A mercury glass base and honey mustard shade yield a striking lamp.

Closing today: Kitchen Backsplash Giveway – click on Giveaway Friday!

I think crows have the right idea when it comes to shiny objects – they are alluring!  A few well-placed lustrous items enrich our nests.  Originally created as an alternative to the more expensive sterling silver, reproduction mercury glass recreates the well-worn look and can currently be found in table lamps, candleholders and decanters, to name a few.  Placing silver between two layers of glass creates the rich mirrored patina.  The Arteriors Home Pelham lamp has a beautiful ribbed glass base holding a honey mustard shade.  Both pieces are oval in shape and a charming addition to a room.

This eye-catching polished nickel side table is another enchanting transitional piece.  The sophisticated base supports a beveled edge glass top.  It’s a glamorous chair side companion.  The beautiful yet simple nickel sunburst mirror (below) has a radiant antique finish that beckons a second glance.  So next time you’re out shopping, beware of the irresistible appeal of metallic trinkets!

Source: lamp $249, table $419, mirror $169; High Fashion Home

As I ironed, I discovered that I go for damask with floral patterns.

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Over the years, I purchased vintage white linen napkins and hand towels as I encountered them at antique shows. Some are monogrammed; some are not but I’ve been slow to use them because they require hand-ironing. And so they sat in the cabinet for far too long.

Earlier this summer I embarked on a napkin-washing project. In part, my aim was to test various brands of “fancy” linen washes I’ve been playing with for while (I’ll have a laundry washing post coming up soon to discuss my favorites). In part, my stuff simply needed laundering.

I love old napkins and towels because they iron perfectly and crisply — no hidden percentage of synthetic fibers. And for me, the astonishingly lustrous and complex woven details of white-on-white patterns are incomparable because they remain lively after 40, 50 and 60 years of use. They are, however, murder to photograph.

This beauty features lily of the valley. In the corners [top photo] sprigs of the gracefully belled flowers are tied with ribbon — a telltale clue that these are trousseau napkins. My Mother was married with a lily of the valley bouquet and my Dad wore a sprig as a boutonnière. It’s likely this pair dates from the late 1940s, or early 1950s, when lily of the valley was chic. The napkin’s central area has sprigs of lilies centered in interlocking ribbon garlands, an elaboration the basic design.

This section shows how the space between the corner and center figuring leaves just enough space for a monogram.

I don’t recall when I purchased this set of a dozen napkins but I immediately fell for the formal design of chrysanthemums and a Greek key-motif.  The border [above] has the flowers piercing the zig-zagging Greek-key banding. In the center [below] there’s an oblong cartouche  (or frame) interwoven with blossoms.

Textile experts would probably scold me for folding napkins in half before storing them. In my defense, the crease is not ironed down. When I double fold them for the table, they have a lively springiness that makes them attractive to pick up and unfurl since there are no hard folds. 

I’ve inherited several sets of cocktail napkins, mainly from the 1950s or early 1960s. The centers of these are absolutely plain — it’s the corners that feature mounds of earth with leaves growing out in each direction — the perfect frame for a wine glass.

Monogrammed linen hand towels once a household staple before terry cloth came into daily use. And if you think about it, monograms were the means to tell who in the family each towel belonged to.  Rows of a delicate knot pattern surround the poppy motif. When these rectangular towels are folded lengthwise into thirds, and draped over a bar, they have a special time-worn elegance that only vintage damask can provide.

Linking up with White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Large bath retreats provide ideal display spots for pictorial carpets.

To Win a Kitchen Backsplash + Link Up Your Blog’s Giveaway – click on Giveaway Friday!

Bathrooms are one of our primary categories on Atticmag.  My personal criterion for choosing a bathroom to feature is (as might be expected), one that includes a beautiful handmade rug.

In the master bath of designer Kristen Buckingham’s home [top], there is an especially interesting antique Khotan pictorial carpet. A wide open area, unspoiled by furniture is just right for displaying directional and pictorial carpets.  Since most of the rug escaped the camera lens, we’ll rely on a similar example to illustrate what it looks like.

Khotan is an area in the southern Chinese region of Xinjiang and the hand-knotted wool rugs produced there show design influences from neighboring Tibet, Mongolia as well as Persia and Turkey.  The weave of this circa 1940 Khotan [above and below] is reminiscent of Fette Chinese rugs from the 1920-30’s.

