Maria Bartlett was recently renovating her 1905 Queen Anne farmhouse in suburban Atlanta.
Her frequent trips to bistros and cafes in Paris had inspired her to search on the Internet for French encaustic tiles (tiles made with the color inlaid) for her kitchen.
And she found them - at L'Antiquario Antique Tiles, a Miami Beach, Fla.-based tile company that reclaims European tiles. She scooped up more than 100 pieces of tile made in the 1840s in a French country motif to set on her refurbished kitchen's walls "in a beautiful carpet," Bartlett said, giving the tile a second life, as she saw it.
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Shaker furniture is characterized by a lack of ornamental design in the woodwork. These founding principles date back to 1821, when a written doctrine was established known as the Millennial Laws. This doctrine established the conduct of Shakers' lives and defined what was proper and improper under the laws.
The doctrine held architectural standards to ensure standardization in communities. This is not so much different in today's time with "gated communities" and "homeowners' associations" often dictating how a structure can be built including design, builder choice, size and location.
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Hekman Woodwork, founded in 1922, has long been known for its high quality construction of wooden traditional furniture. Built to last a lifetime, Hekman is constructed from the highest quality woods such as mahogany and yewood.
High attention to detail characterizes the Oval Lamp table. This table is a great piece for a lamp or accent piece to bring out elegance in any room. The table has a pull out tray which can be used to store small items. A hallmark of this piece is the fan medallion inlay in the center of the table. The wood grain on the table top move towards this decorative inlay center creating a visually appealing surface of symmetrical proportions.
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There is nothing better than waking up to a beautifully decorated bedroom. What a great way to start your day. One way to ensure a smile on your face for many years is to invest in the best. Henredon has for many years created collections that stand the test of time as well as offer diversity for any traditional minded decorator. Here are just a few of the collections Henredon has to offer.
Cavalier
Cavalier; a clean very sophisticated approach to Louis-Philippe, in bedroom designs defined by an elegance of line and decorative restraint. The perfect blending of ogee moldings, authentic solid brass hardware and highly figured ropy cherry veneers; enhanced by an antique patina, hand padded and hand-rubbed by Henredon craftsman for deep luminosity and intense color. An elegant example of 19th century styling, beautifully reinterpreted for today.
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The top of the heap in American furniture was produced in the thirteen original colonies from the mid to late 1600s through the first part of the 19th century.
Why? Theses pieces were impeccably hand made by skilled craftsmen in the finest colonial cabinet shops. A number of these fabulous creations were even signed by the makers.
The Goddard Townsend family of Newport, Rhode Island produced some of the most renowned and valuable pieces made during this period and a number of them were signed. These pieces get high-end auction houses like Sotheby's really excited when they come on the market. In fact, a single mahogany secretary bookcase made by Christopher Townsend in 1740 once sold at auction in New York for the astonishing sum of $8.25 million.
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