The Govenors Mansion, Atlanta Georgia.



Staircase Rotunda at the Governor's Mansion, built in 1967. 
Architect Thomas A Bradbury, AIA.
A wonderful job was done recreating a period home
in the modern age. 
Scale, proportion, and details are all pitch perfect.

A long time ago, I remember watching an episode of Designing Women in which Julia Sugarbaker (the late Dixie Carter), in a brief moment of enforced fun, put her head between the railings on a staircase and gets her head stuck.  The staircase was at the Governors Mansion in Atlanta and the crew of Sugarbaker's Interior Design was decorating it for the annual Govenor's Ball.  The plot revolved around getting Julia's head out of the railing without having to cut through the wood handrail which was made of one continuous piece of timber (known is the episode as the 'Abbott Banister', a fictitious piece of historic memorabilia).

Silly little things like the plot of a defunct sitcom episode from 1989 have a funny way of sticking with you.  So when I found a spread in a 1970 issue of Architectural Digest that was all about the Atlanta Mansion immortalized (for me, at least) by one of my favorite television shows, I had to share it.  In addition to nostalgia, it's also a beautiful example of a Greek Revival style home that pays accurate tribute to its antebellum roots, but was built in the 20th century.  If architectural interest isn't enough, it's also home to a fine collection of American Federal antiques.

Surrounded on all sides by fluted Doric columns, the rose-toned brick structure is a perfect example of the Greek Revival style popular throughout the South during the first half of the 19th century.  Assembling the furnishings was a two year process that involved acquiring important pieces attributed to noteworthy cabinetmakers from Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia, plus antique chandeliers and period marble mantels imported from England.

I'm sure that in the past 40 years the interior of the mansion has changed slightly with new upholstery and window treatments, but with a grand collection of American Federal furnishings, significant American art and the drama of the architecture, the core strength of the home has surely stayed the same.  and I'm sure countless tour groups have attempted to get their heads between the rail, just like Julia.

- Ian

In the Reception Hall, American Federal chairs, c. 1880, surround an English podium table in the Greek Revival style.
The niche in the background holds a bronze bust of George Washington by Houdon, c 1778.  The marble topped pier table in the background, c. 1815, is one of four pieces in the home attributed to Charles-Honore Lannuier.

The State Dining Room room with reproduction 19th century chairs and a
New England accordion Federal style table attributed to John Seymour.

The State Drawing room features and Aubusson rug and a marvelous mantle with a
gold Greek Key motif.  The red upholstery, by Scalamandre, is a document silk woven originally for the Red Room at the White House.  The sofa,one of a pair, is Duncan Phyfe.

The Cherry paneled library with a Tabriz rug and a collection of books relating to Georgia.
I love the simplicity and elegance of the window coverings and that Greek Revival
chandelier with it's spare use of crystal and gold.  So understated.

The Ground Floor Guest Bedroom houses an alcove bed (with gilded Egypian busts and animal paw feet)
attributed to Charles-Honore Lannuier, c. 1815.  The rug is English needlepoint, the artwork
is a wallpaper panel illustrating Psyche showing her jewels to her sisters. 
The arm chair is Sheraton in style.

Julia gets her head stuck in a fence.

Louis Vuitton and L' Art Nouveau

An image from Vuitton's Fall Winter 2011
campaign.  Red Guard goes S&M, with lovely
accessories.

 Sometimes, it's hard to imagine that there really was, at one time, a man named Louis Vuitton.  In the era we live in, luxury fashion houses are owned by multi-national conglomerates who sometimes change designers as frequently as they change color stories; seeking to steal the limelight for a few seconds more to gain just that little bit of extra publicity.  With this m.o., many brands have lost the identities of those who founded them in favor of a more flashy and faddish existence. 

Of course, Vuitton hit pay dirt by employing Marc Jacobs to reinvent the classic motifs and silhouettes of the house for a new generation of consumers, but as with most things, we tend to focus on the current incarnation and willingly let the foundation of the past fade into a foggy memory.  We are left with the salable superficial beauty of the modern age, but we have no idea of the path we traveled to arrive at our destination.  True identity is often lost, in it's place a few epithets and a coveted logo that make up nothing more than a designer headstone in a grave yard of sentimentality.

The exterior of the Vuitton home shows an eclectic mix of
modest profiles and elaborate ornament indicative of the
Art Nouveau movement.

