, experimenting, and out of sheer boredom and the need for change, our design ideas kept shifting. About 2 years back, Joe had a new wave of inspiration and started collecting old paintings ( the ones with gilded frames , very traditional ones ) which were such a contrast to our initial years. However, we were so mesmerized by the sheer beauty of some of the worn-out frames and faded-tones, that transitioning to another phase of decor happened as a natural phenomenon.<br /><br />As much as I would love to fill up our wall with many paintings ( the ultimate plan is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Salon">salon-style wall</a>), as most of you "collectors" already know, one would pick up a piece only when one absolutely falls in love with it, at which point the artwork becomes a "must-have". And so we keep adding one by one to our collection based on our hunts and trips. So now you know why the wall lacks symmetry !!<br /><br />Here are some pictures on the journey of how this wall & the room came to be, since we moved into this house 3 years back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuHXF3JQYI/AAAAAAAAI4s/0YeDgkRkx6g/s1600-h/P1020381.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuHXF3JQYI/AAAAAAAAI4s/0YeDgkRkx6g/s400/P1020381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331003414703325570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above : </span>In recent times, kitchen's have become the new "gathering places", for your close friends and family to spend time. And the natural spill-over would be into the dining room. The bench above offers a great solution there, it easily accommodates 3-4 people in a informal gathering without feeling too crowded during lunch or dinner. It also serves another purpose - and here's the fun part: The men folk would usually sit backwards on the bench, facing the kitchen, and participate in the lively "kitchen-discussions"!<br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tQG8ioaI/AAAAAAAAI_U/RHvIDrvGBM4/s1600-h/P1080424.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tQG8ioaI/AAAAAAAAI_U/RHvIDrvGBM4/s400/P1080424.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above :</span> A few weeks later, the center chair, which is slightly taller than the sides ones was added (we were experimenting and it worked well). The interesting part to note here is that NONE of the elements here belong to the same dining set or series- they were all individual pieces which we put together to create our own mix! (That was a risky move, but Joe was trusting his gut-feel). The chair also got a make-over from Joe. He had just got these <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ormolu">ormolus</a> and he "had" to try it on something, giving it a french feel.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuHXPTIzjI/AAAAAAAAI40/Tm3gTjZzepM/s1600-h/P1020703.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuHXPTIzjI/AAAAAAAAI40/Tm3gTjZzepM/s400/P1020703.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331003417236655666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> Wall treatment. The first thing to go on the wall behind was a mirror and it stayed alone there for a long time..as we were thinking of what else to do.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuORBRspII/AAAAAAAAI5k/J1XmDwcmZjo/s1600-h/P1070402.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuORBRspII/AAAAAAAAI5k/J1XmDwcmZjo/s400/P1070402.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331011006974698626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Above:</span> These additions came about a year back from estate sales. A vintage lithograph, a small chinese oil floral , another animal oil-painting from a Australian artist, and a watercolor from an Argentenian artist. We took off the Kangaroo couple of months back to give him a better-ground and put up the "LaMode Illustree" fashion plates there (see below).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDVaj4VI/AAAAAAAAI-8/ZeHPPM_U21A/s1600-h/P1080428.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_sDVaj4VI/AAAAAAAAI-8/ZeHPPM_U21A/s400/P1080428.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332240025862267218" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tP3qB_NI/AAAAAAAAI_M/prq7nks8VkM/s1600-h/P1080427.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tP3qB_NI/AAAAAAAAI_M/prq7nks8VkM/s400/P1080427.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tQZVTYII/AAAAAAAAI_c/4ikCcOEYSFo/s1600-h/P1070740.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sf_tQZVTYII/AAAAAAAAI_c/4ikCcOEYSFo/s400/P1070740.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Below:</span>We featured <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/search/label/LaMode%20Illustree">this </a><a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/search/label/LaMode%20Illustree">pair of beauties ("LaMode Illustree" fashion plates)</a><a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/search/label/LaMode%20Illustree"> in a separate post</a> on this Blog to give the whole history of these amazingly beautiful pieces. They still remain one of our most cherished pieces on this wall.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuMPexMFwI/AAAAAAAAI5E/BrVZZqy1sSE/s1600-h/P1070458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SfuMPexMFwI/AAAAAAAAI5E/BrVZZqy1sSE/s400/P1070458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331008781508417282" border="0" /></a>And so the story of our wall continues to grow! Will we fill up the whole wall? Who knows? One day we might wake up and do just that .. ;-)truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-91685963119842266962009-04-19T12:33:00.000-07:002009-05-05T00:57:15.785-07:00A Restoration Affair<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJiddL5WI/AAAAAAAAIoQ/xlIbHl1Iomg/s1600-h/P1080144-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJiddL5WI/AAAAAAAAIoQ/xlIbHl1Iomg/s400/P1080144-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326502209411343714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A corner of our sitting room , with the latest addition- A restored antique steamer-trunk.</span><br /><br />When we first saw this trunk, we didn’t want to touch it with a 10-foot pole. You’ll see what I mean when you scroll down. But I’ve been fascinated by my mothers old bridal trunk (which still awaits restoration), that I wanted to give this one a try for a pure "skills-test" purpose, before I ventured to take on larger projects.<br />After all-there’s still the option of putting it back on the kerb-side- in case things didn’t go as expected. :-P<br /><br />After our usual modus operandi for tracking roots- which I must say has become a standardized process for us now (no ISO: 9001 yet, I confess), the process was something like this:<br />1. Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Baggage labels /Railroad labels</span>,<br />2. Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lock Manufacturer</span>,<br />3. Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Trunk Manufacturer</span>,<br />4. Merge all Traces, and you can pretty much narrow down a period with reasonbly good accuracy.<br /><br />We will merge history and cleaning lessions as we go down the path of restoration.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below:</span> As-is condition. Pretty gruesome (and smell of old leather- not the good one, the bad one I mean).