table lampsHighlighting the sale will be Ilya Efimovich Repin’s (1844-1930) oil on canvas Portrait of the Artist’s
Wife, Vera Repin, dated 1878, which is widely considered one of the finest portraits of the artist’s
career. Repin first met Vera Shevtsova (1855-1918) when she was only nine years old, and she inspired some
of Repin’s most admired watercolour and pencil portraits. This particular portrait remained in Vera’s
collection, hanging in her flat on Karpovka until she died, at which point it was sold by her daughter.
Vera fell in love with Repin while she was still a student at the Mariinsky Institute. She was only 16 years
old when they were married in 1872, and Repin was ten years her senior. Though no match for him
intellectually, she was a sympathetic and appealing character, simple and childlike in her needs. Their
relationship became stormy, and nine years after the present work was painted the couple separated; they
reunited in 1894 but the marriage finally fell apart in 1900. The present masterpiece dates from a less
troubled period of their lives and remains the only known, published portrait of Vera Repin to exist outside
museum collections. Since it is, above all, his portraiture that has earned Repin international fame as one
of the greatest Western European practitioners of this genre, the reemergence of an intimate family portrait
from this period is a major event for all collectors and scholars of his work. The painting is estimated at
£1,000,000-1,500,000.
Further highlights in the sale include a group of outstanding paintings from renowned Russian artist Vasily
Vasilievich Vereschagin (1842-1904). These museum quality artworks are fresh to the market and have not been
seen publicly since the 1900s. Shipka Pass is the most impressive canvas ever to be offered at auction of
Vereschagin’s Balkan series, which consists of 25 paintings and 50 studies inspired by his first hand
impressions of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78. Not only does the present work mark a pivotal event of
Russian history, but in its restraint and minimalism, is also one of Vereshchagin’s most modern
compositions. In anticipation of hostilities, moved by patriotism, and as Vereschagin simply put it, filled
with ‘a great desire to see with my own eyes a regular European war,’ the artist requested to join the
staff of the Russian army as a volunteer in October 1878. Vereschagin was anxious that his series of Balkan
paintings should not be broken up, but although the future Tsar Alexander III and Grand Duke Nicholas both
expressed an interest in acquiring them, some of the canvases were deemed too controversial and the Prussian
military attaché even advised the Tsar to buy and destroy the entire series. In the event, Pavel Tretyakov
purchased five of the most important works; Ivan Tereschenko, a Kiev sugar baron, acquired five of the other
large canvases together with a number of studies and the remainder of the series was dispersed across the
world following an auction in New York in 1891. This oil on canvas is estimated at £300,000-500,000.
On Campaign, also from Vereschagin’s Balkan series comes from an Important European Collection. The
painting bears a hand-written authentication in Cyrillic by Vereschagin’s widow dated October 15, 1904,
suggesting that it remained in the artist’s collection until his death in 1904, at which time his widow was
forced to sell the work to pay off debts. On Campaign is an extraordinarily complex composition and perhaps
the most artistically ambitious of the entire Balkan series. The painting is estimated at £400,000-600,000.
The Taj Mahal, Evening, is one of the most important works to have resulted from Vereschagin's trip to India
from 1874 to 1876. The artist often approached the same monument or landscape at different times of day and
from varying perspectives, trying to catch the particularities of the changing light, and he is known to
have painted several versions of the Taj Mahal. A smaller view from the river in bright daylight is a
highlight of the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. Two additional views of the Taj from the
garden, in the morning and the evening, were included in the sale at the American Art Galleries in New York
in 1891, when the present work was also first sold. The intensity of color in Vereschagin's Indian paintings
surpassed that of his earlier works, including the Turkestan series, and astonished critics at home and
abroad. The painting is estimated at £250,000-450,000.
A further work is Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky’s (1817-1900) oil on canvas Shepherds with Their Flock at
Sunset in the Crimea, dated 1859. The painting depicts grazing sheep, a theme which appears variously
throughout the artist's oeuvre. Aivazovsky often depicted sheep grazing peacefully on the Crimean steppe or
in Ukraine; before shearing; bathing in the Black Sea; during a rainstorm, or packed into a solid mass under
the heat of the evening sun, as in the present painting. Over the course of the 1870s and 1880s the artist
returned again and again to a theme which clearly captivated him. More than ten pictures with a similar
subject are known to exist and some of these paintings can now be found in Museums in Omsk, Irkutsk, Odessa,
Ashgabat, Ulan-Ude, and Chelyabinsk. One of these paintings — Sheep at Pasture (1850s) — is held at the
Tretyakov Gallery. This museum-quality artwork is estimated at £800,000 -1,200,000.
Another highlight from the forthcoming Important Russian Art Sale is Zinaida Evgenievna Serebriakova’s
(1884-1967) oil on canvas Reclining Nude. Acquired from the family of the artist by the present owner, this
piece is one of the finest large-scale oils by Serebriakova ever to come to auction, and shows the artist at
the height of her powers. The artwork recalls the nudes of Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet; Serebriakova had
arrived in Paris in the mid-1920s and was undoubtedly influenced by these masters in her adoptive homeland.
Serebriakova’s appreciation of the plasticity of the female form was extraordinary, yet from the mid-1930s,
she painted increasingly fewer nudes. Several of the Russian girls in Paris who used to pose for her got
married around 1934, and without the means to pay for professional models, Serebriakova simply lacked the
opportunity to return to one of her favourite subjects. Reclining Nude is property from a private European
collection and is estimated at £600,000-800,000.
Among the two contemporary artworks in the upcoming Russian Art auction will be Erik Bulatov’s (b.1933) oil
on canvas Winter. The painting was completed in 1988, just before the collapse of the Soviet Union, a period
widely considered to be the artist’s best. The painting comes from a private collection and is estimated at
£60,000-80,000.
Also featured is Alexander Evgenievich Yakolev’s (1887-1938) oil on canvas Opera in Peking, which is dated
1918. This important painting is estimated at £800 1,200,000. One of the most important works to be painted
during the artist’s trip to the Far East in 1918, it underscores the artist’s belief that an appreciation
of the richness of ancient Chinese civilisation was crucial in grasping the essence of modern day China.
Exceptional in its daring use of perspective, Yakovlev’s powerful composition is believed to depict a scene
from a 16th century play by the poet Tang, The Peony Pavilion, which subsequently became the template for
the story of a perfect love.
2011年5月31日星期二
2011年5月26日星期四
Beautiful lamps for Beautiful Lives
Beautiful lamps for Beautiful Lives. White Table Lamp adds the elegant timeworn touch that all modern-day decor needs. Decorative White table lamps & accessories for the most beautiful interior design. When you are looking for accessories to beautify your home, one of the furnishings you could utilize would be table lamps.