One thing, however, remains constant when it comes to discovering the true character of anyone; the home.  Nowhere else can we see the exquisite beauty of everyday life so well.  All that is human is on display for all to see in the sacred inner workings of the home.  Case in point, Villa Vuitton in Asnieres, just outside Paris.  The family home of the Vuitton's couldn't be further from the homogenized glossy commercial model of the Louis Vuitton boutiques that populate the up market shopping districts throughout the world, and that's an incredibly beautiful thing.


In 1859, Louis Vuitton purchased a plot of land just over an acre in size in the riverside village that was once the haunt of Monet, Manet, and many of the Impressionist painters during the 19th Century.  Vuitton would build a factory on the site, which would remain the companies sole production facility until 1977.  The whir of sewing machines and the sight of delivery trucks bearing freshly milled timber and leather for luggage would be commonplace.  The facility is still in use today, producing Vuitton's trunks, case goods and custom orders.

The Vuitton home has as much Art
Nouveau decoration on the outside
as it does on the inside.

 Vuitton also chose this plot of land to build his family home, which was occupied by his descendants until 1964.  The Villa dates to 1869; previously Vuitton and his wife Emilie occupied an apartment on the top floor of the factory.  Never one for overwrought extravagances, Vuitton aimed to build a dwelling that was 'homely and comfortable' where he could raise his family and also supervise production at the factory next door.  The modest aspirations for his home were just as well; during the Franco-Prussian War, army officers temporarily took over the Villa.


Vuitton's son, Georges, had a different idea for the design of the home.  After his fathers death in 1892, Georges called on Louis Majorelle to redecorate the Billiard Room and Salon in the most luxurious and up to date style, Art Nouveau.  A style truly fit for a luxury brand of that era and the family that built it.   Majorelle, along with Louis Comfort Tiffany, Rene Lalique and Emile Galle, was one of the leading proponents of the Art Nouveau style which dominated the Decorative Arts from the 1890's through the early 1900's.  It is this incarnation of the Vuitton home that is still seen today.  The home is dramatic and beautiful; compelling with it's intricate leaded glass windows, soft ethereal colors and incredibly ornate plasterwork, but for all of its jaw-dropping qualities, it is seen not as a show piece or a museum, but a living home, designed with comfort and family in mind.

A view into the Billiard Room with beautiful cove ceilings and stunning
leaded glass windows.  I am in love with those understated but dramatic
pendant fixtures above the pool table. 

The characteristic sweeping whiplash curves and fantastic organic motifs fill the space with an almost dream-like effect.  The leaded glass windows and interior are decorated with motifs that incorporate irises, poppies, nasturtiums, chrysanthemums, and clematis.  Columns are formed from florid leaves and flowers, and ceilings are ornamented with delicate tendrils of hand sculpted plaster.  The kitchen, also done during this time, is said to have had handmade tiles bearing the famous LV monogram, which was designed by Georges in 1897.  Georges' widow, Josephine, was the last Vuitton to live in the family home.  After her death at the age of 103, the house was gutted and converted to storage space and offices and the original furnishings dispersed among the family.


An alcove off the Salon is defined by the intricately carved columns and is filled
with eclectic furnishings such as the Beaux Arts settee, mahogany table and a bronze Crane.



A bay off the Salon houses a circa 1900 English cane furniture suite and
majolica style planters. The leaded window panes are dynamic with their
pencil thin whiplash curves and borders of leaded glass flowers.

A most exquisite chandelier of gilded bronze
and frosted glass leaves springs down from a whorl
of plasterwork tendrils on the Salon ceiling.
Matching sconces can be seen flanking the fireplace.

 In 1984, a decision was made to renovate the Villa and turn it into a museum chronicling the development of the Vuitton brand.  The Billiard and Salon were reconstructed through the use of old photos.  Plaster friezes and moldings in floral forms were remade, and a copy of the immense turquoise ceramic mantelpiece was installed.  Furnishing, purchased at auction, were selected to recreate the spirit of the original Art Nouveau interior; Louis XV bergeres, Beaux Arts settees, mother of pearl inlaid Chinese tables, Majorelle lamps, bronze sculptures, art pottery planters, and oriental carpets contribute to the eclectic, exotic, and sensual feeling that Art Nouveau is known for.

The Villa Vuitton stands as an emblem of the company's origins; a modest family home built by a proud patriarch and entrepreneur, then embellished by the heir apparent as the company grew.  Beyond the established brand image, the home is more than just a status symbol, it is the people that make it a home.  It's slamming doors and creaking floors and cracks in the plaster.  A home tells volumes about it's family, all we have to do is be ready to observe and listen.