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lYsGDxI/AAAAAAAAImg/WLOxJBUojoM/s1600-h/P1080046-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lYsGDxI/AAAAAAAAImg/WLOxJBUojoM/s400/P1080046-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326491264555028242" border="0" /></a>Cleaning 101. Use of harsh chemical will damage the leather (that the old owner definitely cared for! as we can see). Anyway, under "new ownership", we must try and do as best as we can, shouldnt we? So back to basics- lightly moistened papertowels, and good old fashioned rubbing the grime off...for a few hours.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lugC7YI/AAAAAAAAImo/hW6b8F_vWLM/s1600-h/P1080047-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lugC7YI/AAAAAAAAImo/hW6b8F_vWLM/s400/P1080047-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326491270410071426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lwCUwkI/AAAAAAAAImw/UC2mXIgatdU/s1600-h/P1080048-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_lwCUwkI/AAAAAAAAImw/UC2mXIgatdU/s400/P1080048-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326491270822281794" border="0" /></a>OK- onto History..<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Baggage labels /Railroad labels</span>- This is an interesting part- where have thou been? I know some trunks have fabled journey’s proof including <a href="http://www.oldtrunks.com/history/historypages/wardrobe_trunks.htm">travel labels</a> from Shipping companies such as Cunard/White Star Lines (yep-The Titanic’s famed owner). Anyway, many of our trunk's labels are fully dilapidated, and in other places there are only marks that remain where labels have been. However, a few labels (newer ones) remain somewhat intact indicating last journeys around 1918-1928 - with the American Express Railroad Company (AREC) labels. AREC changed its name after 1929- so this trunk was on board, raibound, a few times before that year. (Labels show New York, Idaho, and Oakland, CA)<br /><br />The details, I learnt, are very important in determining the age of trunks.<br />So now you know.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDMIjccKI/AAAAAAAAIng/S5y10Nx-A0A/s1600-h/P1080061-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDMIjccKI/AAAAAAAAIng/S5y10Nx-A0A/s400/P1080061-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326495228773560482" border="0" /></a>Above: One of the AREC labels, in still fairly readable form (i.e. The "printed" details. The handwritten details are long gone!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDL9fMd8I/AAAAAAAAInY/a2uWmQUFlqY/s1600-h/P1080060-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDL9fMd8I/AAAAAAAAInY/a2uWmQUFlqY/s400/P1080060-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326495225802946498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Above:</span> Another label. Possibly the last stop, since it's in California! Ship COLLECT! Uh Oh. Which in shipping terms means that the Receiver bears ALL freight charges, and will pay upon receiving/collecting the item. (So I dont think very valuable freight like perfume, and linens and spices would have arrived, atleast on that last consignment :-) )<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDLjP19GI/AAAAAAAAInQ/rjvVdH9IJag/s1600-h/P1080059-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDLjP19GI/AAAAAAAAInQ/rjvVdH9IJag/s400/P1080059-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326495218759234658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhUxBV0I/AAAAAAAAInw/UE3jHHc6dpI/s1600-h/P1080063-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhUxBV0I/AAAAAAAAInw/UE3jHHc6dpI/s400/P1080063-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326502189898749762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Above:</span> I really cant read this label, and I'm kinda cross-eyed by the time I got here. It does look intriguing though, and if anyone has any guesses, feel free to comment! (The letters AR are visible, and I think the next letter is G. Below are the smaller font words "Count on/off..whatever") Doesnt make much sense to me. Also is the small print "New York" on the below right corner.<br /><br />OK, now... Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lock Manufacturer</span>-<br />Before 1830's steamer trunks were mostly handmade, but after around 1836 the trunk locks started to be machine made. Eventually steamer trunk manufacturing boomed in the US during 1860-1900. By then, many makers of trunks outsourced the lock part to expert lock manufacturers like Yale, Excelsior and Hartmann to name a few.<br /><br />Yale lock Company was established in 1868 in Stamford, CT, by Linus Yale Sr., and Henry Towne. Yale Sr (inventor of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_tumbler_lock">tumbler lock</a>) died a few months after the company was formed, never knowing how<a href="http://www.yale.com/ygl_history.asp?language=ENGLISH"> world famous his locks would eventually be</a>. And partner Henry Towne was probably gentleman enough not to drop his deceased partner's name, and the company was renamed <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co</span>. in 1883. The reason I'm going to such depths is because ours bears the stamp of "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co.</span>". So we now know that the trunk was manufactured after 1883- possibly very close to that period, and the last 'recorded' travels were around 1918-1929 (from the Railroad labels above as we saw).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDLbdAzQI/AAAAAAAAInI/RuBwUQlqQ-U/s1600-h/P1080058-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDLbdAzQI/AAAAAAAAInI/RuBwUQlqQ-U/s400/P1080058-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326495216666987778" border="0" /></a>Unfortunately our trunk came with no key. I discovered a site called <a href="http://www.antiquekeys.net/">Antiquekeys</a>, which will get you pretty much any key you may be looking for in your restoration. After photo-magnification (thanks to all the digital camera improvements in recent years), I could read through the rust, and see that our lock# was Yale-Y54.<br /><br />**<br />Now back to "Cleaning", to give a break from our History lessons.<br />The fine art of rubbing with oil: This one was simply based on a whim. We initially tried cleaning it with the leather cleaner that I use for my car's inside. Not only was it a waste of cleaner- but it was more like a drop in the ocean on the century-plus old parched leather. A lightbulb moment brought us to try out with oil. (we used olive oil, but I'm sure you could do with others as well)- half a bowl should do the trick. At "First rub", the leather "drank" the oil, and we could see it dry up within a minute. Poor guy mustve been thirsty since the 1880's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_l4r1ncI/AAAAAAAAIm4/YrrKdIaad8c/s1600-h/P1080049-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_l4r1ncI/AAAAAAAAIm4/YrrKdIaad8c/s400/P1080049-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326491273143885250" border="0" /></a><br />But the patience paid off. Subsequent rubs retained the oil, now that the leather was beginning to soak in it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDMTw9VGI/AAAAAAAAIno/HoeI0-55-AQ/s1600-h/P1080062-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuDMTw9VGI/AAAAAAAAIno/HoeI0-55-AQ/s400/P1080062-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326495231783031906" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Above:</span> Aha...now we're getting somewhere. See the colour change, and the deep black beginning to show! I must say that I didnt have much hope on this after the initial rounds, that it would ever get back in this shape.