There are thousands lamps to pick out from, along with white table lamps. These kind of white table lamps bestow a recent look, also are a beginning of significant charm since minute and fastened places. Whether you would similar to toward get a molded glass or a blown out glass, you tin can receive one artistic artifact. If it is molded type lamp in addition you jail get one whither Theo- spread as a consequence end has free lights and white glass put up be second-hand since a basis until heighten the cause of paint.
The White tables lamps search more antique moreover confer a mind of craftsmanship, then either it is of a medium, little or colossal type, with level curves, it would doubtlessly write one unending impression. A favorite for modern-look living spaces, white table lamps & black table lamps can be the source or enhancer of the beauty of a closed space. Whether the lamp it lit or not, the white table lamp will be a conversation starter in your home.
Whether you choose white molded glass or blown-out glass, you are bound to get an artistic artifact of a lamp. With the molded type, you may choose one where the top and bottom light independently. Molded white glass acts nicely as a base for small hand painted enhancements. The white lamps types while appearing more delicate radiate a sense of craftsmanship, and whether small, medium or large will attract an admiring sort of attention to their thin smooth & beautiful curves. You can use this lamp on any end table, foyer table or nightstand for a luxurious look. There are many different types of table lamps in the market and white lamps are one of the most popular ones.
The main reason for its popularity is because it can blend in well with the existing theme while adding an artistic touch to a dull and boring room. In addition, it offers a minimalist and contemporary look which is one of the most popular themes among young couples nowadays. Even if you have a small room, do not fret over it as there is a wide range of sizes of white table lamps for you to choose from and there will definitely be one that fits perfectly into your room. This white table lamps the masters of the bedroom, called so because they look twice as beautiful in pairs hence making the favorite to be symmetrically placed on either side of twin, queen or king size beds.
You might feel compelled to purchase white table lamps as well as silver table lamps immediately but bear in mind to look at your existing furniture to decide on the style of lamp you should be getting. If budget is a little tight, it will be worth to spend some time browsing the online stores such as Amazon for better offers. Start using these gorgeous lamps as adornment accessories for your home while providing functional use at night.
There are thousands lamps to pick out from, along with white table lamps. These kind of white table lamps bestow a recent look, also are a beginning of significant charm since minute and fastened places. Whether you would similar to toward get a molded glass or a blown out glass, you tin can receive one artistic artifact. If it is molded type lamp in addition you jail get one whither Theo- spread as a consequence end has free lights and white glass put up be second-hand since a basis until heighten the cause of paint.
The White tables lamps search more antique moreover confer a mind of craftsmanship, then either it is of a medium, little or colossal type, with level curves, it would doubtlessly write one unending impression. A favorite for modern-look living spaces, white table lamps & black table lamps can be the source or enhancer of the beauty of a closed space. Whether the lamp it lit or not, the white table lamp will be a conversation starter in your home.
Whether you choose white molded glass or blown-out glass, you are bound to get an artistic artifact of a lamp. With the molded type, you may choose one where the top and bottom light independently. Molded white glass acts nicely as a base for small hand painted enhancements. The white lamps types while appearing more delicate radiate a sense of craftsmanship, and whether small, medium or large will attract an admiring sort of attention to their thin smooth & beautiful curves. You can use this lamp on any end table, foyer table or nightstand for a luxurious look. There are many different types of table lamps in the market and white lamps are one of the most popular ones.
The main reason for its popularity is because it can blend in well with the existing theme while adding an artistic touch to a dull and boring room. In addition, it offers a minimalist and contemporary look which is one of the most popular themes among young couples nowadays. Even if you have a small room, do not fret over it as there is a wide range of sizes of white table lamps for you to choose from and there will definitely be one that fits perfectly into your room. This white table lamps the masters of the bedroom, called so because they look twice as beautiful in pairs hence making the favorite to be symmetrically placed on either side of twin, queen or king size beds.
You might feel compelled to purchase white table lamps as well as silver table lamps immediately but bear in mind to look at your existing furniture to decide on the style of lamp you should be getting. If budget is a little tight, it will be worth to spend some time browsing the online stores such as Amazon for better offers. Start using these gorgeous lamps as adornment accessories for your home while providing functional use at night.
Gemstone lamps stolen in Coventry burglary
FOUR gemstone “globe” lamps worth about £3,000 were stolen during a burglary at a Coventry home.
The decorative table lamps, modelled on world globes, were stolen from a house in Bolingbroke Road, Stoke,
on Saturday, March 26, after offenders smashed a rear window to get in.
The burglary happened while the owners were out, between 4-10pm. The thieves also made off with jewellery, a
TV, two laptops, cash, games consoles and passports.
The distinctive lamps incorporate numerous crystals, amethysts and precious malachite stone.
All four lamps have brass stands and range in size from 15-33cm in diameter.
Detective Constable Nicola Orr said: “These are very unusual lamps modelled on a traditional world globe.
It’s almost certain the offenders will try to sell them – either to shops or directly to members of the
public – so I’d ask anyone who has been approached to get in touch as they could have information that
will help us apprehend the culprits.”
The decorative table lamps, modelled on world globes, were stolen from a house in Bolingbroke Road, Stoke,
on Saturday, March 26, after offenders smashed a rear window to get in.
The burglary happened while the owners were out, between 4-10pm. The thieves also made off with jewellery, a
TV, two laptops, cash, games consoles and passports.
The distinctive lamps incorporate numerous crystals, amethysts and precious malachite stone.
All four lamps have brass stands and range in size from 15-33cm in diameter.
Detective Constable Nicola Orr said: “These are very unusual lamps modelled on a traditional world globe.
It’s almost certain the offenders will try to sell them – either to shops or directly to members of the
public – so I’d ask anyone who has been approached to get in touch as they could have information that
will help us apprehend the culprits.”
2011年5月24日星期二
A businessman lost more than RM13,000 cash
A businessman lost more than RM13,000 cash and properties after his car was broken into near Lintas Square, here, early Saturday.
The victim said his wife came over to the shop about 1am and kept his LV brand sling bag in the car before leaving him to continue drinking with his friends.
He only realised his loss about 4.30am when he and his friends wanted to leave for home.
According to a friend of the victim, they did not see or hear anything prior but saw the window of the vehicle had been broken and the sling bag in it missing.
However, due to the Friend Finder system that the victim's wife had installed into his handphone, they managed to locate the phone when they called the DiGi service centre.
"At first, the system revealed that the handphone was somewhere near a five-star hotel around Sembulan, so we went there to ask the receptionist for information.
"They were hesitant to give any customer information at first but were forced to cooperate when the police arrived," the businessman added.
He said CCTV footage then revealed that a couple had checked into the hotel recently but checked out 20 minutes after that and left in a Perodua Kancil believed rented from Bandaran Berjaya.
The second investigation revealed that the couple were somewhere near Foh Sang and they managed to apprehend both victims soon after.