- Ian

Hand painted details add charm to the entire room,
as this fragment of a white Lily frieze indicates.
I'm also smitten with the elegance and simplicity of
the egg shaped brass knob.  Given the exuberance of the
interior, this detail is restraint at its best.

The stunning turquoise ceramic mantelpiece was
recreated and installed.  Note the marvelous upward
sweep of the wainscot panels and the shield shape
of the mirror.  Epic drama on a residential scale.
And look at the art pottery hearth!  J'adore!

The Little Kitchen That Could is Finished!



I am crazy for the beautiful simplicity of this corner.
It's all just so right.  Also, even though I was cramped
for space, I was able to find an oven that gave the owner
options.  This model has a full size oven, plus a smaller
area that can be another oven, a warming oven, or a broiler.
Such a good use of space.



And we're done!  After 3 months, the Kitchen is complete.  Painted, plummed, electrified, tiled, floored, and full of new appliances and fabulous semi custom cabinetry.  It was a marvelous project, and I'm proud to have done it. 

A lot of Designers I know of wouldn't have wanted this Kitchen, because it wasn't glamorous, it had limitations on space and budget, and they couldn't go over the top and radically change everything. 

I'm sort of the opposite.  Don't get me wrong, I love carte blanche projects, but I think restrictions can also help push a project to be truly great.  Finding solutions takes more time, but it also helps you refine your options and make choices that will ultimately be the best for your situation.  There's nothing wrong with working inside a set of parameters; where you get in trouble is venturing out and looking at things you know you can't have. 

For instance, I had a total gut on this kitchen; everything had to go.  I knew I needed new electrical and plumbing, appliances, cabinets and a floor.  Keeping this in mind, I went straight for the moderately prices products.  Why dream of a Viking Range when my kitchen is as small as my budget?  No one likes being the heavy, but we all have to be realistic, and the right choice is there if we're open and willing to work it into our plans.  

- Ian 





In keeping with the idea of a Period style Kitchen, I ordered
a scalloped wooden valance for above the sink and window seat.
It was an option my Vendor said many people didn't go for.
I completely understood, but it is so right for this little
charmer of a room.




This is silly, but i love details: I found a vintage reproduction
door bell and had my GC install it.  It's perfect, and it
also works, two features the old door bell lacked.



Attached to the kitchen is a rear hall.  A narrow space
that's mostly storage, but with some cute little features,
like the built in desk and book case.  The Kitchen floor
continues into this area.  For fun, I painted the cabinet
interior Green to pick up on the Kitchen color.



The little Kitchen That Could - Part VII

And we have a floor!



New floor installed, and cabinet hardware too!



For all the planning that went into the Kitchen (counters, lighting, cabinet finishes, hardware options) I never once thought about the floor.  I'm not bragging; it was a problem I didn't realize I had until almost the very end. 

I though I'd be able to find some really cute vintage looking sheet flooring that would punch up the space.  Let's just say my options were limited, regardless of my budget.  There was nothing cute to be found; it all looked like something out of a hole in the wall Mexican Restaurant or a Trailer Park.  I started to get a headache.  I wanted sheet Vinyl.  I budgeted for sheet Vinyl.  I dreamed of sheet Vinyl.  The market, however, was cluttered with hardwood, laminates, porcelain tile and stone, not sheet Vinyl.

With limited options, I went with what I could find that was reminiscent of the 1940's or 50's; which means I fell back on what I could remember from my Grandmother's house.  She liked a floor that looked clean when it was dirty, and one you wouldn't slip on when you spilled water.  She was practical to say the least.

I found some workable patterns that had the look of mosaic tiles, both in a Grey/Green color way.  I really wanted my clients to want the busier of the two, because I like that clash of the the reserved and the chaotic.  Happily, they went for it and the floor went down two days later.  As a boon, the whole house smelled like new toys thanks to the fresh floor.  I'm probably the only one who finds the aroma of new Vinyl pleasing, but it's the little things that make us special, right?

- Ian

   




Option #1 - A Mosaic style with varying shades of Green and White.
Punchy and fun, but sort of busy, depending on who you ask.
Works nicely with the cabinet color as well.




Option #2 - A Travertine look with a Green-ish cast.
Safe, but boring and drab.