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below:</span> The latch locks, tee up and fit perfectly, like it's just rolled off the assembly line. Pretty amazing build quality.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_mP8V0WI/AAAAAAAAInA/5_Uu1uFo4zQ/s1600-h/P1080050-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Set_mP8V0WI/AAAAAAAAInA/5_Uu1uFo4zQ/s400/P1080050-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326491279387119970" border="0" /></a><br />Trace by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Trunk Manufacturer</span>- Trace the maker of the Trunk, or the retailer, or both, and find out the company history and period of existence.<br />The Manufacturer in our case: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Standswell Trunks</span>. Fortunately, most part of the label remains. I could find almost no record on Standswell trunks as an independant manufaturer, though I did find links to Perkiomen Trunk & Bag Co. in Philadephia, PA. Later labels show the Standswell Diamond logo merged with the Perkiomen Logo. (It's reasonable to assume that Perkiomen might have aquired Standwell Trunks). You can find some pretty good history of Old Trunk labels on <a href="http://www.oldtrunks.com/history/historypages/labels.htm">OldTrunks.com</a><br />After extensive searches, I still couldnt find even a single trunk with ONLY the "Standswell" emblem- like ours. (I found 1-2 with Standswell-Perkiomen merged emblem though). So in its own charming way, this piece we have could be a rare part of the Great American Trunk history after all! :-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhk0rKmI/AAAAAAAAIn4/Os4EXQUpMvA/s1600-h/P1080071-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhk0rKmI/AAAAAAAAIn4/Os4EXQUpMvA/s400/P1080071-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326502194209040994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Touches:</span> Cedar blocks on the inside to absorb any odor, and keep it clean for the years to come. We must say that were were absolutely thrilled at the end state, and also amazed at how sturdily they built trunks in the olden times. In spite of all the abuse it has gone through, the structure is rock-solid, and who knows-perhaps built to take a few more centuries on!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhzCq5OI/AAAAAAAAIoA/6jybIS3MhLs/s1600-h/P1080075-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJhzCq5OI/AAAAAAAAIoA/6jybIS3MhLs/s400/P1080075-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326502198025839842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Below: </span>And so it has come to rest - for now. A conversation peice in our quiet chat corner. Thanks for stopping by, and look forward to your comments!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJiLy-A0I/AAAAAAAAIoI/xBJ-kXVU_Pg/s1600-h/P1080143-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SeuJiLy-A0I/AAAAAAAAIoI/xBJ-kXVU_Pg/s400/P1080143-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326502204670870338" border="0" /></a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-15049034809454825432009-04-06T20:27:00.000-07:002009-04-06T22:14:09.206-07:00Why do people collect?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdreWhOZqsI/AAAAAAAAIkg/GakvgiMsYFQ/s1600-h/P1070934.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdreWhOZqsI/AAAAAAAAIkg/GakvgiMsYFQ/s400/P1070934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321810388148923074" border="0" /></a><br />Here is an example. We got this old model ship from eBay. It was one of those spur of the moment bids- which you kinda later end up regretting- to be honest. :-) The ship arrived in broken condition, and with literally balls of dust (and grease!) collected on its deck and sails. On first thoughts, we had a good mind to put it back on eBay, or just sink the cost. It really was that bad. And we didn't want dust mites crawling in our home. It looked like it was a part of someones kitchen hood.<br /><br />Anyway. We are collectors- (or so we let ourselves believe), and werent quite willing to let go without a fight. So one afternoon we took this outdoors, and gave it a good dusting. Not much use.... Several paper-towels, and of-course baby-wipes (remember, its our favorite cleaning tool) later, the ship still showed no signs of recovery. We decided to give it a final shot, with compressed air- the ones you use to clean your laptop keyboards and electronic equipment. (Another run to the store, and $5.00 more sunk into the investment cost). After almost half a can of compressed air blowing through her sails, more baby-wipes, and earbuds, she finally seemed to be catching the wind. A little help from Elmer's glue helped fix back the broken front part (think its called the 'Boom').<br /><br />With the wind changing, and the decision now in favor of keeping her, now that so much work had already gone into it, we started doing some study on the type and nature of this ship. (It was sold as a war ship- which it really wasnt). This is where it starts to get interesting. This type of ship is called a Clipper Ship, and they were famous for trade in the 1800-1870's. These were made for trade, and sailed the high seas mostly between England, US and other parts of Europe 'and China, and European colonies. These were built sleek and light for high speed, and clippers raced against each other setting record times which were often published in news papers. You can read the whole history about clipper ships on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_ship">Wikipedia.</a><br /><br />Now coming back to "our" ship :-), there is a small label on this one that says "<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Hurricane</span>". Our research was based on this. The time spent, eventually paid off. Though the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Hurricane</span>, was not known among the great Clippers like <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Cutty Sark</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Flying Cloud</span>, she too had her flying moments, before finally being sold in Singapore in 1876 and renamed (hence appearing for the last time in shipping registers. (By the way, she was launched in 1851 in the shipyard of Isaac C. Smith, in New Jersey.) The whole <a href="http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Ships/Clippers/Hurricane%281851%29.html">nautical history</a> is thankfully registered here on one<br />website!<br /><br />The departures of clipper ships were announced on Clipper Ship sailing Cards at their ports such as the one shown below. (Source: <a href="http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/%7Ejoel/g148_f08/lecture_notes/gold_rush/clipper_ad.jpg">UC Santa Barbara, Dept of Geography, Website</a>)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrWLwaV57I/AAAAAAAAIj4/zGSABGaF4oE/s1600-h/clipper_ad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrWLwaV57I/AAAAAAAAIj4/zGSABGaF4oE/s400/clipper_ad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321801407153956786" border="0" /></a><br />It gets even hotter now: I found a reference on <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E06EED9153EE733A0575AC2A9659C946392D7CF">New York Times archives</a>, about the Hurricane and other clipper-ships in a race to Rio de Janeiro, dated March 29th, 1852.