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Showing posts with label lighting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lighting. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2014

Let there be light

One of the most underrated light fixtures in my humble opinion is the sconce. Mounted at eye level sconces create flattering light unlike the shadow lines created on ones' face from overhead lighting. Also, they don't take up precious table space like lamps or clutter a room like floorlamps.
This weekend I helped a friend install some antique sconces we had picked out at Artisan Lamp (my favorite lighting source here in DC) onto some existing built-in bookshelves in his den. The effect is magical particularly in this small room without any existing lighting!
Not only are they the jewels of the room, the warm light cast by them is ultimately flattering and practical. Don't forget sconces in your next project!
Unknown antiques, artisan, georgetown, Georgetown project, Interiors, lighting, my work, photography
Monday, January 6, 2014

Maison Baguès

I've always been fascinated by the greats of French design such as Maison Bagues, makers of fine French chandeliers, furniture, and metalwork for over 150 years (depending where you read) - most commonly noted for their products being heavily used by Jansen.  This weekend I stopped into my favorite shop, Artisan, and noticed a few fabulous antique Bagues pieces for sale.
 My favorite was just in so not yet on their website so you'll have to deal with my cellphone shot. The iron body with Greek key design, smokey crystals sharing space with gilded iron, rock crystal, and amethyst took my breath away. I really wish I had a spot (and the budget) for it in my apartment!
 If you have a moment, take a peak at this website here which has a lot of vintage photographs of Bagues work. Also be sure to see the detailed blogpost that The Devoted Classicist wrote on the company earlier this year. And they're not just history as Maison Bagues,  is alive and well; you can visit their showroom your next trip to Paris!
Unknown artisan, DC, lighting, shopping, Washington
Monday, December 16, 2013

Holiday Weekends


This past weekend was busy as most weekends tend to be during the holiday season. I've been unable to decorate for the holiday unfortunately but I was able to do a little something to bring some of the Christmas spirit into my own apartment.
At an estate sale I visited this past weekend one of the many scores was a large box full of vintage glass ornaments from the 1930s and earlier (for $2 no less)! I placed these in clear glass vases throughout my apartment for some color and Christmas cheer!
 Another find was this vintage brass lamp with an interesting paper shade. An antique print of an Italian square was mounted to the shade after the windows in the scene had been cut out and infilled with Mylar paper. When the lamp is lit the windows 'glow'! I love the neoclassical brass shaft which I polished along with the marble base as well as the red stone finial. You see it here in my dining room.
I also visited my favorite shop, Artisan. They have tons of new merchandise you have to check out (online as well as in person) and as the owner was telling me, they make perfect gifts. I love the modern take on a classical empire chandelier seen above. The elegant antique French crystal chandeliers in the background are a perennial favorite as well!
Perfect for the arts and crafts house or bungalow is this unique iron and painted glass fixture. Why buy cheap new fixtures when you can pick details that will shine and make your house a unique home!  What are you doing to your house for the holidays?
Unknown artisan, Christmas, decorating, designer, estate sales, Interiors, lighting, my apartment
Friday, October 4, 2013