The large-scale bird design is similar to Chinese art-deco carpets.

The field is burnt-orange.  Other colors include yellow-gold, Spanish orange, hot pink, gray and chocolate.

There are a total of 17 birds displayed throughout the rug.  I may need to pull out my bird guide to name them all.  How many did you identify?

(Sources: Kristen Buckingham, Cyber Rug)

The new kitchen occupies the original footprint but is partially hidden behind the arched opening.

To Win a Kitchen Backsplash + Link Up Your Blog’s Giveaway – click on Giveaway Friday!

When the owners purchased this condominium in an 1830’s Greek Revival building they immediately embarked on a kitchen remodel.  The single-family home was carved into apartments in 1965, and then converted to condos two decades later.  The kitchen had most likely been a dressing room or bed alcove in its first life and the owners designed an ingenious way to pay homage to its past.

The pass-through with bi-fold shutters was replaced with an arched doorway featuring custom paneled pocket doors.  When fully extended, the pocket doors do not cover the kitchen completely; they merely screen it [photo, top].  Almost half of its original 90 square feet is now behind the archway, making the kitchen appear smaller.  But in reality, there is more cabinetry and counter space with the new design.

To allow full access to the laundry area, the left pocket door is fully retracted into the wall and the right pocket door has been slid completely across the opening – taking the place of the left door [shown in this pair of photos, above].  A solid door matching the upper cabinets hides the stacked washer and gas dryer, shown open in the right photo [above].

The microwave/sink corner in this before photo shows the new laundry closet location (you can see the old pass-through on the right to get your bearings).

The owners added a small island in the approximate location of the original shutter pass-through.  Designed at desk height, it is lower than the kitchen counters but provides extra work and serving space.  Its color echoes the nearby living room marble fireplace mantel.  A Sub-Zero refrigerator is located just outside the main kitchen, cleverly hidden in the custom matched maple veneer staircase “box.” More on that in a minute.  A glimpse of the Miele dishwasher and soapstone sink with Mico faucet can be seen beyond the island.  Oak flooring throughout the main level is stained a custom mix of ebony, Jacobean and walnut.  Great care was taken in the reproduction of original millwork and plaster cornices.

The microwave (painted to blend in) and slide-in gas stove are found in the original refrigerator location.  The integrated Broan range hood keeps the new space clean.  A mix of cabinets were selected; KraftMaid base, painted to match the island, and custom made uppers.  Counters are handsome soapstone while the backsplash is back painted Starphire glass.

This photo shows the original front hallway, staircase and kitchen entrance, which was through the bi-fold doors on the right.

Two hallway closets were removed, allowing the passage to shift to the left.  A matched maple veneer box with a museum reveal, floating it slightly off the floor, frames the 1965 staircase. Staying sensitive to the original details, the box does not touch the 1840 envelope of the room or ceiling and the moulding was not harmed.  Although not easily seen in photos, the box was designed off-axis to the apartment and is in the wedge shape of the mahogany stair treads.  Looking at the top, it is easier to see this design feature.  The refrigerator is located in front, right corner and disappears in this unique feature.

It’s nice to witness a remodeling project that worked with the original details instead of gutting history.  The Hollander House is lucky to have had mindful developers and owners so that it will be enjoyed by future generations.

Be sure to read Refrigeration In Disguise and One Cool Asian Armoire by JaneF for more hidden appliance examples.

Linking up with Met Monday on BNOTP, so be sure to stop by and see all the interesting posts there.

Win a Kitchen Backsplash + Link Up Your Blog’s Giveaway Below

We are launching Giveaway Friday! a new weekly giveaway link-up party [scroll down] with a special giveaway of our own.

Five readers will win a kitchen backsplash made from a new product being test-marketed here at Atticmag. The material is large-scale metal tile similar to updated, country-style embossed tin ceiling tiles.

Each backsplash piece is made of flat, mechanically-etched .034 gauge aluminum and measures 18 x 30-inches – a modular size designed to easily fit standard 18-inch high kitchen space between bottom and upper cabinets. In addition to kitchens, the tiles can be used for backsplashes in laundry, mud or utility rooms, in a child’s room, or in a craft or sewing room.