<br />Her moment of Glory came when in1852, she arrived at San Francisco from Rio de Janeiro in 66 days, a time which has only been beaten once in those times.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrXGnNze5I/AAAAAAAAIkA/7hsLOly8DSo/s1600-h/NYTimes-Hurricane.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 384px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrXGnNze5I/AAAAAAAAIkA/7hsLOly8DSo/s400/NYTimes-Hurricane.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321802418297731986" border="0" /></a>Phew! that was some journey. We just went from a dusty old model one afternoon, to sailing around the world, and ending up on the top of our front door.<br />Perhaps, this is why people collect, to begin with. :-)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdreWWY3JYI/AAAAAAAAIkY/DYSoJZGN3xI/s1600-h/P1070930.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdreWWY3JYI/AAAAAAAAIkY/DYSoJZGN3xI/s400/P1070930.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321810385240008066" border="0" /></a><br />Below is an Oil Painting of the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Hurricane</span>, from the Peabody Essex Museum Archives.<br />Oil 29 1/4 x 41 1/2 in., signed: Skillet (Artist), Built 1851, Hoboken, N. J., weighing 1,680 tons.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrYJ0cCKnI/AAAAAAAAIkI/X8SnnFXb_3s/s1600-h/l1319.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdrYJ0cCKnI/AAAAAAAAIkI/X8SnnFXb_3s/s400/l1319.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321803572898310770" border="0" /></a><br />Happy Sailing !!<br />-Joetruebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-41653552100714316972009-04-02T18:52:00.000-07:002009-04-30T22:03:37.430-07:00Whale Lamp converted to Bouillotte Lamp?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdW3EXrf1hI/AAAAAAAAIjY/90EzL26jX94/s1600-h/P1070819-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdW3EXrf1hI/AAAAAAAAIjY/90EzL26jX94/s400/P1070819-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320359820511925778" border="0" /></a>Joe would like to go on and on how good-lighting enhances the beauty of life around you. He is the designated lighting-shopper here. So when he spotted this one on a sale last year and wanted to bag it right away, I wasn't too sure at first! It was the estate of a late-physician who had a great eye for all things beautiful ; and when Joe announced his pick, I was indecisive, still being mesmerized by all the lovely blue-n-white and Tiffany's silverware there (totally out of our budget). I really couldn't see past the ancient amber colored electric-wiring and all the dust that had collected on the lamp's shade.<br /><br />But then, I trusted Joe's judgment and brought this fellow home. After about an hour of clean up ( guess what we used.. best cleanser ever : junior's wet baby-wipes ) we plugged him in and I have to say " I fell in love, again!"<br />At first look it looked like an old bouillotte (pronounced <span style="font-style: italic;">boo-yaht</span>) lamp, but it was a really really old Whale-Oil Lamp ( est. to be from 1800-1840 when they were used), later electrified and converted to look like a bouillotte lamp.<br /><br />When you pick up an item this old, you inevitably wonder how many events and people this lamp must have witnessed/seen in its possibly 170-200 year old history- from the ages when it was lit up with Whale Oil with its clear and bright natural glow, to its later history with the invention of electricity, all the way to the late-Physician's desk, and finally to us, and as we truly hope- to be passed down in future.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdV-rdwjnnI/AAAAAAAAIiw/nNmQlntEabQ/s1600-h/P1070826-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdV-rdwjnnI/AAAAAAAAIiw/nNmQlntEabQ/s400/P1070826-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320297819995872882" border="0" /></a>It has a small bell like shape (which we later figured- may have been to snuff the flames), mini tweezers to pick the wick, and a metal hook all adding to the miniature ornamentation around the neck of the lamp- serving no purpose now since the lamp has been electrified. There is intricate carving on the brass foot and stem of the lamp, and we simply switch off other lights before going to bed, and watch it's glow!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some history</span>:<br />Whale lamps were popular in the early 19th century. The lamps used whale oil as the fuel hence the name Whale lamp. More on <a href="http://www.allaboutglass.org/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=42">Whale Lamps</a> here.<br />Bouillotte (pronounced boo-yaht) lamps originated in France, to provide indirect and sophisticated lighting to the game of Bouillotte, a poker-like game, perhaps to hide the "poker-faces" and cards of the players! More on<a href="http://jonathanklunk.com/2008/11/bouillotte-lamps/"> Bouillotte Lamps</a><a href="http://jonathanklunk.com/2008/11/bouillotte-lamps/"> here.<br /></a><a href="http://jonathanklunk.com/2008/11/bouillotte-lamps/"> </a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-37452664273263529022009-03-30T12:24:00.000-07:002009-03-30T22:22:29.928-07:00Can you help me identify these ?Here are the pictures of some bric-a-brac we found at a sale. They just looked pretty and cost just a few dollars each.. and being collectors that we are , we brought them home hoping to figure out eventually what they would have been doing out there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFNxDQbTZI/AAAAAAAAId4/_F-MVTUYu3o/s1600-h/EXPERIMENTS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 110px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFNxDQbTZI/AAAAAAAAId4/_F-MVTUYu3o/s400/EXPERIMENTS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319118139984399762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Item#A:</span> This one is made of brass (pic above). It is a hollow cylinder with a wooden handle to it. This side, displayed in the picture has a copper patina. The other side of the cylindrical shaft is clear brass-not seen in this picture. The base of the shaft has an outward lip. I figured it would be a candle-mold :-) but couldn't find any similar items on the internet. Joe says it could be some sort of nautical piece, judging by the build. So between a candle-mold and the Titanic's periscope, it could be anything under the Sun! What are your thoughts?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFO8ggErWI/AAAAAAAAIeA/wlKKRveKyBs/s1600-h/P1070850.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFO8ggErWI/AAAAAAAAIeA/wlKKRveKyBs/s400/P1070850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319119436324842850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Item#B:</span>This pair of forks/picks came with a set of coasters. There were 8 small coasters with a green marble base, a cork top and a green felt lining in the bottom.Then there were 2 slightly bigger coasters, again with a green-marble base and cork top but no felt lining in the bottom. The set had the 2 chrome forks (shown above) with green marble handles. I am wondering what the forks were doing with the coasters? Are they appetizer-picks ? (That's a more plausible explanation than Titanic's periscope above, but still- why would a set of forks be matched with a set of coasters?)