door of the day

Another Art Nouveau beauty snapped by enframed, this one from Berlin.  Have I mentioned that big circular gate designs make my heart beat faster?  Because they do, oh yes.

door of the day

Whenever I bemoan that people don't do doors the way they used to, this is what I mean.  This incredibly simple, clever door.  

Door is in Brussels.  Photo by Fonk, who has a mouth-watering album of Art Nouveau architecture.

door of the day

Aaaaaaa Art Nouveau doors why are you so fantastic and why aren't there more of you?

By erikomoket, found via Beautiful Portals

In case you haven't noticed, I find a lot of what I post here nowadays on the tumblr Beautiful Portals, but what you see here is only a tiny fraction of what gets posted there.  If you're a door junkie, it's a must-browse.

louis vuitton home

When I lived in Florence, there was a bus which stopped 2 blocks from our school going in one direction, but not in the other.  Which meant that in order to catch a bus back to the apartment, I had to cross the Arno and wait by the Duomo.  Which really wasn't a tough burden to bear, to be completely honest.  That walking route took me directly by the Florence Louis Vuitton location.  I could never bring myself to go inside, but I found great joy in looking through the windows.  Something about Louis Vuitton has always spoken to me of a different time.

So I was of course excited about Todd Selby's new project, especially since it includes a look inside the Vuitton family home.  The excitement increased exponentially the moment I discovered that Louis had decorated his home in the Art Nouveau style (which was actually unfashionable at the time he did it), and that his family had maintained it.  Seeing the home takes me back to those long moments standing in the cold, gazing wistfully at white dresses.  Oh, I knew there was a reason I couldn't look away.

Check out the magnificent fireplace, would you?  Oh, and the inlay on the desk!  I want to fold it all in my arms and never let go.

guaranty

Warning!: extreme dorking out ahead! Please secure your life jacket before continuing.

L: Circa 1900, R: 2006

An article in the New York Times today brought the city of Buffalo, NY to my attention. I knew it was there, of course, I'd just never had any reason to learn more. Boy, was I missing out. Turns out, after the completion of the Eerie Canal started to bring people in, it became a positive mecca for great Gilded Age architects: Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame), Louis Sullivan, and Daniel Burnham (of Chicago's Columbian Exposition in 1893). I'd really love to prattle on about all out them, but this is a blog, not an architectural history class, so I'll stick to one: Louis Sullivan, and his Guaranty building.In 1894, a Buffalo businessman commissioned Sullivan's firm in the construction of a new office building. After he died suddenly, the Guaranty Construction Company of Chicago purchased it, followed by the Prudential Insurance Company. Both "Guaranty" and "Prudential" are on the building, so you'll hear it referred to by both names.The exterior is covered in gorgeous terra cotta depicting art nouveauish foliage and geometric patterns.

Look at that scrollwork! Love!

Let's take a look at the interior!So it turns out that I get as freakishly excited about old iron elevators as I do doors. Who knew? Aren't they fantastic?

If you're interested in learning more about the Guaranty building, other buildings, or historic Buffalo architecture on the whole, check out Buffalo Architecture and History (h/t to historic preservationist/jewelry designer/fellow dec arts student Amy Poff). I pulled most of my images from them.

For more on Gilded Age architects, I highly recommend reading Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, about the Chicago World's Fair, the men who put it together, and a rather nefarious individual who took advantage of it. It's nonfiction that reads like fiction. Trust me, I hate nonfiction.

There. Done. It is now safe to remove your jackets. I don't do too many of these because I worry about boring people, so if you enjoyed this little discovery as much as I did, let me know!

Whalehead Club

Hello, I'm back! I'm still (reluctantly) recovering from my vacation, but I've just been dying to talk about the Whalehead Club, so you'll have to excuse the long informative post. Lovers of Art Nouveau, take note! Located in Corolla, NC, it's just north of my family's annual beach retreat. I am astonished that I'd managed to go so many years without knowing of the treasures this place holds.

By the time this house, originally called Corolla Island, was built by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Collings Knight, Jr. in 1922, Art Nouveau had been out of fashion for 20 years. The Knights must have loved it, however, as its graceful patterns are present throughout the house. The place is amazingly intact considering that the Knights passed away in the 40s and the house was subsequently sold (for a pittance, at that).

The exterior architectural details, many of which predate the house and were probably taken from a previous residence of Mrs. Knight, are in great condition, to say nothing of the amazing interior. The glass and bronze of the light fixtures in the dining room and entry are Tiffany and original. Most of the dining room furniture is original, as well (only one of the below chairs is, the rest are reproductions).

But oh, oh, just look at this clock! I apologize for the shoddy photo quality, I couldn't use a flash. This, as well as several other pieces from the house's library, was design by Louis Majorelle, a fantastic Art Nouveau cabinet maker.


Here are all of my photos from the Whalehead Club. There are lots more on Flickr, as well. Hope you enjoyed my burst of nerdiness!