The suspects, a 45-year-old woman from Perak, and her husband, 30, were apprehended to help in investigations.
The male suspect, however, denied stealing anything and said it was his elder brother who was behind the theft.
The victim said his wife came over to the shop about 1am and kept his LV brand sling bag in the car before leaving him to continue drinking with his friends.
He only realised his loss about 4.30am when he and his friends wanted to leave for home.
According to a friend of the victim, they did not see or hear anything prior but saw the window of the vehicle had been broken and the sling bag in it missing.
However, due to the Friend Finder system that the victim's wife had installed into his handphone, they managed to locate the phone when they called the DiGi service centre.
"At first, the system revealed that the handphone was somewhere near a five-star hotel around Sembulan, so we went there to ask the receptionist for information.
"They were hesitant to give any customer information at first but were forced to cooperate when the police arrived," the businessman added.
He said CCTV footage then revealed that a couple had checked into the hotel recently but checked out 20 minutes after that and left in a Perodua Kancil believed rented from Bandaran Berjaya.
The second investigation revealed that the couple were somewhere near Foh Sang and they managed to apprehend both victims soon after.
The suspects, a 45-year-old woman from Perak, and her husband, 30, were apprehended to help in investigations.
The male suspect, however, denied stealing anything and said it was his elder brother who was behind the theft.
Crafting a Place For Culture
For Myrna Munadi, the owner of the Taqilla bag brand, the adoption of new technologies is no reason for Indonesians to turn away from tradition.
Last year, the 40-year-old housewife and entrepreneur was presented with three Awards of Excellence for Handicrafts by Unesco, the UN’s cultural body, for some of her distinctive laptop bags and gadget cases, which use traditional handmade materials to create modern, globally competitive designs.
And judging from the crowds of buyers heading for her stall at the Jakarta International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) last month, many Indonesians agree that tradition still has a role to play in modern life.
Taqilla bags are made using high-quality handmade textiles, such as batik, woven lurik cloth and locally produced leather.
Myrna employs artisans from Majalaya in West Java and Magelang in Central Java to create the fabrics and transform them into carry bags for popular high-tech gadgets.
“The warmth of the traditional, handmade products should blend seamlessly with the cool, trendy gadgets,” she said.
Some of the textile production techniques have been modified to preserve the symbolism of the designs.
Intricate batik motifs, for example, can lose their meaning when the fabric is cut haphazardly to fit a pattern. To avoid this, Myrna has reversed the process. She starts by drawing the patterns for smartphone and tablet computer cases onto a piece of blank cloth, and then asks the artisans to fit their motifs to the available space.
Some of the stronger colors of the batik designs have also been changed to softer hues, to complement the clean look of the devices.
Myrna’s clever combinations of colors and attention to detail have made her products stand out in a market dominated by plain, unimaginative, corporate designs.
“They are products made with passion,” she said. “They’ve got soul. You can immediately notice the difference.”
Myrna has poured her heart and soul into creating the Taqilla brand, and it hasn’t been an easy journey.
Last year, the 40-year-old housewife and entrepreneur was presented with three Awards of Excellence for Handicrafts by Unesco, the UN’s cultural body, for some of her distinctive laptop bags and gadget cases, which use traditional handmade materials to create modern, globally competitive designs.
And judging from the crowds of buyers heading for her stall at the Jakarta International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) last month, many Indonesians agree that tradition still has a role to play in modern life.
Taqilla bags are made using high-quality handmade textiles, such as batik, woven lurik cloth and locally produced leather.
Myrna employs artisans from Majalaya in West Java and Magelang in Central Java to create the fabrics and transform them into carry bags for popular high-tech gadgets.
“The warmth of the traditional, handmade products should blend seamlessly with the cool, trendy gadgets,” she said.
Some of the textile production techniques have been modified to preserve the symbolism of the designs.
Intricate batik motifs, for example, can lose their meaning when the fabric is cut haphazardly to fit a pattern. To avoid this, Myrna has reversed the process. She starts by drawing the patterns for smartphone and tablet computer cases onto a piece of blank cloth, and then asks the artisans to fit their motifs to the available space.
Some of the stronger colors of the batik designs have also been changed to softer hues, to complement the clean look of the devices.
Myrna’s clever combinations of colors and attention to detail have made her products stand out in a market dominated by plain, unimaginative, corporate designs.
“They are products made with passion,” she said. “They’ve got soul. You can immediately notice the difference.”
Myrna has poured her heart and soul into creating the Taqilla brand, and it hasn’t been an easy journey.
2011年5月19日星期四
At the Furniture Fair, Sustainable Furniture Gets Playful
At the Furniture Fair,
Sustainable Furniture Gets Playful
THE table lamp is laid-back, and no wonder. Created by Peter Stathis, a San Francisco industrial designer,
for Joby, a San Francisco consumer products company, Trapeze has the easygoing affect of a Bay Area
windsurfer on a fair-trade coffee break.
But don’t be fooled by its relaxed demeanor. Trapeze has a serious side — it’s good for the environment,
too. Introduced at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, which ended on Tuesday, the lamp has 102
LEDs embedded in its ultra-thin head; a diffuser softens and spreads the light so that it resembles the
warmth of (boo, hiss) incandescent bulbs. Another bit of patent-pending wizardry allows Trapeze to bend like
a Cirque du Soleil gymnast because no wires run through its jolly, bulbous joints. The current somehow
manages to flow anyway.
At the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, where the furniture fair is held every May, and in
concurrent design events throughout the city, playfulness mingled with social responsibility, and sometimes
overshadowed it. Among the more than 500 exhibitors from 39 countries, the green conversation hadn’t faded
by any means, but it was less strident, better integrated into the ambient hum of the new.
This fair showed that objects as banal as recycling containers, stepladders, fruit crates and old potatoes
can have flair. At the Javits Center, Catherine Mui, a designer based in Hong Kong, showed her GO recycling
bin, its compartments topped with sculptures of a bottle, can and carton to assist in sorting.
Among the items at “Use Me,” the American Design Club exhibition in NoHo, was Step, a ladder by Iacoli &
McAllister, of Seattle, inspired by models from the 1920s, except that it had pink-painted oak treads and
was priced at $1,195, so it probably won’t be left to rot in the garage. (It’s sustainable the way emerald
brooches are.)
Hannu Kahonen’s Fruit Box chair, on display at a Finnish design exhibition in the meatpacking district,
challenged consumers who presumably have mastered Ikea furniture to assemble their own seating from recycled
planks lashed together with linen cord.
And at “Model Citizens,” a design show at the Chelsea Art Museum, the Dutch designer Juliette Warmenhoven
’s Potato Music Box, part of her Everyday Growing collection, turned a sprouting potato into a centerpiece.