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFPwUenuNI/AAAAAAAAIeI/h9R65daw0hE/s1600-h/EXPERIMENTS-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 111px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdFPwUenuNI/AAAAAAAAIeI/h9R65daw0hE/s400/EXPERIMENTS-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319120326450723026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Item#C:</span> This last one (pic above) is made of wood. It has a flip-top for one half. And a handle on one side. There is a slanted groove inside on both sides ; You can see it in the picture on the left. Rough dimensions are 6" long X 4" wide X 2" tall (at the tallest point). Any idea what this is ?truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-11274146832670673742009-03-28T14:11:00.000-07:002009-03-30T14:32:15.695-07:00How much would you spend for this ??<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdATBJjscmI/AAAAAAAAIc4/Re1hdpc3hJc/s1600-h/P1070835-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 125px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SdATBJjscmI/AAAAAAAAIc4/Re1hdpc3hJc/s400/P1070835-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318772070390985314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday's Lunch (pic above) </span><br /><br />I am in love with a hand-painted planter-urn from one of the local stores .. and it costs a 'whopping $40.00' in 2009.. If this was a year back I would have just bought it right off the shelf without questions. But with so much going on around the world and people struggling to make ends meet , I feel wastage is tantamount to crime.<br />In the meantime , the planter is still beckoning at me. I have already laid out in mind, the perfect place for it in my house ..in the entryway, grouped with the other "use-less" vase that I had got last year( please note that by use-less i just mean non-utilitarian, it still serves the purpose of pleasing my eyes). Now that I mentioned use-less, the practical side takes over. The tug-of-war continues... and we walk out of the store.<br />On the way, we try to come to a reasonable solution. Lets try and save this $40.00 elsewhere and then we will come back and get it ( if it still there!) . In the least , it would be test on what spending is absolutely necessary and what is not. Suddenly we decide to have lunch at home instead of eating out as planned earlier...We get home and and try to whip up ( heat-up rather) a quick lunch : Joe grilled some chicken sausages & English muffins while I assembled a quick <a href="http://kitchenreels.blogspot.com/2009/03/cherry-tomato-snack.html">tomato & caper salad</a>, Persian cucumbers and some strawberries for the little-customer. Wonder how much we would have paid for it if we were to eat-out ? Any thoughts ?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sc7D8ogVJXI/AAAAAAAAIcw/wrf8EBQk_B4/s1600-h/P1070835.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/Sc7D8ogVJXI/AAAAAAAAIcw/wrf8EBQk_B4/s400/P1070835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318403656403723634" border="0" /></a><br />The lunch was gobbled up in no time.. As the ad goes: 1 pack of sausages- $2.00, 1 pack of English muffins- $1.50, Fruits and Veggies -$ 4.50 .... time spent together on a lazy saturday "priceless"!<br />Now, I am not even sure if I will go back to the store to get the urn.truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-71777541825291495852009-03-23T09:30:00.000-07:002009-03-25T19:19:24.447-07:00A crazy bowl , a bejewelled bird ..and 30 bottles of paint in a shoebox<span style="font-size:85%;">Recently I was reading <a href="http://onceuponateatime.blogspot.com/2009/02/postcard-from-my-life-making-home.html">this post</a> from <a href="http://onceuponateatime.blogspot.com/">Once Upon a Tea Time</a> and took an instant flight down memory lane...<br />Joe is known to be the creative guy in the family .. and me, I could hardly draw a straight-line. I had never tried my hand on any arts or crafts till my marriage..and just went on with my notion that "it-is-not-my-thing". However, after we got married and I got here..we were on the lookout for new apartments to rent . After seeing any apartment ( most of them would be empty at the time), Joe would come back home and make me a sketch on how each room would be like , once we furnished it . I was so impressed by his artistry.. also feeling a tad disappointed that I couldn't impress him with anything of that sort.<br /><br />Around this time we got a flier about the various classes offered by the city.. and ever-so-enthusiastically I enrolled myself for a class on "Ceramic Painting". Being the,sweetest guy that he can be, Joe wanted to go with me for the class an we ended up taking the class together. While the rest of us were trying to negotiate the basic techniques of painting bamboo shoots or flowers, Joe was busy trying to impress the teacher with his "brush-less painting"( he would just put a blob of paint on the tile and then jut keep tilting it till it made a design). Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of those ..I would have loved to share it here.<br />Anyway.. the end of the story is that.. I finally learned a craft. I was so thrilled .. I was painting on everything i could lay my hands on.. tiles, cups, plates any glazed surface at home was subject to my artistic explorations :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SclzgMc7StI/AAAAAAAAIbY/xWIRu2BR470/s1600-h/P1070695.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SclzgMc7StI/AAAAAAAAIbY/xWIRu2BR470/s400/P1070695.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316907832023141074" border="0" /></a>This is a a crazy-bowl I painted.It was a little bit more difficult than I had imagined because of the curved surface; you can see that some of the paint has puddled in the center.<br /><br />Below, is one of our better creations. It is the depiction of a Byzantine bird on a 12"X12" floor tile. It took almost an entire day for both of us to do this ..from making the stencil to adding the multiple layers of paint. The copper tones border is actually layers and layers of thinned down paint applied and dried using a hair-dryer to get the smooth eggshell effect.The inspiration picture is from one of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tile-Decorating-Book-Designing-Hand-Painting/dp/1859675298/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237947817&sr=1-8">tile decorating books</a>. We are yet to figure out a way to showcase this .. if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScrmAKj3JJI/AAAAAAAAIco/kDxGy_VqOro/s1600-h/P1070810.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScrmAKj3JJI/AAAAAAAAIco/kDxGy_VqOro/s400/P1070810.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317315200573449362" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">A little bit on the paint used: We have used Pebeo 150 , a non-toxic water-based paint for all the ceramic and glass painting. After the paint is dried, you just set it in the oven for 30 min in 300F and the artwork stays permanent on the surface.</span>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-21489200830614454352009-03-20T16:17:00.000-07:002009-03-20T16:40:49.839-07:00Mayell Pie/Cake Server<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScQokoKzpFI/AAAAAAAAIYQ/Rvcbp5l6uKQ/s1600-h/P1070554.