There are two finishes: stainless steel-tone [above]  and copper-tone [below]. Stainless tends to work well with classic and modern-style kitchens, while copper is lovely for country, rustic and Arts & Crafts or Mission looks. Each finish has six different design options [left to right]  — mosaic, brushed (plain), weave, diamond, art nouveau, and tile. These are versatile enough for use in almost any kitchen, from ultra-modern to retro.

Each winner will receive enough metal tile material in their choice of finish and pattern to cover the space in their project. The product developers will provide an installation kit and detailed instructions.  Installation requires a few pieces of equipment (the tiles go on with adhesive) and a big helping of DIY energy!

Giveaway Conditions:

Winners agree to compete the project within 8 weeks.
Winners agree to provide detailed feedback on the product, fill out evaluation questionnaires and be available to speak to the developers by phone.
Winners will provide access to photos/video of the finished rooms for the developers’ use.

What’s next?

Leave a comment below (double-check your email link to be sure it’s correct).  Tell us briefly which finish and tile style design interests you and the approximate square footage you need.  Explain what you want to change in your kitchen or in another room.  A link to photos is optional.

Deadline:

Comments and eligibility close on Thursday, September 2nd at 5 p.m. EST.  Winners will be announced on Friday, September 3rd (the post will be up by 10 p.m. EST the night before).  We will contact winners directly on Friday, September 3rd.

For questions or additional information;  email: giveaway@atticmag.com.

Linking up with Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

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Vintage house numbers tossed in a container become artful objects.

Go to any home decorating forum and it won’t be hard to find someone asking about current trends.  The problem with “the latest” is that it probably won’t stand the test of time… and end up in a tag sale at a fraction of its original cost.  I’ve been shopping one of my local antique stores for nearly three decades.  As I unpacked items from yesterday’s visit,  I realized my newly acquired were similar to things purchased during the last thirty years.  Which leads me to ask -  Are today’s trends really “trends,”  or are they truly classic items people have always and will always be drawn towards?

Numbers and letters are everywhere; propped on bookshelves for interest, used for wall decor or simply objects d’art when tossed in a bowl.  Maybe the draw for me has something to do with being Southern and monograms.  Whatever it is, you can bet your last flea market dollar there will always be plenty of decorating items featuring letters and numbers.  The appeal of street and shop signs, along with the more current fascination towards bus scrolls are too strong to resist.

Even this vintage tool caddy is marked “crayola.”  I’m not convinced the lettering is original (how many crayons would it take to fill?!), but I can’t question the appeal of repurposed vintage wooden boxes.  Several have been added to my collection recently and they are easily spotted browsing online and while strolling antique booths.

Everything old is new again. Or is it everything new is old again?!  There are two categories of reproduction vintage furniture today;  pieces made with new wood, distressed to look old, and those that are actually made from old wood.  Either way, they add character to a room.  Trestle tables are not new, but they have been hot for over a year.  Seen as dressier versions of the classic farmhouse table, they won’t be going anywhere.

Who says artwork has to consist of a framed print or painting.  Decorative metal covers or screens and window frames (with or without glass) make fantastic backdrops.  The maker of this metal and wire piece never imagined it would be defined today as an elegant addition to a home.  But in today’s homes, what “is” in was never out to begin with!

Source: Old Glory Antiques

Moroccan rugs woven of indigo-dyed wool are especially dramatic opposite bright whites.

There is a particular shade of blue used in flat-weave Moroccan rugs that is unlike any blue I have seen in Oriental rugs.  Derived from the Indigo plant, it’s a full bodied, color-soaked variety of royal blue.

Solid indigo-blue kilims are especially striking when placed against brilliant white.

In a contemporary home in Italy, this contrast is demonstrated with a kilim in an entry featuring bright white walls, floor planks and furniture.  The multicolor chair is by Italian designer Massimo Morozzi.

Looking in the opposite direction [below] there’s a similar kilim, this time in poppy red.  In a previous post I wrote about how warm and earthy the red version is, noting the serene effect it had on the room — a stark contrast from its placement in this very modern home.

This type of Moroccan rug is quite thin.  Though referred to as a kilim, I would not describe it as such; at least not in the traditional sense.  The rugs I have handled are smoother, without the nubby texture common in kilims.

The rug’s softness is apparent by how easily it drapes when used as a table covering.  These are also terrific placed over a bench, chest or the back of a chair.  Because they are lightweight, they are very easy to hang on the wall.

