Some Beautiful Italian designed lighting fixtures. I love them all, but especially the first image of the "Feather Chandelier". How fun is that?! I would hang it in a bedroom, closet area, or maybe powder room. The second image is a classic "Fortuny" style design.
These would be nice over a kitchen island
Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design.
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This beautiful garden path with the gorgeous can lounge make you feel like you're home before you get to the front door.
Resurfacing the driveway or cleaning up an existing driveway make the home look well cared for.
Adding potted colour near the entry make it look more inviting. A little bit of greenery goes a long way - you don't need a huge garden to make a great first impression.
Having a home that looks very neat and tidy gives the impression that the home is well loved - this may mean a home needs repainting. Clean windows and the flower boxes draw attention to the beautiful sash windows which is a special feature of the home. Adding a little front porch over the door is a quick and easy way to add value and interest to a boring home.
It's official, I am going to be studying at the renowned University of Architecture in Ferrara Italy for the month of July 2008!!! This University is situated in the Medieval walled city of Ferrara and has been the top ranked University of Architecture in Italy for 8 consecutive years. The University of Ferrara was founded in 1391, and that makes it one of the oldest Universities. I feel very honored and privileged to be studying at this facility under the tutorage of top Italian Professors in the "Facolta di Architettura di Ferrara".
Location of Ferrara in Italy This is a map of Ferrara and you can see the
outlines of the wall around the city.
Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River. The town has broad streets and numerous palaces dating from the 14th & 15th century. It is a walled Renaissance city, surrounded by 9 kilometers of ancient red brick walls. For its beauty and cultural importance it has been qualified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Ferrara is a "bike city". When I arrive, I am given a bike to ride back and forth between campus and the Residence. It is apparently a 10 minute bike ride. Very European and very energy efficient, as well as good exercise.
The city walls and one of the gates into the City of Ferrara Ferrara is a bicycle city--as you can see from
in front of the train station.
photos James Martin
I will be taking two courses juring the month of July:
The Faculty of Architecture building
The first course is 19th - 21st Century Design
History of Italian Architecture, Interiors, Furniture & Graphic Design
Taught by Prof.ssa Dr. Giulia CERIANI SEBREGONDI
My text books for this course are two "Bibles" of 20th Century Architecture and Furniture Design
20th Century Furniture Design Modern Architecture Since 1900 by William Curtis
by Klaus-Jurgen Sembach The front cover is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Brick Villa Project, plan, 1923
2. My second course is Sketching and consists of three nodules
Module 01 taught by Prof. Mario MANGANARO
- Proportioning an drawing plans and elevations
- Direct perspective and exercises on representing elementary volumes
- Field exercises
- Examples of travel sketches (Rome, Venice, Naples, Palermo)
- Field Exercises
Module 02 taught by Prof. Salvatore SANTUCCIO
- Part One: a theoretical lecture focused on sketching history in recent architecture from the experiences of Le Corbusier in the Middle East and Delacroix in Maroc
- Part Two: "on site" sketching in the city centre of Ferrara. At the end of class students should have a rich sketch book with some different drawings of Ferrara to show on final examination.
Module 03 taught by prof.ssa Carolina CAPITANIO
- Tools and methods for a sketching survey to highlight the major elements of an architectural text
Consists of 3 lectures on developing the sketching survey through:
The rules of classic architecture
The rules of modern Architecture
The interiors survey
The building survey
The townscape survey
The landscape survey
As well as having classes on campus we have 3 field trips planned in Florence, Rome, Venice, and Milan.
I can hardly wait as I have never been to Florence, Rome or Milan. And what makes it even more interesting to me is that instead of studying Antiquity, we will be visiting 20th Century Architectural sites. I will have an extra free day in each of these cities so of course I will visit the museums and Historical sites.
Stay tuned and I will fill you in on my adventures in these four Cities
I love this quote by Mark Twain:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover.
Ottomans have become a favourite of mine to use in family/media rooms and dens. I like using them for several reasons. First and foremost they serve as the indispensable coffee table. I like to make mine with tight tops and rather flat as opposed to padded with a pillow effect. This way you can set things on top of them without worrying about them toppling over. Secondly you can comfortably set your feet on them and be in a semi-reclining position to watch TV, read or maybe even fall asleep. Thirdly I can have them made any size to fit the requirements of the room. This is a real benefit because large coffee tables are hard to find and are more costly than having an ottoman custom designed for the space. In the space below the ottoman is made out of deep chocolate brown faux Ostrich. This family has two young daughters and they use the ottoman to color on and do their craft projects and have snacks. Spills can be wiped up easily, and the deep brown faux ostrich adds and a nice textural interest and makes a dramatic center focal point for the room.
Patricia Gray Inc. Photo Roger Brooks
Patricia Gray Inc. Photo Roger Brooks
These ottomans (in the same house as the photo above) go against my tight top rule, but who couldn't resist sitting down in this den and putting your feet up on a down filled leather pillow top ottoman.
Patricia Gray Inc. Photo Roger Brooks
This ottoman is large by ottoman standards 5 feet by 3 1/2 feet. It is covered in Holly Hunt, Hair on Hide Leather, in a creamy butterscotch color. It was made long so 3 people sitting on the sofa could all put their feet up on it, and I made it deep enough to that there was still room at the back for the inevitable books, magazines, remote controls and trays for snacks and drinks. It also doubles as extra seating for parties. What coffee table has that much versatility?
Patricia Gray Inc. Photo Gary Beale
The Ottoman in this penthouse I had made in charcoal gray Beacon Hill "Pashmina". It is soft and luxurious like a Cashmere blanket and makes a nice warming contrast to the leather sofa. It sits on top of the same color of Belgium wool area carpet. Facing the sofa is the view with the TV hung and framed between the windows. Where else do you put the TV in a room that is all windows & view.
Patricia Gray Inc. Photo Gary Beale
Below are some more designs for ottomans, benches, foot stools, and hassocks that I like.
Madeline Stuart Greek Key Ottoman Tangier Hassock by Michael Berman