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScQokoKzpFI/AAAAAAAAIYQ/Rvcbp5l6uKQ/s400/P1070554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315418069927175250" border="0" /></a><br />An older find which we dug up sometime last year, is the above Silver plated Pie or Cake Server. It's not easy to find one that just fits so well into the palm of your hand while you are navigating the delicate layers of a cake or torte. We have a couple of other newer cake servers that available now like Wilton and Godinger, but none does the job as well as this timeless beauty!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScQok8OZ20I/AAAAAAAAIYY/FAiL3RMKS-A/s1600-h/P1070556.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/ScQok8OZ20I/AAAAAAAAIYY/FAiL3RMKS-A/s400/P1070556.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315418075310971714" border="0" /></a><br />The maker is MAYELL, a lesser known British Company, and we could find just very few pieces on the web from this maker, and almost no reference on the history of the company. However, the inscriptions on the back clearly depict silver coating on Zinc. (EP on Zinc). Has a few minor scratches, but we've polished it to a shine using Weiman Silver polish.truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-1163826608210880942009-03-16T21:20:00.000-07:002009-04-30T22:01:37.868-07:00LaMode Illustree Fashion Plates with Applique<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtGw5fDdII/AAAAAAAAISc/FQstRAX9dd4/s1600-h/P1070458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtGw5fDdII/AAAAAAAAISc/FQstRAX9dd4/s400/P1070458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312917991292368002" border="0" /></a><br />This was one of the great finds during last weekend. The detailed dress-work on the maidens was done on an actual page from <a href="http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/results.php?offset=1&no_results=12&scache=4mt4z4zg54&searchdb=scran&sortby=&sortorder=ASC&field=&searchterm=%2Bla%20%2Bmode%20%2Billustree"><span style="font-style: italic;">La Mode Illustree</span></a> (one of the most famous French fashion magazines from the 1880's). The dress-work is actually newer-1930's-or early 40's as judged by the. Both are set in silk/satin shadow boxes of exceptional quality, but have wear and tear over the years.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtFJv9BIxI/AAAAAAAAISE/rVBGn3p3iM4/s1600-h/P1070458.JPG"><br /></a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-18882587047787472062009-03-16T16:13:00.000-07:002009-03-17T16:18:00.487-07:00Weekend Treasures - Furniture<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKB7doG4I/AAAAAAAAITs/-3qO4sWZl9U/s1600-h/P1070512.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKB7doG4I/AAAAAAAAITs/-3qO4sWZl9U/s400/P1070512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312921582415911810" border="0" /></a>Above, Vistaprint Glass mats sitting on a low coffee table that in our minds can be used for seating as well. The style seems unmistakeably art-deco. Though we are really not art-deco fans, some pieces come by that are hard to resist. The wood is solid (has 2 tones of wood- one of which looks like Teak and the other like Mahogany). The top is green leather pasted on the wood top, with gilded-stamped lines decorating in a diagonal pattern.<br />There is no maker's stamp on the peice of furniture, so there is a good chance that it could have been custom-made. The joints are in outstanding shape for a piece that looks like it has travelled atleast 50-60 years. The art deco movement was in the 1920's, but this could have been a peice that was modelled later based on that style.<br />This photo actually doesn't do much justice to this piece so we'll try and post a better snap later.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBXe-5uI/AAAAAAAAITc/EU24ToP9KA8/s1600-h/P1070485.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBXe-5uI/AAAAAAAAITc/EU24ToP9KA8/s400/P1070485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312921572757923554" border="0" /></a>A classic American kid size rocking chair. Distressed white finish. Good size for even grown-ups to squeeze on. The back and seat are caned. This one was in fairly good condition, though the right side of the structure needs some minor restoration work. Below: Junior has already claimed rights to it!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBd3HbFI/AAAAAAAAITk/XjBsRJbqexk/s1600-h/P1070495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBd3HbFI/AAAAAAAAITk/XjBsRJbqexk/s400/P1070495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312921574469758034" border="0" /></a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-91769659054588391972009-03-08T19:52:00.000-07:002009-03-17T16:19:49.687-07:00Weekend Treasures !Last weekend, we went treasure-hunting. With the onset of spring, folks have started venturing out again. Couldn't think of anything better to do, than fishing out some bric-a-brac and spending some "quality time" restoring them to their days of gone-by elegance.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A word of caution: </span>What you are seeing here as gleaming white china, silverware and furniture did not look so when we got it. Many were coated with layers of dirt, and dust, or oxidation, and required several backbreaking hours of labor to get them in this condition, since most of these were already in very fragile condition and required several rounds of hand washing.<br />Even more grueling was the countless digging-hours spent with our toddler who had absolutely no pleasure in antique hunting. (and who was all the more upset when we did not buy him the $100 vintage toy car that he spotted!)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Disclaimer: </span>So attempt salvaging pleasures at your own risk. :) It's rewarding, and greatly frustrating at the same. If giving up your entire weekend (including grocery shopping) doesn't sound like that great an idea to you, then please do not attempt this. Happy Blogging- Joe & Aswathy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKak3DQ0I/AAAAAAAAIT8/w4QwsgkhKmg/s1600-h/P1070509.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKak3DQ0I/AAAAAAAAIT8/w4QwsgkhKmg/s400/P1070509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312922005845263170" border="0" /></a><br />We were unable to determine the era of this fine dutch ashtray. It has a stamp "HOLLAND". Estimate 1940-50's sterling silver plated. The picture depicts seven men who look like soldiers (since they are wearing swords) at a tavern. A dog is in the foreground.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKB8767qI/AAAAAAAAIT0/59sJQYIH6C8/s1600-h/P1070507.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKB8767qI/AAAAAAAAIT0/59sJQYIH6C8/s400/P1070507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312921582811410082" border="0" /></a><br />Set of six coasters. Paper on Cork. Looks like more recent (60's-70's?). All are line drawings of various historic buildings in Boston. The pieces came wrapped in a case marked Vistaprint, Made in Britain. The artist, whose signature is below each drawing bears the name of "Guy Magnus". Looks like a lesser known artist, and the only trace we could find is of an Auction record on Artfact.com, which sold 8 Guy Magnus, pen and ink drawings of town scenes. We are guessing that these could have been the originals of the images shown on these coasters- since these are also drawings of town scenes in Boston, but only 6 of them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBHkzemI/AAAAAAAAITU/D4aXQpjjeiE/s1600-h/P1070474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtKBHkzemI/AAAAAAAAITU/D4aXQpjjeiE/s400/P1070474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312921568487373410" border="0" /></a>After a whole afternoon of searching for the history of this basket- ranging from Corporate Logo Evolution of Sears, and countless bassinets and baskets, we estimate this to be a 1920's-30's era doll accessory. Little girls played with the popular "Honeysuckle" Brand of buggies- of which the above basket was a part of. It has the label "Sears, Roebuck & Co"- now known as SEARS. It also says "Honeysuckle" Brand on the inside. The basket is amazingly sturdy, and in great condition for a piece clocking 80-90 years! Please give a hearty welcome to our new laundry basket.