The music box, constructed by hand of paper dipped in plastic, displayed the potato on a rotating pedestal,
flaunting its underappreciated charms.
Once the grim, chastising superego of product design, sustainability has become delightful. And it no longer
calls attention to itself as insistently as it once did. Trove, the Brooklyn wallpaper company, has begun
applying its delicate, nature-themed prints to wallcoverings made with calcium carbonate, the stuff of
marble and limestone; the texture of the material offers little evidence of its provenance, although a
sample was suspiciously heavy and cool. Randall Buck, a founder of Trove, said the stone-based wallcoverings
are breathable, antimicrobial, degradable (into dust) and easier to hang than conventional wallpaper because
they don’t expand and contract when paste is applied. Another virtue, Mr. Buck pointed out, is that while
“paper wants to turn yellow,” stone is content to remain its original color.
Sustainability has traditionally created aesthetic challenges, leading to products made in regrettable
shades of oatmeal, but designers at this year’s fair positively embraced those hurdles. At the booth
representing Rhode Island School of Design’s furniture department, students working with Twintex, a
recyclable Owens Corning-manufactured composite of glass and polypropylene, described the medieval tools
they used to turn the material into hairy-looking tables, chairs and lamps. For Eun Sang Ernie Lee, the
author of an armchair composed of crimped waves of fiber, the instruments were giant knitting needles; a
system of aluminum rods and clips to produce the perm; and a kiln to bake the chair into stability.
How big were the needles? “Two inches in diameter,” Mr. Lee estimated. Other students jumped in to correct
him, making circles of three and four inches with their fingers.
| table lamp |
THE table lamp is laid-back, and no wonder. Created by Peter Stathis, a San Francisco industrial designer,
for Joby, a San Francisco consumer products company, Trapeze has the easygoing affect of a Bay Area
windsurfer on a fair-trade coffee break.
But don’t be fooled by its relaxed demeanor. Trapeze has a serious side — it’s good for the environment,
too. Introduced at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, which ended on Tuesday, the lamp has 102
LEDs embedded in its ultra-thin head; a diffuser softens and spreads the light so that it resembles the
warmth of (boo, hiss) incandescent bulbs. Another bit of patent-pending wizardry allows Trapeze to bend like
a Cirque du Soleil gymnast because no wires run through its jolly, bulbous joints. The current somehow
manages to flow anyway.
At the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, where the furniture fair is held every May, and in
concurrent design events throughout the city, playfulness mingled with social responsibility, and sometimes
overshadowed it. Among the more than 500 exhibitors from 39 countries, the green conversation hadn’t faded
by any means, but it was less strident, better integrated into the ambient hum of the new.
This fair showed that objects as banal as recycling containers, stepladders, fruit crates and old potatoes
can have flair. At the Javits Center, Catherine Mui, a designer based in Hong Kong, showed her GO recycling
bin, its compartments topped with sculptures of a bottle, can and carton to assist in sorting.
Among the items at “Use Me,” the American Design Club exhibition in NoHo, was Step, a ladder by Iacoli &
McAllister, of Seattle, inspired by models from the 1920s, except that it had pink-painted oak treads and
was priced at $1,195, so it probably won’t be left to rot in the garage. (It’s sustainable the way emerald
brooches are.)
Hannu Kahonen’s Fruit Box chair, on display at a Finnish design exhibition in the meatpacking district,
challenged consumers who presumably have mastered Ikea furniture to assemble their own seating from recycled
planks lashed together with linen cord.
And at “Model Citizens,” a design show at the Chelsea Art Museum, the Dutch designer Juliette Warmenhoven
’s Potato Music Box, part of her Everyday Growing collection, turned a sprouting potato into a centerpiece.
The music box, constructed by hand of paper dipped in plastic, displayed the potato on a rotating pedestal,
flaunting its underappreciated charms.
Once the grim, chastising superego of product design, sustainability has become delightful. And it no longer
calls attention to itself as insistently as it once did. Trove, the Brooklyn wallpaper company, has begun
applying its delicate, nature-themed prints to wallcoverings made with calcium carbonate, the stuff of
marble and limestone; the texture of the material offers little evidence of its provenance, although a
sample was suspiciously heavy and cool. Randall Buck, a founder of Trove, said the stone-based wallcoverings
are breathable, antimicrobial, degradable (into dust) and easier to hang than conventional wallpaper because
they don’t expand and contract when paste is applied. Another virtue, Mr. Buck pointed out, is that while
“paper wants to turn yellow,” stone is content to remain its original color.
Sustainability has traditionally created aesthetic challenges, leading to products made in regrettable
shades of oatmeal, but designers at this year’s fair positively embraced those hurdles. At the booth
representing Rhode Island School of Design’s furniture department, students working with Twintex, a
recyclable Owens Corning-manufactured composite of glass and polypropylene, described the medieval tools
they used to turn the material into hairy-looking tables, chairs and lamps. For Eun Sang Ernie Lee, the
author of an armchair composed of crimped waves of fiber, the instruments were giant knitting needles; a
system of aluminum rods and clips to produce the perm; and a kiln to bake the chair into stability.
How big were the needles? “Two inches in diameter,” Mr. Lee estimated. Other students jumped in to correct
him, making circles of three and four inches with their fingers.
2011年5月17日星期二
Candice Tells All Double-duty design makes sense
Candice Tells All Double-duty design makes sense
As technology evolves and business concepts change, the traditional office is becoming a thing of the past. I'm living proof. Give me a cellphone, a car and a laptop (oh, and a large latte, please), and the world is my workplace.
My client, Phyllis, is another example of this paradigm shift. After ditching the corporate world a year ago, she started a business out of the living/dining room of her small downtown loft. The commute was painless and the view was great, but somehow she was more stressed than ever.
Her once-tranquil home had gradually morphed into a big jumble of boxes, wires and papers. With work intruding into her personal space, she had nowhere to relax, enjoy a meal -- or host her famous martini parties.
I wanted to give Phyllis a space that would function as an inspiring, efficient office by day and an inviting, relaxing home by night. To do it, I would apply the principle of double-duty design: creatively using space and furnishings so that they perform more than one role.
The loft had great bones: soaring ceilings, 8-foot windows and exposed brick. I left those intact and focused on maximizing the small space to create the perfect balance of beauty and function.
I started by getting rid of furnishings that were too large for their surroundings. To provide privacy but still celebrate the arched windows, I put up sheer, floor-to-ceiling, remote-control blinds. I mapped out the room into two separate zones that would flow together harmoniously: an office and a lounge.
In the office space, I used the backdrop of an exposed brick wall for a long dresser that mixes a light, wood-laminate top with Phyllis' existing dark cabinets below, now sprayed an airy white. When designing a double-duty space, no large piece of furniture should have only one function. Phyllis can use the dresser's top as a work surface and the storage underneath for both office supplies and for clothing.
