Is it an Eagle or a Dragon???

While some people like to think it is the claw of a Griffin (mystical dragon creature that dates back to the 1500's) it is undoubtedly the claw of an eagle...even if it was the claw of a griffin because they were believed to have the body of a lion with the claws,head and wings of an eagle. Regardless of what creature it is modeled after the claw-and-ball foot is one of the most intricate furniture designs to master, and one of the scariest to me as a child.

As a child I had nightmares that out furniture would come alive and crawl around the house with those creepy talons.... As I have grown up I have come to appreciate it a bit more. It is one of the most difficult carvings for a craftsman to master, because if it is not perfect it just doesn't work... The claw-and-ball foot started appearing on furniture in the early 1700's typically with a Cabriole style leg. In England these feet became popular on mahogany wing chairs during the reigns of Queen Anne and George I. On this side of the pond claw-and-ball feet  became the staple foot of the American "Chippendale" period. The claw-and-ball foot also started replacing the pad food on high chests-of-drawers in the mid to late 1700's.  Most crafted in and around Philadelphia by immigrants that had apprenticed under European Rococo furniture makers. This style became extremely popular in American cities among the gentrified set.

Over a hundred years later this popular foot found itself propping up cast iron tubs and today it remains a symbol of fine craftsmanship. Today the claw-and-ball foot is no longer shown off with just a lovely stain...they are getting delicate patina finishes and fresh lacquer finishes that help bring this classic foot into a   new generation of furnishings. Instead of classic upholstery patterns antiques are also getting a new life with more updated fabrics like the pink claw-and-ball footed daybed.

Kohler's even updated their classic claw foot tub for the new generation

However, the most refreshing thing to happen to the classic claw-and-ball is Virgina based wood crafter Jake Cress. One time actor turned woodworker, Jake, has made my childhood nightmare a piece of art with his whimsical take on traditional furniture.

Even trend setters Arteriors Home are nodding at the historical foot with their Lola Table

Eagle or Griffin call it what you will, but this somewhat scary foot is here to stay...

photos: Jake Cress, Arteriors Home, Hickory Chair, Reeves Antiques, WoodWorkingTag, The Ball and Claw.

Look into my Crystal Ball...

Happy Halloween! Continuing on my love of gypsies, it is time to focus on their most famous accessory...the crystal ball! So I don't believe in the power of a crystal ball to tell me my future or what my soul mate looks like or even when I will die. However, I do believe in incorporating them into your home decor. Stacked Crystal ball lamps have been around for awhile and are everywhere- mostly because they go with anything! A little sparkle go a long way and it doesn't  have to come from cut crystal. No matter what your style there is a crystal ball just waiting to find its way into your home!

Crystal balls dangling from a chandelier, while having Victorian roots, are making a huge come back as a fresher approach to the traditional crystal chandelier. I personally love the George from Visual Comfort, it is so heavy because it is solid! To me it is the ultimate chandelier- it comes in a variety of sizes and it has no finish so it goes with anything!

Sconces are also a great place to channel your inner gypsy. From the traditional to extremely contemporary there is an option for every interior.

Barbara Berry is rolling out her new accessory line with Global Views and I am very tempted to let the crystal ball find a home on my book self... I love the little legs...looks like it could come to life and crawl away. 

PS...this necklace made a stunning appearance on Gossip Girl this week! 

And if those don't strike your fancy how can you possibly say no to a string of crystal balls from style guru Michael Kors..

And yes this was on last season's Gossip Girl Finale...another reason to love Chuck Bass!

And while I did say I didn't believe you could see the future in a crystal ball, I sure wouldn't say no to Harry Winston...






Photos:Daily Babel, Robert Abbey, Visual Comfort, Global Views, LBL Lighting, Artemide, Michael Kors, Kiss the Ring New York

How to rebel and conform at the same time...

Oh to be a teenager again... Today one of my nieces turns 14, she is an amazing girl! Smart as a whip and athletic and has a soft spot in my heart because, like me, she is a second daughter...us #2's have to stick together. Just to clear the air- I am not playing favorites, I love all my nieces and love them even more because each one is so unique from her other sisters, they have the coolest dynamic by being so different. So when I asked the birthday girl this morning what she was doing for her birthday she told me that in between the football game and a Halloween party she would be studying for a history test, and it got me thinking about how, as a teenager, your room becomes your sanctuary.