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIynnRvZI/AAAAAAAAITM/JejdmZtnSXY/s1600-h/P1070470.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIynnRvZI/AAAAAAAAITM/JejdmZtnSXY/s400/P1070470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312920219878014354" border="0" /></a>The above is a Lithograph of a series known as Herring's fox hunting scenes. "Breaking Cover" is the title of this litho. The original is a mid 1800's painting-<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:MS Sans Serif,Geneva,Arial;font-size:78%;" >Painted by J. F. Herring Sr. ( 1795 - 1865)</span>, and several engraved reproductions were made in later years. (This one could be 1950's or 60's based on the condition). It came in a solid wood gilded frame, with glass, in good condition and with no foxing (age related brown spots that we see on old paper and documents) on the litho.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyZJboDI/AAAAAAAAITE/lTh-1Gd04hQ/s1600-h/P1070469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyZJboDI/AAAAAAAAITE/lTh-1Gd04hQ/s400/P1070469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312920215994736690" border="0" /></a>We are using the above creamer-like cup for storing salt within easy access, with a tiny little spoon to go with it. There is no make or mark on this one, but we picked it up because we really liked it. Sometime you just have to go with your heart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyDHGZXI/AAAAAAAAIS8/jo22xdtMYVc/s1600-h/P1070467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 169px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyDHGZXI/AAAAAAAAIS8/jo22xdtMYVc/s400/P1070467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312920210079376754" border="0" /></a>A single plate from one of Joe's favorite China manufacturers- <a href="http://www.mottahedeh.com/">Mottahedeh</a>. The white is actually pale gray in daylight. Early Chinese porcelains had a definite gray-blue cast, which is called gray body. Mottahedeh makes many Chinese reproductions and gray body is often used. (Actually this one was manufactured for Mottahedeh by an Portugese company called Vista Alegre).<br />This one's a rare gem! Need to do some more research on what period this piece belongs to, so at this point we really dont know. (More on Mottahedeh at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Mottahedeh">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Mottahedeh</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyKvHL8I/AAAAAAAAIS0/IJNyIB5JbjM/s1600-h/P1070465.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIyKvHL8I/AAAAAAAAIS0/IJNyIB5JbjM/s400/P1070465.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312920212126248898" border="0" /></a>2 Vintage Noritake Mini-cups with "Ear of Corn/wheat" pattern. (By the way, Ear of Wheat/Corn has been a symbol of prosperity in many cultures and ceremonies). Still around as a fine china leader, Nortitake (of Japan) has been making Fine Bone China since 1904 (We got hooked onto Noritake even since we got our first full china set 2 years ago). The pair above is from around 1954.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIx4XLfZI/AAAAAAAAISs/EAnLgehGMkk/s1600-h/P1070464.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtIx4XLfZI/AAAAAAAAISs/EAnLgehGMkk/s400/P1070464.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312920207194029458" border="0" /></a>We got 4 pieces of very delicate vintage white porcelain. These have a large(wide) mouth that makes it very easy to sip tea or coffee, and have a border of green leaves and very dainty white flowers with an aged platinum trim. The bottom is stamped with a black crown - the insignia of <span style="font-style: italic;">St. Regis Fine China</span> , a Japanese porcelain manufacturer of yore. The cup is aprox 5 inches including handle x approx 2 inches.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtHIMi-25I/AAAAAAAAISk/V53MbM9E5IU/s1600-h/P1070463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtHIMi-25I/AAAAAAAAISk/V53MbM9E5IU/s400/P1070463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312918391546108818" border="0" /></a><br />Antique Brass Tray- Solid Brass, oval tray that has brass railings on the side (looks like bamboo-railings). Havent seen one like this before. It's heavy, but can serve 10-12 large cups easily (8 with saucers!). We've been looking for a tray that can hold a lot of stuff because often we find smaller cute ones, but they are not practical even when we are serving for 4 people.<br /><br />The saucer that's sitting in the tray was a single odd piece that we got. The image is that of a Victorian era couple in a garden. The manufacturer is Harker Pottery Co. that has been around since the 1840's till as recent as 1970 when they closed down. The logo behind seems to be from somewhere around 1940-1950, and says 22Kt. Gold. (Dont worry, its not worth as much as solid gold. Many ceramic manufacturers use a very thin etching of gold to coat the prints on their fine ceramic ware).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SbtFJv9BIxI/AAAAAAAAISE/rVBGn3p3iM4/s1600-h/P1070458.JPG"><br /></a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-23703356478891201052009-02-20T11:50:00.000-08:002009-03-20T17:48:59.953-07:00Random ClicksThese are some snaps from our everyday life , random objects at home...putting the camera to some use :) Nothing in particular...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeJ2cvffGI/AAAAAAAAIQU/_AJHZdwlHoo/s1600-h/P1020371.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307362254400748642" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeJ2cvffGI/AAAAAAAAIQU/_AJHZdwlHoo/s400/P1020371.JPG" border="0" /></a>Our Tewa Horse from <a href="http://www.trailofpaintedponies.com/">Trail of Painted Ponies</a>. When we got him, we were all set to start a collection. Then Blu came along and needless to say.. everything else took a backseat. Hope to get a few more ponies from the fabulous collection in future.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeLSlvYcaI/AAAAAAAAIQk/lnUbTk33ffM/s1600-h/P1060450.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307363837364171170" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeLSlvYcaI/AAAAAAAAIQk/lnUbTk33ffM/s400/P1060450.JPG" border="0" /></a>A brass candle-holder with Andalusian(Moorish) cutouts. It's really nice to see the flame glowing at night, so I hope to have another posting on this sometime in future. Surprisingly, we didnt have to make a trip to the exotic Casablanca to get this one- its from a favorite local store-Target!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeKmLXL7PI/AAAAAAAAIQc/NOxSaf-bi5c/s1600-h/P1020906.