Recent work: Dramatic before and after

Reading and writing blog posts everyday I can sometimes forget to mention I'm more than a blogger: I also work in the design industry!  I thought I would share the design process with you on a recent project, a renovated master suite (above is a finished teaser of the bath).
Lets get the ugly stuff out of the way first. My friend had a vintage 1920s house in the lovely Cleveland Park neighborhood of DC (you may remember a built-in I completed for him in the family room HERE). Old houses are great, I think we can all agree there, but old bathrooms are NOT so great - just look at it above!
Above the partial floorplan shows the original layout of the area I worked on which had great potential but didn't work for the client. A small, worn hall bath serviced the master bedroom as well as a small bedroom which my friend used as a dressing room as closet space was inadequate. The front half of the plan not shown on the left had the formerly renovated master suite which had been turned into another hall bathroom, separate laundry room, and a large bedroom facing the street.
Previously one came up the staircase and was confronted with the L shaped hallway seen here (remember, this is the BEFORE!).
Lots of square footage was wasted on the hallway in the tight plan and I had to come up with a way to best utilize the space.
The criteria was for a gracious master bedroom suite complete with en-suite bathroom, separate generous dressing room with loads of storage, and a separate sitting room.
The bones were all there but how best to reconfigure the space while respecting the vintage charm of the house?  Another piece of the puzzle was leaving the exterior of the house untouched as it lies within a historic district where exterior changes are hard to get approved.
I decided to claim the 2nd hall closet and a fair amount of the hallway itself to enlarge the bathroom and provide all of the amenities one expects today in a house of this caliber.  Above you see the 'demo' plan and how I was going to accomplish this.
The plan worked out nicely. Instead of coming up into a vast L shaped hallway, a more compact hall was created with a flush wall great for art at the head of the stairway. The master suite is now entered through a private vestibule which separates the bedroom from a dressing room.  The opening between the dressing room and sunny sitting room was filled in to allow for more storage in the closet and a built-in bookcase in the sitting room.
The bathroom walls were completely removed to both insulate the exterior walls as well as reclaim any space we could find which previously housed ductwork and pipes which could easily be moved out of the way. Our contractor was a great help here!  I decided to panel the walls with wide beadboard which added a vintage charm to the bath of the 1920s time period while also providing a 'warm' environment.
A separate soaking tub and large shower were added as well as an additional sink thanks to the space gained from the hallway.  Now lets see how it turned out!
The hallway is still a generous size and makes sense for the house. Two bedrooms are left on this floor with a 3rd on the floor above. In the photo above you are looking into the new vestibule (painted the same purple as the bedroom) lit by an antique sconce found at my favorite lighting source just down the street in Cleveland Park, Artisan lighting.
Another antique frosted glass ceiling fixture was found at Artisan Lamp for the bedroom, on  a dimmer switch for ambiance of course! You can see through the former closet door into the newly enlarged master bathroom.
Looking the other direction one can see into the sunroom sitting area.  The natural linen curtains lining the wall hide an off-center window as well as provide a focal point for the bed.
The small bedroom became a proper dressing room with ample storage. Double hanging rods fill one entire wall while a large dresser sits opposite.  The antique lamp on the dresser is also from Artisan - you can tell I love to shop there! The closet of this former bedroom was lined with cedar to become storage for sweaters and other off-season items.
The sitting room received a fresh coat of sage green paint as well as a major clean-up. An odd closet was ripped out of the corner as well as an unnecessary non-working but extremely HEAVY radiator.
However the piece de resistance is surely the newly created master bathroom. Wide 6" painted wood paneling was installed rather than drywall or tile as it created a warm, vintage feeling environment.  Foam insulation was blown into all of the walls for sound isolation as well as temperature control.  The window received a cafe height plantation shutter for privacy and a new marble sill perfect for additional storage. Antique neoclassical sconces were found at Artisan which really become the jewelry of the space.
As the brass and black enameled sconces are really focal points I didn't feel the other finishes needed to match and they were all spec'd in a polished nickel finish sourced from the Waterworks studio line ( a wonderful lower priced line which still has the great quality and heft of other Waterworks fixtures). The tile also came from Waterworks. I used a large format dark stone-like porcelain tile for the floor and the coordinating 2x2 tile for the shower floor. The shower walls were lined with a miniature subway tile and a long niche was created for soaps and shampoo. I love the industrial exposed surface-mounted shower fixtures from Waterworks! In-floor radiant heating was installed which can be controlled with the thermostat by the door for warm feet in the cold winter.
The same Italian Crema marble from the Restoration Hardware Gramercy vanity was used for the window sill, shower curb & surround, as well as to line the shower niche. I know you're wondering why I selected an open vanity as opposed to one with storage but I was worried the bathroom would feel tight when it lost that visual space below the sinks. Large medicine cabinets provide tons of storage. The freestanding bathtub from Victoria & Albert was clean lined while still having the appearance of an old Victorian soaker tub (seen best in my drawing earlier in this post).   I'm very pleased with the entire renovation and more importantly so was my friend!  What do you think?
Special thanks to my fantastic photographer friend Bill Bramble who provided the before and after pictures!
Unknown Architect, architectdesign, architects, bathrooms, DC, design, designer, designers at work, details, history, houses, how to, Interiors, lighting, my work, showhouses, Washington
Friday, March 1, 2013

Changing technology in interiors

Recently while checking out a new project, I came across a forgotten relic in an unused corner of a building.  The structure has had many uses over the decades and somewhere during the passage of time, an old hanging oil lamp was converted to electricity.  Rather than dispose of the old 'technology' despite its dated appearance and missing parts the light fixture was re-purposed. Will it survive another 150 years; only time will tell! But what will happen to the light fixtures we install today in 150 years, let alone tv cabling and wiring. I can attest to personally removing about a mile of exposed telephone wires from my current apartment!
Unknown antiques, designer, Interiors, lighting
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Artisan Lamp Co.

The best lighting store by far in the DC area is Artisan Lamp Co. I stopped in there with a client the other day and I wanted to share some of my favorites with you!

Located in Cleveland Park, they specialize in restored antique and vintage light fixtures. I loved this architectural marble lamp. Many of these fixtures are less expensive than new lighting but they have incredible quality and patina that is hard to reproduce - so important for a remodel or update to an older house.

My favorite is this charming little cottage lamp ceiling fixture. It's been in the window for weeks and was what drew me into the store originally - see that price, only $95! I only wish I had a place for it.

There is something for everyone in a multitude of styles, whether it be french lantern, empire chandelier or Baccarat crystal (all in this photo).

I can see this chandelier in a grand dining room and check out the gilded bronze sconce below!This little empire brass sconce was of incredible quality and we picked it up for a master bedroom vestibule.Finding sets of anything antique is generally a challenge, so it was a thrill to find a set of 3 empire torch sconces! We picked these up for a new masculine master bathroom remodel.



I always have my trusty tape measure with me -my key fob! You never know when you'll need one.

While in Cleveland Park, I came across an odd sight on a dry day: water gushing OUT OF THE STREET and into the adjacent drain. I suppose it's simply a broken water pipe but it was a bit odd none the less!

You can visit the Artisan Lamp Company at 3331 Connecticut Avenue, 1 block from the Cleveland Park metro stop.

All pictures via my droid camera phone - I was not approached by the company or compensated in any way for this post. I hope you enjoyed the tour!
Unknown DC, design, Interiors, lighting, shopping, Washington
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