To one side of the dresser, I incorporated a large work desk and added a modern white leather chair. On the other side, I brought in a large storage cabinet that I fronted with beautiful wallpaper for the look of custom cabinetry.
For the lounge area, I picked a sectional sofa in a latte-colored linen that really maximizes the seating space. The back cushions can be removed so the sofa can double as a comfy guest bed. Across from it, I created a sitting corner with a gorgeous charcoal velvet chair, metallic lamp and end table.
In the loft's center, I worked in a round tilt-top table and chairs that can be used for daytime business meetings or intimate evening dinners. It folds away when Phyllis needs extra room for entertaining. To showcase the beautiful soaring ceiling, above the table I centered a dramatic light fixture comprised of 150 light-as-air shimmering metallic balls.
To further separate the two areas, I installed a counter that holds a large, dual-purpose monitor on a swivel. When turned toward the living room, it functions as a TV; but when facing the office, it is perfect for media screenings and presentations.
I then added a host of accents and accessories -- mirrors, lamps and artwork -- and the space was complete.
This messy loft wasn't conducive to working or living. By maximizing Phyllis' space via double-duty design, it is now ready for work, play -- even martini parties.
As technology evolves and business concepts change, the traditional office is becoming a thing of the past. I'm living proof. Give me a cellphone, a car and a laptop (oh, and a large latte, please), and the world is my workplace.
My client, Phyllis, is another example of this paradigm shift. After ditching the corporate world a year ago, she started a business out of the living/dining room of her small downtown loft. The commute was painless and the view was great, but somehow she was more stressed than ever.
Her once-tranquil home had gradually morphed into a big jumble of boxes, wires and papers. With work intruding into her personal space, she had nowhere to relax, enjoy a meal -- or host her famous martini parties.
I wanted to give Phyllis a space that would function as an inspiring, efficient office by day and an inviting, relaxing home by night. To do it, I would apply the principle of double-duty design: creatively using space and furnishings so that they perform more than one role.
The loft had great bones: soaring ceilings, 8-foot windows and exposed brick. I left those intact and focused on maximizing the small space to create the perfect balance of beauty and function.
I started by getting rid of furnishings that were too large for their surroundings. To provide privacy but still celebrate the arched windows, I put up sheer, floor-to-ceiling, remote-control blinds. I mapped out the room into two separate zones that would flow together harmoniously: an office and a lounge.
In the office space, I used the backdrop of an exposed brick wall for a long dresser that mixes a light, wood-laminate top with Phyllis' existing dark cabinets below, now sprayed an airy white. When designing a double-duty space, no large piece of furniture should have only one function. Phyllis can use the dresser's top as a work surface and the storage underneath for both office supplies and for clothing.
To one side of the dresser, I incorporated a large work desk and added a modern white leather chair. On the other side, I brought in a large storage cabinet that I fronted with beautiful wallpaper for the look of custom cabinetry.
For the lounge area, I picked a sectional sofa in a latte-colored linen that really maximizes the seating space. The back cushions can be removed so the sofa can double as a comfy guest bed. Across from it, I created a sitting corner with a gorgeous charcoal velvet chair, metallic lamp and end table.
In the loft's center, I worked in a round tilt-top table and chairs that can be used for daytime business meetings or intimate evening dinners. It folds away when Phyllis needs extra room for entertaining. To showcase the beautiful soaring ceiling, above the table I centered a dramatic light fixture comprised of 150 light-as-air shimmering metallic balls.
To further separate the two areas, I installed a counter that holds a large, dual-purpose monitor on a swivel. When turned toward the living room, it functions as a TV; but when facing the office, it is perfect for media screenings and presentations.
I then added a host of accents and accessories -- mirrors, lamps and artwork -- and the space was complete.
This messy loft wasn't conducive to working or living. By maximizing Phyllis' space via double-duty design, it is now ready for work, play -- even martini parties.
2011年5月10日星期二
Travis: The almighty light
Driven by the need to conserve energy, the lighting industry has undergone a massive change over the last decade.
How many people does it take to change a light bulb now? Well, that’s no longer a joke, but a perplexing question when faced with the choices at your local lighting store.
We all know the central role lighting plays in interior design, from practical task lights to decorative applications, the right bulb and fixture create the ambiance for work and relaxation that makes your home a pleasing and inviting place. Too much or too little light both cause stress and fatigue. We want to take advantage of the new technologies, but it’s a learning curve to get it just right.
I asked Mary Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting Institute, to help us out with some basic choices that would conserve energy, but also give a similar lighting experience to the traditional incandescent light bulb.
My first question concerned dimmers. I had noticed on LED light bulb packages that they weren’t dimmable. What to do for the dining room chandelier, or the mood lighting pretty much everywhere in my home? Dimmers are a decorator’s best friend.
The answer is simple, stay with incandescent bulbs if there isn’t a suitable replacement, But in most cases there is.
The living room is filled with a variety of lighting needs. Gotti guided me through each light source and offered her expertise on which bulb to buy.
CFLs (compact fluorescents) deliver a soft, diffuse light that’s shadow free. Good for the table lamps. And there are also three-way bulbs available. For the sconces that flank the art over the mantel, choose CFLs, or, if you want more sparkle, use halogen or LEDs. You want a dimmable product for the ceiling spots, so go halogen, but soon LEDs will become available with a dimmable option. For the spots in the windows, CFLs deliver the right light.
When choosing the strength or brightness of the bulb, check the packaging for equivalents. A 20-watt CFL is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent bulb and a 9-watt LED is about 40-watts of incandescent lighting.
From a design standpoint, lighting has a brilliant future. The size, shape and renewed capability of bulbs translates to innovative light fixtures and treatments. While traditional lamps and sconces will remain part of our historical furnishing, watch for smarter, more efficient applications that will change the way we light our homes.
Q: We are trying to decide if hanging curtains (side panels) at our basement windows is appropriate. The room’s height is 7 feet. It’s a rectangular room 28 feet by 12 feet with one window that runs the length of the 12-foot wall and the other window in the middle of the long wall. Both windows are two-feet high and located close to the ceiling. Any ideas for length and pattern for panels that would create the feeling of height?
A: Low ceilings and high windows are a common challenge in basements. I suggest full length curtains that can be pulled across the windows at night for privacy. This will produce the illusion of height. Choose a vertical stripe for the fabric to draw the eye up. And why not utilize lighting to augment the illusion? One or two CFL spot lights on the floor aimed up the walls is a great effect tucked behind a sofa or large plant. Augment the positive and you can’t go wrong.
How many people does it take to change a light bulb now? Well, that’s no longer a joke, but a perplexing question when faced with the choices at your local lighting store.