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307363074369121522" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeKmLXL7PI/AAAAAAAAIQc/NOxSaf-bi5c/s400/P1020906.JPG" border="0" /></a>An impromptu table-scape (above). The branch above fell off from one of the plants in our tiny garden.. the flowers looked so fragile, we felt like saving them in a rescued Starbucks Cappuccino glass bottle. Some things in the background include our distressed black farm-style table, and a graceful platter from one of our trips to Filoli (we will have a post on Filoli soon).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeJB-DrBbI/AAAAAAAAIQM/CZ3r0xJp8ZI/s1600-h/P1020250.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307361352810694066" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeJB-DrBbI/AAAAAAAAIQM/CZ3r0xJp8ZI/s400/P1020250.JPG" border="0" /></a>Can u tell if these succulents are real? Honestly, neither can we, even from close quarters! Some of the real cactii in our garden outside, pale in comparision with these, and the only way to make out is to pinch a leaf. :-) These are miniatures and add a lot of life to wherever we keep them. They have so far adorned the kitchen and the guest bathroom. The picture above is the foursome collection sitting on the kitchen window sill.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeIeaTuQXI/AAAAAAAAIQE/FhCu2k5vYtk/s1600-h/P1020247.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307360741918916978" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeIeaTuQXI/AAAAAAAAIQE/FhCu2k5vYtk/s400/P1020247.JPG" border="0" /></a>Above: Clicking away on a lazy day- The Reclaimers- a guide to salvaging hardware- everything from really rusty tubs to screws and kitchen hardware sits on a game set called "Stretch Run", an equestrian board game which we are yet to figure out how to play.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeII63nOHI/AAAAAAAAIP8/Pb1VvSmqjec/s1600-h/P1020195.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307360372702263410" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeII63nOHI/AAAAAAAAIP8/Pb1VvSmqjec/s400/P1020195.JPG" border="0" /></a>A lonely kenyan soapstone thinker flanked by two wine bottles and other trivia on our mantle. The Walt Disney Treasury of classics is over 30 years old, and from Joe's childhood- a gift that his Papa gave and treasured to this day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeHvve7YzI/AAAAAAAAIP0/VhHn-g2mvwk/s1600-h/P1020190.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307359940149207858" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SaeHvve7YzI/AAAAAAAAIP0/VhHn-g2mvwk/s400/P1020190.JPG" border="0" /></a>This one is from our studio! I painted a plain old white Ikea bowl into this as a gift for Joe many years ago. There werent much rules, and the basic idea was to just play around with all four basic colors- Red, Blue, Green and Yellow- in some shade or form. This one is reminiscent of our days together after we got married and took some ceramic painting classes together. It was such fun! The paint is Pebio ceramic paint, which is believed to be one of the better quality ones- and non-toxic. After painting, the dish was baked in an oven to "set" the paint in, so that it cannot be washed away. Ceramic painting is a really fun hobby to have, and we are hoping to catch up on it again.truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-83055968746867704632009-02-13T20:57:00.000-08:002009-03-25T20:58:31.543-07:00Blu... My Little Valentine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZZQtvekLzI/AAAAAAAAIII/o5NRG0Z8UXk/s1600-h/P1070290.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZZQtvekLzI/AAAAAAAAIII/o5NRG0Z8UXk/s400/P1070290.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302514358044340018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Happy Valentines Day everyone!<br /><br />Blu celebrated his Valentines' at school yesterday. There are 12 other little-hearts in his class and it was such a joy to see them go around with their Valentine-bags ( that was hist last week's project at school; Teacher J. had cut out some lovely red and pink hearts and the kids were to stick them on a plain white paper bag. Yesterday the finished product arrived as we walked in, with a very pretty red polka-dot bow on it ). Here are the cards we made for his class (pic above )<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We ( me & Blu) also had a secret project going on, on the side. Now that we got the hang of cutting and trimming , we decided to make another card for Joe while waiting fo him to come back from work. Those are the outlines of our palms cut out and stuck to card-stock (pic below). Blu was absolutely thrilled when I told him that he could blow the glitter-heart to Papa as soon he opens the door. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZdTD954XqI/AAAAAAAAIIg/n7jsI6kduQw/s1600-h/P1070298.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RyELYZvBuzA/SZdTD954XqI/AAAAAAAAIIg/n7jsI6kduQw/s400/P1070298.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302798413874093730" border="0" /></a>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4500508759765380069.post-70477746135971178752009-02-07T19:47:00.000-08:002009-06-11T22:48:19.162-07:00Sitemap<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"><br /></urlset><span style="font-size:85%;">* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/05/postage-stamp-basket-quilting.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Postage Stamp Basket: Quilting</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/05/british-colonial-style-plantation-style.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">British Colonial Style/Plantation Style</span></a></span><br /><urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"><span style="font-size:85%;">* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/04/life-on-walls.html">Life on the Walls</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/04/restoration-affair.html">A Restoration Affair</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-do-people-collect.html">Why do people collect?</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/whale-lamp-converted-to-bouillotte-lamp.html">Whale Lamp converted to Bouillotte Lamp?</a><br />* <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Can%20you%20help%20me%20identify%20these%20?">Can you help me identify these ?</a><br />* <a href="http://www.blogger.com/How%20much%20would%20you%20spend%20for%20this%20??">How much would you spend for this ??</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/crazy-bowl-bejewelled-bird-and-30.html">A crazy bowl , a bejewelled bird ..and 30 bottles of paint in a shoebox</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/mayell-piecake-server.html">Mayell Pie/Cake Server</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/weekend-treasures-contd.html">LaMode Illustree Fashion Plates with Applique</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/weekend-treasures-furniture.html">Weekend Treasures - Furniture</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/03/weekend-treasures.html">Weekend Treasures !</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/02/randon-clicks.html">Random Clicks</a><br />* <a href="http://stripesandshadows.blogspot.com/2009/02/blu-my-little-valentine.html">Blu... My Little Valentine</a><br /><br /></span></urlset>truebluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01988000056210255662noreply@blogger.com0