Note: when using a flat-weave rug on the floor, the best pad for keeping it securely in place would be one that is slightly tacky, like Teebaud brand.  Placing the rug on this type of pad also helps to smooth out any wrinkles due to its lightweight construction.

(Sources: Susanne Anette, Casablanca Market, At Casa, Apartment Therapy)

Experience tranquility by the sea at this Scandinavian summer house

One of my dear friends spends a few weeks each summer at her family’s home on an island in Finland. There, in utter tranquility, they and their guests can relax, enjoy crayfish season, indulge in sauna followed by a quick plunge in the sea, go for boat rides and spend time outdoors.  She was generous enough to give us a tour of the house and the grounds via her personal pictures. Otherwise, it would be impossible to visit  since the house is nearly an hour by boat from the mainland.

“People love color in Finland because of the dark months in the winter,” my friend explains.  People wear the most amazing and colorful clothing in the summertime for example, Marimekko.  Or, they wear white.”  Several of the outbuildings, including a small sauna house and a shed are painted a typical vivid red-brown, trimmed in white and perched next to stone levies.

Walking up to the main house, which is set on a rise, it’s clear by the number of windows that natural light is extremely important in this climate. The exterior of the house is a yellow-brown, also typically used on exteriors in the region.

Decking around the house is buttressed by natural “dry” stone walls. In cold climates, walls without  mortar holding them together are often built in this manner as they  can withstand extreme temperatures. These were built by masons from Estonia.

A Berber rug and a pair of classic leather armchairs creates a welcoming spot to sit by the windows and read.

The same natural stones used for the exterior walls are fashioned into a magnificent fireplace inside.

Sunflowers (brought from the market in Helsinki) light up the whitewashed breakfast room, which has rustic country accessories on the walls and hanging from rafters in the two-story space.

This tall, paint-decorated china cabinet adds touches of soft country color to the breakfast room.

In the corner, an iconic Artek Two-Shade floor lamp by the great Finnish designer Alvar Aalto, illuminates a corner while pillar candles on wrought-iron stands — always a necessity in rural areas — sit on the floor nearby.

Scandinavians always have been fond of exotic Asian chests and mix them with modern art and rustic accessories.  White the walls are whitewashed, the breakfast room floor is painted a shiny, pale gray.

An old 4-door pine writing desk provides additional storage in the breakfast room in addition to a parking spot for a ship’s model and a book for guests to write in their experiences on the island.

Sauna is part of a daily bathing ritual in Finland. A broom and natural rush seats sit outside, on a wall near the island’s large sauna house.

A wood-fire heat the sauna to a high temperature which, in turn heats up your body. In the sauna, a scoop and buckets are used to ladle water over your body as you sit.

On the way out of the shower, bathers grab a towel and head for the stairs down to the sea. The felted hats are used to keep wet heads warm in cooler weather.

A ramp leads down to the tranquil bay — a perfect spot for dipping and swimming. The small island in view is uninhabited but covered with wild blueberry bushes and occasional clusters of chanterelle mushrooms.

A smaller sauna (note the chimney) is painted in the same typical red  — the entry faces the sea.

Red sky at night promises a magnificent day to come — this sensational Scandinavian sunset was actually snapped at 11 p.m!

Nothing has the visual authority of noir.

Several months ago I attended a color theory seminar at the Ann Sacks tile showroom in NYC. On the way in, I snapped this photo of a tile mural that stopped me from across the showroom floor nearly half a city block away. It was the stunning Sakura Collection Asian Wave tile in black and gold — essentially a black mural wall. How ironic when the subject was color?

In the past, I’ve written about black bathrooms, a black bedroom (part of a post on dark rooms), and black upper kitchen cabinets as well as a dazzling Parisian kitchen with black and white checkerboard tile. And I keep bumping into black – most recently in tile and wallpaper murals.

The Asian wave (about $77 per square foot) comes in an array of custom colors. Here’s the jade version. Why bother? Nothing has the visual authority of noir.

Colorists will no doubt loathe the idea of a black wall in a dining space, bad juju or whatever. But New York designer Darci Hether’s black-mural dining room (I’m guesstimating  it’s wallpaper; an email query to the designer went unanswered) is as stunning as the tile wall and also makes use of naturalistic, Asian-style white flower blossom imagery.