We all know the central role lighting plays in interior design, from practical task lights to decorative applications, the right bulb and fixture create the ambiance for work and relaxation that makes your home a pleasing and inviting place. Too much or too little light both cause stress and fatigue. We want to take advantage of the new technologies, but it’s a learning curve to get it just right.
I asked Mary Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting Institute, to help us out with some basic choices that would conserve energy, but also give a similar lighting experience to the traditional incandescent light bulb.
My first question concerned dimmers. I had noticed on LED light bulb packages that they weren’t dimmable. What to do for the dining room chandelier, or the mood lighting pretty much everywhere in my home? Dimmers are a decorator’s best friend.
The answer is simple, stay with incandescent bulbs if there isn’t a suitable replacement, But in most cases there is.
The living room is filled with a variety of lighting needs. Gotti guided me through each light source and offered her expertise on which bulb to buy.
CFLs (compact fluorescents) deliver a soft, diffuse light that’s shadow free. Good for the table lamps. And there are also three-way bulbs available. For the sconces that flank the art over the mantel, choose CFLs, or, if you want more sparkle, use halogen or LEDs. You want a dimmable product for the ceiling spots, so go halogen, but soon LEDs will become available with a dimmable option. For the spots in the windows, CFLs deliver the right light.
When choosing the strength or brightness of the bulb, check the packaging for equivalents. A 20-watt CFL is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent bulb and a 9-watt LED is about 40-watts of incandescent lighting.
From a design standpoint, lighting has a brilliant future. The size, shape and renewed capability of bulbs translates to innovative light fixtures and treatments. While traditional lamps and sconces will remain part of our historical furnishing, watch for smarter, more efficient applications that will change the way we light our homes.
Q: We are trying to decide if hanging curtains (side panels) at our basement windows is appropriate. The room’s height is 7 feet. It’s a rectangular room 28 feet by 12 feet with one window that runs the length of the 12-foot wall and the other window in the middle of the long wall. Both windows are two-feet high and located close to the ceiling. Any ideas for length and pattern for panels that would create the feeling of height?
A: Low ceilings and high windows are a common challenge in basements. I suggest full length curtains that can be pulled across the windows at night for privacy. This will produce the illusion of height. Choose a vertical stripe for the fabric to draw the eye up. And why not utilize lighting to augment the illusion? One or two CFL spot lights on the floor aimed up the walls is a great effect tucked behind a sofa or large plant. Augment the positive and you can’t go wrong.
LSG plans intelligent LED lamp for Android @ Home
Google kicked of its annual Android developers’ conference with a keynote presentation that featured a new home-automation initiative called Android @ Home. That portion of the keynote included a demonstration of an Android phone controlling two prototype Lighting Science Group (LSG) LED lamps, and LSG pledged to deliver production versions of the solid-state-lighting (SSL) lamp by the end of the year.
David Henderson, chief development officer at LSG, said, “We look for this technology to revolutionize the home and commercial space for intelligent lighting systems, and LED lighting.”
LSG Android @ Home prototype lamp
LSG Android @ Home prototype lamp
The Android @ Home technology will actually go far beyond lighting with Google targeting control of all electrical devices in the home including appliances, HVAC systems, and entertainment products. It will also be compatible with the new Android music service announced at the conference.
The Android lighting demo included two table lamps equipped with the LSG prototype lamps and the Android phone was also configured to control two stage lights. A simple Android app provided a user interface for light control.
Dynamic interactive lighting
The second part of the demonstration was more interactive. The presenter played the game Quake on the Android device and the device concurrently controlled the stage lights. The demo proved the multitasking capability of the Android platform and suggested that an entertainment application will be able to dynamically control lighting in the future to enhance the viewer experience.
Google offered one other example of how Android devices might be useful in lighting control. You could set the alarm on your device, and have it gradually raise the light level in the room rather than ringing an alarm.
Google didn’t reveal the details of the wireless interconnect used during the keynote, just saying it was a low-cost technology. LSG’s Henderson said later that it is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for wireless personal area networks (WPAN).
The 802.15.4 standard is the basis for ZigBee wireless networks that we covered in a feature article last November. But ZigBee adds protocol layers on top of the 802.15.4 standard and the Android technology will apparently rely on a different protocol. According to Henderson, Android @ Home will rely on the 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over low-power WPAN) protocol designed to allow every-day devices such as thermostats and lights to connect to the Internet.
LSG can’t provide details such as pricing on its compatible lamps yet. But Henderson said they will likely launch with 40W and 60W equivalent lamps. When asked about the price premium attributable to the wireless support, he said they expect pricing to be generally the same as other LED retrofit lamps on the market.
LSG launches lamps on Amazon.com
LSG also launched some new lower-cost LED-based retrofit lamps recently that are being sold on Amazon.com and will be coming to Home Depot stores. Announced in conjunction with earth day, the 40W equivalent lamp is priced at $21.98. The lamps draws 8.5W and LSG said it could last as long as 23 years.
The company also plans a new 60W-equivalent A lamp, as well as BR, MR, and PAR retrofit lamps. All of the new products are targeted at affordability. The company asserts that the 40W lamp is half the price of GE’s Energy Smart A19 lamp. The 40W equivalent lamps looks very similar to the Android prototype lamp pictured.
David Henderson, chief development officer at LSG, said, “We look for this technology to revolutionize the home and commercial space for intelligent lighting systems, and LED lighting.”
LSG Android @ Home prototype lamp
LSG Android @ Home prototype lamp
The Android @ Home technology will actually go far beyond lighting with Google targeting control of all electrical devices in the home including appliances, HVAC systems, and entertainment products. It will also be compatible with the new Android music service announced at the conference.
The Android lighting demo included two table lamps equipped with the LSG prototype lamps and the Android phone was also configured to control two stage lights. A simple Android app provided a user interface for light control.
Dynamic interactive lighting
The second part of the demonstration was more interactive. The presenter played the game Quake on the Android device and the device concurrently controlled the stage lights. The demo proved the multitasking capability of the Android platform and suggested that an entertainment application will be able to dynamically control lighting in the future to enhance the viewer experience.
Google offered one other example of how Android devices might be useful in lighting control. You could set the alarm on your device, and have it gradually raise the light level in the room rather than ringing an alarm.
Google didn’t reveal the details of the wireless interconnect used during the keynote, just saying it was a low-cost technology. LSG’s Henderson said later that it is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for wireless personal area networks (WPAN).
The 802.15.4 standard is the basis for ZigBee wireless networks that we covered in a feature article last November. But ZigBee adds protocol layers on top of the 802.15.4 standard and the Android technology will apparently rely on a different protocol. According to Henderson, Android @ Home will rely on the 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over low-power WPAN) protocol designed to allow every-day devices such as thermostats and lights to connect to the Internet.