Teenage years are hard, you aren't old enough to be taken seriously but yet you still have a childlike pull to the fun and whimsy of life, plus you are tired all the time. A teens bedroom should be that one place where they can just be themselves. Graphic shapes and bold colors allow teens to somewhat rebel from the typically more subdued colors of the rest of the home.

The two most important part of a teen room are the bed and the desk. Plus you need to factor in the room being a hang out area so if the room is smaller a loft bed could be a great option to free up floor space for sleep over, impromptu dance parties or whatever it is teenagers do in their rooms. Or if you have plenty of floor space load the bed up with colorful pillows that can double as floor pillows for lounging around with girlfriends.

And lest we not forget the obscene amounts of homework you get as a teenager...the desk is essential. Giving your teen a proper place to work is an essential in this highly competitive world we live in. But a desk does not have to be boring, use bright colors for organization or get a cool mid century modern desk chair.  The desk area is also a great place to add in a touch to keep encouraging their creative spirit. Chalkboard paint is one of my favorite things, however it is not the most inspiring color...until now!
Hudson Paint makes a line of chalk board paint in the most teen friendly colors (or thirty something) that you can use it in the room without it being a glaring chalkboard.

The best thing about teen rooms is that the areas that show the most personality are often the least expensive parts of the room and the easiest to undo in the event of a mood swing... Don't be afraid of paint- it is just that and for a couple of bucks and an afternoon you can redo it yourself. Or if your teen is wanting something a bit more bold- forgo wall paper and use a good quality vinyl sticker. You got decorate the nursery and the "big girl" room so why not let your teen have some say in her room...plus when she grows up you can make fun of her for her crazy choices- for instance I had a giant roll of film running across the walls of my room at my dad's house...while I wouldn't do it now, I stand by it that it was the coolest room and my dad gets major kudos for having let me do that!

And while I am not a fan of TV's in the kids rooms I have to admit- you might as well go ahead and cave since they no doubt have a computer and can YouTube anything (if you don't know what YouTube is then go ask your teen- they do) plus with cable now you can control whatever they watch with parental controls- you can even set timers so they can only watch so many minutes of television a day! Genius! however your teen is probably more tech savvy than you and can undo it all- so take it or leave it. But no matter what realize it is time to let them stretch their grown-up ways and help create their space even if you don't love it.

Happy Birthday to my favorite 14 year old! Keep being your beautiful creative self! xoxo

photos: Pottery Barn Teen, Container Store, TLC, Hudson Paint, the Mural Place, DesignMom, DecorIdeas, TheStir

Gypsies Tramps and Thieves...

In the spirit of playing dress up I can't help but look to the best accessorized ladies of the land...Gypsies! While Cher is the classic American Gypsy and I love her music, I think her hair was her best accessory, but since I do not have mile long legs or a waist that can use bracelets as belts...I turn to the more traditional gypsy for inspiration.There is something beautiful about all the colors, textures and patterns that a gypsy lady is not afraid to mix together. Those are the very same ideas that make a house a home, mixing textures to create depth and warmth in a room through a variety of woods, metals and fabrics will instantly add a dimension of interest. While mixing patterns through fabric add warmth and details that help a room gain its own identity.

Even Benjamin Moore has jumped on the gypsy band wagon by introducing Gypsy Pink to their collection... obviously I LOVE IT!!!

And no matter what your home decor there is always some room in your closet for the gypsy look...or at the very least your jewelry box!  So now what's your excuse???






Photos: ApeCulture, Rainbowheartstar, Gucci, Mary Norton, Miriam Haskell, Benjamin Moore, Juicy Couture, Halston

Really President...

I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning all in anticipation of what a cluster-jam my town is going to be today. In a last ditch effort to save the local democrat the president is coming to town, thus shutting down the majority of our downtown and causing a massive headache of traffic and confusion as everyone tries to figure out how to get from here to there without going through a metal detector. That tied with my general angst of seeing so many mud-slinging political commercials has left me feeling rather unpatriotic. So in an effort to rectify my mood I am trying to let the good old red white and blue inspire me today instead of angering me...

Floors are often over looked as a place to personalize but painted floors are a dramatic statement and can become apiece of art where you least expect it.