The Little Kitchen That Could - Part VI

And we have counters!



I always say, it's going to get ugly before it gets pretty.
Case in point, the Kitchen looks like a crime scene. 




I chose to do a two tone tile because it was appropriate to the
house; Granite, while popular, would not have fit in with the style
or Period of the home.  I chose an affordable tile in a pretty
sage green and ivory with a glossy finish to reflect light.   



I love the pencil tile that creates the pin stripe effect on the
Back-splash.  My Grandmother's kitchen had a detail similar to
this, and it's such a simple way to add a little Period charm.  Her
was a home of the same period, and her kitchen tile was Canary
Yellow and Forest Green!



Remember how i said the old cabinets were 18" deep?  Well, here's
the solution to that.  I had to keep 18" on part of the cabinet
due to the door swing, but we brought the rest of the depth out
to the standard 24".  I think it's works well, and it adds a little
quirk to the kitchen.  This area is for silverware and linens.
It's always so convenient to keep those two things near the sink.
Love the green frame around the Back-splash, so graphic.



The Little Kitchen That Could - Part V

And we have cabinets!

In the corner is a Lazy Susan cabinet.  I could play
with that all day. 

I was like a kid on Christmas Morning when the big truck rolled in with boxes upon boxes of cabinetry.  I gleefully snatched the shipping manifest and helped the installers call off unit numbers and accessories as they found their way into the garage for storage.

After working with the Vendor on the perfect plan for this Kitchen, which, by the way was done on a budget, I finally started to see the work come to life.  True, it was cathartic to be rid of the obsolete appliances and the floor I ran the risk of falling through, but after draining the pool for cleaning, it's nice to fill it up again.

The name of the game for this kitchen was storage.  I wanted it, whether or not my clients knew they needed was another issue all together.  You can never have too much storage in a kitchen.  That Fondu pot you thought you'd use all the time has to get stashed somewhere, as do all those boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, and the cleaning supplies.  With this design, we have skinny cabinets for baking sheets, corner cabinets with Lazy Susans, glass front cabinets for China, Tall shallow cabinets for pantry items, and slide out trays for pots and pans.  In today's world of over done and under thought, convenience and practicality are party guests we need to invite more often.

- Ian



The drop cabinets under the window is the future home
of the new dining area.  We're doing a little cafe table and
treating the area as you would a window seat.  Very charming.



The perfect solution for the Range.  Ample room on either
side to act as a resting spots for a hot pot just off the cook top.
I see so many Kitchens without this convenience, and it's really
quite an oversight.



A stacking Washer and Dryer will go by the door
on the right.  I love my vintage lights!



The Little Kitchen That Could - Part IV

Well, the old cabinets (what there were of them) have been demolished and the old appliances and plumbing removed.  The floor was already on it’s way out thanks to water damage, and required very little effort to finish the job.  However, once the ‘decorative’ floor was up, we discovered more water damage that had caused the plywood sub-floor under the Washer and Refrigerator to de-laminate, decompose, and become host to a number of shiny black bugs that crunch when you step on them.

Pulling the cabinets down proved to be more effort than expected.  Instead of finding bare plaster, we found bare studs and tar paper.  Apparently, the original builder hung the cabinets from the studs, then plastered around them (in an effort to save a little money).  We were also granted a view into the attic (and it's abandoned Wasp nests), as he gave the ceiling the same treatment as the wall. 

In the photo, you can see that we have begun to install green board where necessary, as well as putting up drywall and mudding the ceiling.

If taking the cabinets down was problematic, removing the soffit was a nightmare.  Plaster gave way to chicken wire that was nailed to studs which were set 8” apart (the standard is 16”), and those studs were there to stay.  The original builder obviously believed that if 10 nails were good, 100 nails were better. 

My GC’s workmen were literally hanging from the soffit structures trying to rip them down.  It looked like some slapstick comedy routine that never got off the ground.  After sledges, crowbars and hammers failed them; they found success by sawing through the nails and pulling the soffits down.

-Ian  

The Dinette set used to live here.  It's soon to be the home of cabinetry
and the new range.  Outlets are a sign of things to come.

The Little Kitchen That Could - Part III

Cloth off, J-Boxes in.