LSG can’t provide details such as pricing on its compatible lamps yet. But Henderson said they will likely launch with 40W and 60W equivalent lamps. When asked about the price premium attributable to the wireless support, he said they expect pricing to be generally the same as other LED retrofit lamps on the market.
LSG launches lamps on Amazon.com
LSG also launched some new lower-cost LED-based retrofit lamps recently that are being sold on Amazon.com and will be coming to Home Depot stores. Announced in conjunction with earth day, the 40W equivalent lamp is priced at $21.98. The lamps draws 8.5W and LSG said it could last as long as 23 years.
The company also plans a new 60W-equivalent A lamp, as well as BR, MR, and PAR retrofit lamps. All of the new products are targeted at affordability. The company asserts that the 40W lamp is half the price of GE’s Energy Smart A19 lamp. The 40W equivalent lamps looks very similar to the Android prototype lamp pictured.
2011年5月6日星期五
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE: If it glows indoors, it will work outdoors too
Fall River —
A trend toward creating “outdoor rooms” has dramatically increased lighting options for homeowners who want to extend their time outside.
Most indoor lighting fixtures — chandeliers, pendant lights, table lamps — now have a counterpart designed for patios or decks.
“We have seen outdoor lights absolutely replicating indoor designs,” said Anne Robert of theoutdoorstylist.com, a website that focuses on home trends.
“Outdoor lighting is a mood setter. It can make or break a design just like it can indoors.”
The abundance of products lets you make outdoor spaces more functional, said Rich Young of Outdoor Living Brands in Richmond, Va. “It allows families to extend the square footage of their home,” he said. “With the right light, you can extend the evening for dining or reading or other activities outdoors.”
When choosing fixtures for outdoor entertaining areas, consider how much light is necessary, said Alene Workman, a spokeswoman for the American Society of Interior Designers. A table needs to have sufficient light so diners can eat, whereas a conversation area may need only soft mood lighting.
Be creative with table lighting, recommends Krissa Rossbund, a senior style editor at Traditional Home Magazine.
“Gone are the days when people hang a chandelier over a table and call it lit,” she said.
She suggests hanging two small chandeliers instead of one large one, or buying a chandelier at a flea market and painting it a bright color.
Outdoor chandeliers come in a variety of styles, from mission to modern. Manufacturers also offer many candle chandeliers for outdoor areas that don’t have electricity.
For seating areas, choose a weighted outdoor floor lamp, said Workman, who owns an interior design firm in Hollywood, Fla. “There are wonderful new outdoor lights that are almost art pieces themselves,” she said.
Colored lights, illuminated furniture and subtle fixtures designed to blend with nature will be popular this year, according to design professionals.
Workman expects to see the use of color increase, and “I don’t mean Christmas lights,” she said. Landscapers are starting to incorporate subtle red, blue and pink lights into their work, she said.
Color is particularly appropriate if you are planning a party, Rossbund added. It’s “a fun way to change things up,” she said.
Some homeowners are adding a bright pop of color with light-up patio furniture, Robert said. The battery-powered chairs and tables are available in a variety of colors.
International designers like Modoluce and Neoz have created lines of plastic tables and chairs that are lit from within.
Avanzini has a line of wood furniture made with glowing light strips. It helps create a lounge look that Robert thinks will be popular this summer.
“With the rise of staycations, we will see a lot of designs adopting a real bar-type lounge attitude, with perhaps more extravagant and festive pieces,” she said.
Moonlight USA sells decorative outdoor illuminated globes, which can glow white like the moon or cast light in a rainbow of colors. The company also makes a tabletop for the globes. The clear acrylic disc has a cut-out center that allows it to rest on top of the globe so it can function as a table.
“The color is very robust,” said owner Anke Kondek. “It’s a wow effect.”
Homeowners wanting to light a more natural setting may go for a softer, more layered look, said Beth Webb, an interior designer in Atlanta. She favors the custom copper-and-wood pieces made by The Outdoor Lights in Cumming, Ga.
Company president Chris Wakefield has created lights that cast a warm glow around fire pits, dining areas or outdoor living rooms. Some of his more popular items include punctured copper cylinders that create a firefly effect, stamped copper lanterns and illuminated, artificial birdhouses. The lanterns can hang from a shepherd’s hook or a tree branch.
Before buying lights for reading, lounging or dining, the professionals recommend making sure that pathways and steps are properly lit for safety.
“You want light to help you navigate spaces near or around steps,” said Jeff Dross, director of education and industry trends for Kichler Lighting.
He and the other experts warned against making outdoor spaces too bright. They suggest using subtle light that is aimed towards the ground wherever possible.
“For most tasks you only need low light,” Dross said. “Avoid that glare. Glare forces you to think you need more light than you do.”
Most indoor lighting fixtures — chandeliers, pendant lights, table lamps — now have a counterpart designed for patios or decks.
“We have seen outdoor lights absolutely replicating indoor designs,” said Anne Robert of theoutdoorstylist.com, a website that focuses on home trends.
“Outdoor lighting is a mood setter. It can make or break a design just like it can indoors.”
The abundance of products lets you make outdoor spaces more functional, said Rich Young of Outdoor Living Brands in Richmond, Va. “It allows families to extend the square footage of their home,” he said. “With the right light, you can extend the evening for dining or reading or other activities outdoors.”
When choosing fixtures for outdoor entertaining areas, consider how much light is necessary, said Alene Workman, a spokeswoman for the American Society of Interior Designers. A table needs to have sufficient light so diners can eat, whereas a conversation area may need only soft mood lighting.
Be creative with table lighting, recommends Krissa Rossbund, a senior style editor at Traditional Home Magazine.
“Gone are the days when people hang a chandelier over a table and call it lit,” she said.
She suggests hanging two small chandeliers instead of one large one, or buying a chandelier at a flea market and painting it a bright color.
Outdoor chandeliers come in a variety of styles, from mission to modern. Manufacturers also offer many candle chandeliers for outdoor areas that don’t have electricity.
For seating areas, choose a weighted outdoor floor lamp, said Workman, who owns an interior design firm in Hollywood, Fla. “There are wonderful new outdoor lights that are almost art pieces themselves,” she said.
Colored lights, illuminated furniture and subtle fixtures designed to blend with nature will be popular this year, according to design professionals.
Workman expects to see the use of color increase, and “I don’t mean Christmas lights,” she said. Landscapers are starting to incorporate subtle red, blue and pink lights into their work, she said.
Color is particularly appropriate if you are planning a party, Rossbund added. It’s “a fun way to change things up,” she said.
Some homeowners are adding a bright pop of color with light-up patio furniture, Robert said. The battery-powered chairs and tables are available in a variety of colors.
International designers like Modoluce and Neoz have created lines of plastic tables and chairs that are lit from within.
Avanzini has a line of wood furniture made with glowing light strips. It helps create a lounge look that Robert thinks will be popular this summer.