The trend-forward Aussie wallpaper house Timorous Beasties has a black-on-black offering called Branch Out, which also could serve as a mural. The leaves and branches are naturalistic but with a definite Goth twist.

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Equally Munsters is Deborah Bowness’ “Genuine Fake Bookshelf” wallpaper in the library at the Hotel du Petit Moulin in Paris (designed by Christian Lacroix). This gives me a  “Phantom of the Opera vibe and it also moves the style dial on the black wall mural from digital drama to virtual reality.

But it’s definitely and eccentrically ultra-modern. Conventional tubs are great, but my wish list has a distinct point of view: special features that, along with great design, really make tubs chic. Every tub on the list is Italian-designed.

It started with this image clipped from a German magazine. I fell hard for the tub-in-the-round luxury and easy to clean floor mounted filler post of the ilbagnoalessi-one freestanding acrylic whirlpool tub.  Bathroom TVs aren’t a new idea but what genius to locate a small screen so that taking a long post-workout soak can be entertaining vs when-do-i-get-out boring.

Perhaps even more spectacular are two tubs from Agape, an Italian bathroom fixture purveyor that’s a darling of high-end architects for a willingness to customize and the use of interesting materials.  The rectangular Cartesio [above] comes with storage shelves in one panel. Made of cristalplant, a nonporous, recyclable and restorable solid surface (I like to learn something new while I drool), it stands free or fits in corners or niches. Faucets can be mounted on the tub deck, the wall or floor.

Bathing in Agape’s enamel and stainless steel ufo must be like slipping into a mixing bowl made for Gulliver. An enamel shelf provides a lounging surface on one side. The tub exterior has a black enamel coating but another version features polished stainless steel outside – durable enough to survive a tornado, no doubt.

Think “roman baths” and the allure of this tub – with it glamorous Hollywood pool lighting – is clear. The Kos geo 180, which looks like a large pudding basin when it’s freestanding, also can be sunken. Filled, it weighs nearly 1000 pounds. Getting in requires a maneuver: sit down, swing legs over the side and slide in. Getting out? Let’s see. At 70 cm or 27.5 inches deep, that’s a two-foot span with no internal step. In Roman times, of course, there were servants to work out such pesky details.

Allison is taking the day off — her daughter is getting married. Congrats to Allison and her family. Shopping returns next week.

Modern options for concealing TVs include custom cabinets and lifts.

A custom built cabinet [top] by Frans van der Heyden becomes part of a picture wall in this townhouse designed by his wife, Kate Hume. Centered among modern framed black and white photos, it hangs above a coordinating low to the ground cabinet that spans the width of the room.  The cleverly arranged grouping offers no hint of a television until the top cabinet’s doors are opened [below].

In a Sydney, Australia home [below] designed by architectural firm Stanic Harding, the vision was to create a modern house that was open to, and connected with the outdoors.  (We see a hint of that in an open-door wall at the top of the photo).  Concealing the existence of a television almost seems mandatory in a home centered around the outdoors.

Utilizing a television lift, the unit is placed inside a cabinet, allowing the occupants the ability to view, [below] then conceal the TV to retain the room’s clutter-free atmosphere.

(Sources: Kate Hume Design, Birdman Furniture, Stanic Harding).

See the copper TV screen Allison designed for her home.

Poppy red Moroccan rugs add warmth to creamy white interiors.

Many Moroccan carpets have what I call a “poppy red” color.  It’s an earthy shade of red.  Not too orange and definitely not a high-gloss Chinese red.  It’s a rich, warm shade that pairs naturally with rustic wood and organic elements.  It’s what I consider a calming red — one that can be used solo without jarring the senses.

Spanish designer Jaime Parladé pairs this shade with natural materials to create an informal seating area [top] in the bedroom of his Carmona (Spain) home. His flat-weave Moroccan Berber rug is a type that’s lightweight and has no pile (nap).  The textural motifs are eye-catching because they are slightly raised.  This particular version has a symmetrical all-over pattern though other solid color styles are available with fewer and/or more random motifs.

The Queen Anne-style sofa is upholstered in a creamy white Indian fabric. Its floral pattern is very much like one found on a late 17th century and early 18th century Indian floorspread [below] on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  A rush-seat armchair and wood table round out the grouping.  The sunny window location makes the table an especially nice addition for a multitude of tasks, or pleasures — like a late morning breakfast.

(Sources: Nuevo Estilo, VandA Museum).