With work underway, and the Kitchen cleaned of minor debris (how many whisk brooms does one person need, anyway?), we really started to see what we had to work with (see it came from inside the wall to see what we did not have to work with).  You will notice a change in wall texture.  We went from old dirty gloss paint to mat plaster.  This is because homes built within the first half of the 20th Century would often have their utility rooms and wet rooms skinned in a canvas oil cloth and then they would paint them with 7 layers of gloss oil based enamel so that 50 years later, when you peel off the cloth, all the layers of paint shatter and blow off like Confetti and get stuck in your hair.

The cloth also served as a protective barrier so that the plaster would not be damaged while in use in high traffic areas.  It blocked water and oil, prevented stains and dings and also hid any minor cosmetic issues that could come to light over time (cracks).  There is the double edge sword in this brilliant concept.  The canvas not only hid small cracks, it hid big ones too.  So, after peeling the canvas, we had to chip out the major cracks caused by settling and re-plaster.

You can also see a color change in the drywall, going from white plasterboard to green board, as well as a strong patched line in the ceiling.  To me, this would indicate that there was once a wall separating the once even smaller kitchen from what used to be a Laundry Room or Service Porch.

You will also notice that the 8 foot shop light is gone, the hole patched, and 3 new j-boxes installed.  These will be the new home to some great period lights I found at www.rejuvenation.com.  They have with porcelain bases with milk glass shades and are a perfect match for the period of the home.  This Kitchen is going to be so wonderful, and so useful when we're finished.  It's going to be amazing.

- Ian

These vintage fixtures from Rejuvenation are going to be perfection.

The Little Kitchen That Could - Part II; It Came from Inside the Wall.

So guess what I found behind the dryer?  Yeah.  A big hole (this was after the old newspapers and chicken bones).  There was once a time when things shocked me, but that time has passed.  It really makes dealing with things much easier.  This huge void goes way beyond the standard size required for venting in any country, and it completely explains the evidence of vermin we were seeing.  But, horror and chagrin aside, it did give a full view of the plumbing situation. 

And as you can see, we have a variety of electrical and pipe, one of which looks like it was picked up at a rummage sale at the Hoover Dam.  You can also see one of the many random pilot holes (lower left) that perforated the wall.  I am not sure if the goal that inspired the holes was ever achieved, but they were humorously plugged with paper towels and old newspaper and then sealed with numerous coats of paint.  It is situations like these that you thank your General Contractor heartily when you discover he always buys extra dry wall and mud.

- Ian

The Little Kitchen That Could - Part I

One of the projects that I am most excited to be working on is the restoration of a 1942 Bungalow in the West Los Angeles neighborhood of Westside Village. It is a sweet little house done in a mix of American Colonial and, interestingly, Stream Line Art Deco. It is small at around 1200 square feet, with one and one half baths, a fireplace and two bedrooms. Instead of razing it and erecting one of those overzealous monsters so popular in other areas, the owners opted to preserve and restore the homes inherent charm (a word we all seem to forget about), and focus on quality over quantity.


I was so sad to see this little Radius cabinet go,

but it had next to no storage and the door stuck.

Those soffits were doing nothing but eating up space.
You can also see the 8' shop light that bathed

the kitchen in oh so flattering cool white light.

One of the most interesting challenges of this project is the Kitchen. Measuring 9 feet across and almost 21 feet long, it was sparsely populated with cabinetry and has only 9 linear feet of counter space.  It's filled with a Motley Crew of obsolete appliances (RCA Range, anyone???) and plagued by a water damaged sub floor (the Fridge is sinking as we speak). There was no functioning dishwasher, no garbage disposal and the base cabinets were only 18 inches deep (standard cabinets are 24 inches).

While the Kitchen is small by current standards, we needed to stick with the original footprint while updating the look and functionality. We needed loads more counter space and storage, a new floor, room for appliances, pantry space, new lighting, a washer and dryer, an exhaust fan that did not catch on fire, and somewhere, an eating area. We also wanted to preserve the charm of the Kitchen, and bridge the gap between Period charm and Modern functionality. Oh, and the appliances had to all be Electric, which, if you did not know, severely slashes your options.

So, take a look at the before photos, and check back to see the progress and find out how our Kitchen issues were resolved!

- Ian



I love the police line up effect of all the offending appliances in the back.

A free standing Dishwasher that hasn't worked in a decade (still full of dishes),

a Dryer that won't dry, a Washer that sounds like a Cement Mixer,

and a strange food processing center on wheels.




Note the Dinette next to the Range. This is bad space planning!

You can also see the lack of counter space on either side of the sink.

And let's not forget that 8' shoplight that is stealing the show!