“With the rise of staycations, we will see a lot of designs adopting a real bar-type lounge attitude, with perhaps more extravagant and festive pieces,” she said.
Moonlight USA sells decorative outdoor illuminated globes, which can glow white like the moon or cast light in a rainbow of colors. The company also makes a tabletop for the globes. The clear acrylic disc has a cut-out center that allows it to rest on top of the globe so it can function as a table.
“The color is very robust,” said owner Anke Kondek. “It’s a wow effect.”
Homeowners wanting to light a more natural setting may go for a softer, more layered look, said Beth Webb, an interior designer in Atlanta. She favors the custom copper-and-wood pieces made by The Outdoor Lights in Cumming, Ga.
Company president Chris Wakefield has created lights that cast a warm glow around fire pits, dining areas or outdoor living rooms. Some of his more popular items include punctured copper cylinders that create a firefly effect, stamped copper lanterns and illuminated, artificial birdhouses. The lanterns can hang from a shepherd’s hook or a tree branch.
Before buying lights for reading, lounging or dining, the professionals recommend making sure that pathways and steps are properly lit for safety.
“You want light to help you navigate spaces near or around steps,” said Jeff Dross, director of education and industry trends for Kichler Lighting.
He and the other experts warned against making outdoor spaces too bright. They suggest using subtle light that is aimed towards the ground wherever possible.
“For most tasks you only need low light,” Dross said. “Avoid that glare. Glare forces you to think you need more light than you do.”
2011年5月3日星期二
Bells atop the Farnsworth House? Yes, and more surprises inside
I always learn something new about Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House whenever Prof.
Wendy Koenig and I take our North Central College class there in what has become a rite
of spring. This year was no different. There were three revelations last Saturday:
1) A SUPER-FLEXY GLASS WALL--The wind was blowing hard during our visit. After we went
inside--following the advice of Whitney French, the house's executive director--I put my
hand on one of the big windows that face toward an old sugar maple tree (above) and the
Fox River. A gust blew. The window inflected inward by a good inch or more, just had
Whitney had predicted. "Holy sh--," I said to the class, not sounding very professorial.
Fortunately, the rest of the house's windows don't flex as much. This one, Whitney said,
replaced a window that was smashed in the 1996 flood that inundated the Farnsworth.
2) HIDDEN LIGHT SWITCHES--Joan Knutson, the delightful docent who accompanied us to the
house, opened one of the kitchen cabinets to reveal--tuh duh!--the Farnsworth House's
light switches. There are floor and table lamps the inside the house, but it turns out
that there are uplights on the Farnsworth's primavera wood cabinets, too. Joan informed
us that the house's second owner, Lord Peter Palumbo, had the uplights kept on all night
--presumably to enhance security. Mies, of course, would have wanted to hide the light
switches. Who needs such bothersome clutter in a temple of minimalism?
Farnsworthbells 3) ROOFTOP BELLS--The Farnsworth House has bells on its rooftop (left).
Who knew? Whitney explained that the notes of Myron Goldsmith, Mies' chief assistant on
the job, state the following: "provide bell for phone outside on roof." Why have the
bells? Because the house's owner and namesake, Edith Farnsworth, liked to garden and the
bells would have let her know when the phone inside was ringing.
In a follow-up email , Whitney attached the accompanying photo (below), which shows Edith
tending to the landscape at her under-construction house. (Whitney thinks the photo
belongs to the Chicago History Museum.)
"It allows you to better imagine the purpose of the bell," she writes of the photo. "I
love this feature primarily because, in a house that is so timeless in its design, it is
pleasant to be reminded of its age by such idiosyncrasies."
Wendy Koenig and I take our North Central College class there in what has become a rite
of spring. This year was no different. There were three revelations last Saturday:
1) A SUPER-FLEXY GLASS WALL--The wind was blowing hard during our visit. After we went
inside--following the advice of Whitney French, the house's executive director--I put my
hand on one of the big windows that face toward an old sugar maple tree (above) and the
Fox River. A gust blew. The window inflected inward by a good inch or more, just had
Whitney had predicted. "Holy sh--," I said to the class, not sounding very professorial.
Fortunately, the rest of the house's windows don't flex as much. This one, Whitney said,
replaced a window that was smashed in the 1996 flood that inundated the Farnsworth.
2) HIDDEN LIGHT SWITCHES--Joan Knutson, the delightful docent who accompanied us to the
house, opened one of the kitchen cabinets to reveal--tuh duh!--the Farnsworth House's
light switches. There are floor and table lamps the inside the house, but it turns out
that there are uplights on the Farnsworth's primavera wood cabinets, too. Joan informed
us that the house's second owner, Lord Peter Palumbo, had the uplights kept on all night
--presumably to enhance security. Mies, of course, would have wanted to hide the light
switches. Who needs such bothersome clutter in a temple of minimalism?
Farnsworthbells 3) ROOFTOP BELLS--The Farnsworth House has bells on its rooftop (left).
Who knew? Whitney explained that the notes of Myron Goldsmith, Mies' chief assistant on
the job, state the following: "provide bell for phone outside on roof." Why have the
bells? Because the house's owner and namesake, Edith Farnsworth, liked to garden and the
bells would have let her know when the phone inside was ringing.
In a follow-up email , Whitney attached the accompanying photo (below), which shows Edith
tending to the landscape at her under-construction house. (Whitney thinks the photo
belongs to the Chicago History Museum.)
"It allows you to better imagine the purpose of the bell," she writes of the photo. "I
love this feature primarily because, in a house that is so timeless in its design, it is
pleasant to be reminded of its age by such idiosyncrasies."
6 Designer Tips to Make Over Your Home Office
1 Tear out black-and-white images from thrift store magazines if you don't feel like ponying up for prints. You can barely tell once you frame 'em.
2 Use a glass-top table instead of a clunky desk for a more minimal look - and one that's easy to clean.
3 Add contrast with a few pretty pink accents (but really, just a few).
4 Tall lamps lend a nice sense of drama. Go for fancy, curvy shades for even more elegance.
5 Square beverage trays are the perfect place to pile magazines and random mail. Then, take them off the stools and you've got extra seating!
6 Paint bulletin boards and line them with ribbon for cheap custom panels you can use as a spot to hang cards, calendars, and your kids' masterpieces.
2 Use a glass-top table instead of a clunky desk for a more minimal look - and one that's easy to clean.
3 Add contrast with a few pretty pink accents (but really, just a few).
4 Tall lamps lend a nice sense of drama. Go for fancy, curvy shades for even more elegance.
5 Square beverage trays are the perfect place to pile magazines and random mail. Then, take them off the stools and you've got extra seating!
6 Paint bulletin boards and line them with ribbon for cheap custom panels you can use as a spot to hang cards, calendars, and your kids' masterpieces.
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