The gorgeous wedge-wood blue is really set off by the crisp white trim  and the combination make the red light fixtures the main focal point of the whole room

Love the touch of history and nostalgia that the old flag adds...you can just imagine what that flag has been through to be so sheer and thread bare

Aghhhh...feeling better already. While I may not care too much about politics, our fair country does have a wealth of inspiration to draw upon.... happy Friday!

See the effect and not the source...

Landscape lighting is as much about safety as it is aesthetics. Fall is a great time to add some to your property- while you are planting bulbs and getting your gardens ready for winter why not go ahead have a layer of lighting added so you can enjoy your garden around the clock.


Most landscape lighting now is low-voltage (typically 12volt) unlike you standard household current that is 120volts. Because it is low-voltage you do have to have a transformer- to simplify it is a metal box with a whole bunch of stuff inside it that steps the power down from 120 to 12 volts. However, there are tremendous advantages to low-voltage. The most obvious is the energy saving, but also the fixtures are much smaller and cleaner, there is better control of the light output, it is far easier to install and far more options. Low-voltage lighting was originally invented in 1959, by William Locklin based on his principle of seeing the effect not the source, and today it is the most common type of landscape lighting or as he called it: night-scaping.

So here is my attempt to explain the basics to try and de-mystify it for you because landscape lighting can be very daunting. First you want to figure out what you want to accomplish, there are several basic principles that are a combination of safety effects and aesthetic effects.

step lighting

Spread lighting

Natural Copper small scale spread lights give a gentle glow of light while the finish will age and blend in with the surrounding landscaping.

walkway

The most common sense place to add light is to your walkway- help yourself and you guests know where to go by illuminating the desired traffic pattern. These fixture come in every size and shape and this is actually a great place to use a fixture that is decorative. Step lights are the other major safety area. These fixtures are installed in the step every few steps to wash down the steps to prevent your guests from tripping or falling. Spread lighting is great for illuminating garden beds but can also be used as path lighting to illuminate the path and surrounding beds.

Moon lighting

The Moon Light effect results in warm realistic glow on the ground below

When it comes to trees there are a few options I personally prefer Moon lighting- it is a combination of up and down lighting from within the tree. By lighting down the tree it is more natural and avoids the spooky look that sometimes results from shining up from the base of the tree. This is far more labor intensive to install however it is well worth it because it looks amazing.

Directional lights serve many purposes 

Silhouetting

Shadowing

Using a directional fixture you are able to achieve several effects. Silhouetting is an effect that results from placing a light behind a large bush or small tree (and looks best if it has a unique branch pattern) and lighting the wall of your home behind it. Using the contrast between the lit building and unlit plant it is visually stunning. The reverse effect is shadowing where the light is in front of the plant and it creates a shadow on the building thus illuminating the plant. You can use the same type of fixture to graze the surface of your home with light from below- this looks particularly amazing if there is a texture like stacked stone on the face of your home. Or flip it and wash the light down the face of your home by down lighting it.

Down lighting 

Grazing

These are just some basic concepts that can then be elaborated upon. Once you have determined what you want to do and how many fixtures you need then the total wattage of the fixtures will dictate what size transformer you need. Transformers come in a variety of sizes and come very basic to with all the bells and whistles. Of course I am a fan of the bells and whistles... you can add a timer to your transformer and a photocell. I like to use the photocell so that they come on when it reaches a certain level of darkness and the timer to turn them off so that they do not burn all night long. A good electrician can also tie in a motion sensor so that they would come on when motion is detected (a great safety feature). All of these convenience options also help save energy.

Low-voltage systems use low-voltage wire (duh!) that gets buried just under the surface as opposed to down deep like 120 volt wire. With the main wire being easily accessible and safe to handle it allows for flexibility in placing and adjusting fixtures as your gardens mature and normal beatings from weather and animals (and kids).

Once you really get serious you can start playing with lenses in your fixture over the bulb. A honeycomb lens will help cut down on glare while spread lens can help widen the pool of light. A blue lens will great a more cool color and make evergreens pop. But mostly just remember that it is flexible, if you are not entirely satisfied low-voltage lighting is easy to tweak ( and in most instances it does require some minimal tweaking) and no matter what the safety aspects of adding the light will be instant.

photos: Hadco, Sea Gull Lighting, On Track