Weekenders - Modern Furniture
Posted by Michele | Filed under Furniture, Weekenders, What's Hot
I haven’t touched on furniture in awhile, so this is the week for it. Modern is my game today.
Modernfurniture - What a better place to start then with the name itself. This company carries the basics of black leather sofas all the way to lighting. Perfect for the bachelors or anyone who loves the sleek and reasonable.
chiasso - My pick of the week. This chrome ottoman is to die for. Make sure you open up the larger window to see the detail on it. It’s stunning!
Vintage Looks - The egg chair above is just one of the many cool pieces.
Contemporary Furniture - This platform is one of the best pieces at this site. I’m not crazy about most of the accessories and such but this is cool. I also found some sofas that are great for the price.
Swanky Design - If you want simple understated glass tables, this is the spot. I don’t know how this glass is supported. Quite a feat to design that!
KMP - The best seating in signature pieces for that real lounge look. If I could redesign my home tomorrow, this is what I’d do. In fact, I’d take that white and red room and repeat it. They’ve got some talent putting up those displays. Love it!
2modern - I never forget about kids. This desk space and lounge chair looks substantially strong and very functional. Kids are always on there knees, so why not make a desk they can kneel on???
Viesso - Too many glass tables in one home can be cold to me. I like mixing things up a bit. I could see a glass coffee table but when it comes to dining and sitting around, I might choose this dining table along with the buffet. They pride themselves on their how they have green products and their rub count on finishes.
Tommasini - If you are limited on space, this is the cleanest with function. I like the open end on this end table yet you can place all of the books you read at night. That is unless it falls on your chest first and you are too tired to put it down.
Zfurniture - has two things I’m truly digging. The barstools and the white entertainment center. That would go with my red and white room by KMP.
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Weekenders
Posted by Michele | Filed under Accessories, Art, Bed and Bath, Flooring, Furniture, Interior Design, Lighting, Weekenders, What's New
Dave is off on a little sabatical so I’m taking over on Weekenders. My mind set this week will be focused on sophistication for miscellaneous interior design products and art. You won’t find these in the 99 Cents stores. They are a few steps above in quality.
Home Portfolio - This is one of the best sites I’ve seen for search engines on interior and exterior design solutions. Nice layout as well.
Boyd Lighting - Following that link above I found this lighting manufacturer. Very sophisticated.
Sharon Courtney - For the pianist or opera singer, this mixed media of photography and art is terrific.
Bodum Drinkware - For the hot summers coming up, chill your heat away with this line of double wall glassware.
Debage - This is not my cup of tea but if you want to be a Queen for the Day, the bedding is right out of the Rococco period. Not great for hot flashes, I presume.
John Prince - Plays croquet and paints! Very talented man!
Gus Modern - For those who love the lean modern furnishings, this is simply that.
Giving Tree - The most luxurious linens around. Wow! I’d love to feel what 1020 count sheets feel like. Just might have to save up my pennies.
Green Feet - Save the earth! Bamboo Disposable plates and utensils. Group your table setting with the tumblers above from Bodium and you’ll have great conversation pieces for your next outdoor party.
Wilshire Garden - Time to replace the mailbox. How about a copper one?
Happy shopping and have a great weekend!
Ming Dynasty Furniture
Posted by Michele | Filed under Artwalk, Furniture, Random
Today, I want to go back a few years in time to the furniture style from the Ming Dynasty. It is beautiful and timeless. The Ming Dynasty was the last Chinese dynasty to rule the empire. It spanned almost three centuries between the fall of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) and the rise of the Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The Mongol rule lost it’s effectiveness after the civil war whereby Zhu Yuanzhang became the eminent leader. After elimimating his rivals, Zhu established the Ming Dynasty which reunited China Proper.
The Ming period was the Chinese most productive years and most stable due to the population numbered some 100 million. It was an age of expansion and prosperity when decorative arts flourished. As for the artistic achievements of Chinese Furniture, it has had a great impact on many Eastern and Western countries and plays an important role in world furniture. This was the age of expansion and prosperity when decorative arts and it’s furniture is characterized by it’s soft curves. It combined round and square, wide and narrow, thick and thin patterns and lines for contrast and thus formed the unique structure of Ming Dynasty furniture. The furniture is light and simple and conveys a sense of stability.
Floor sitting was widely practiced, traditional Chinese furniture is generally arrange in symmetrical suites or sets. Chairs were common furniture items arranged in symmetrical suites or sets. Craftsmen took the furniture traditions from the Song Dynasty and formed the Ming Dynasty style of furniture.
Collecting antiques can add monetary and spiritual value to your home. If you are looking for the real thing, below you will find some distinctions to look for.
- Characteristics - Beautifully shaped, light but conveys a sense of stability. Decorations are mainly engraved, circular carving, ivory and diamond inlays in designs of landscapes, flowers and birds or small bronze or silver ornamentation
- Woods - Rare fine timbers such as red sandalwood, elm camphor, beech, fir, boxwood, cypress, burl, chicken wing, walnut, ebony, birch, huanghuali, nanmu, rosewood, teak, Chinese catalpa, pine, poplar, locust, willow, oak Tieli . The Luohan bed above with the three panel screens is made of this Tieli wood.
Additional wood details -Fine grains and very deep colors with natural beauty, looking durable, smooth, plain and clean or elegant and ornate, resistant to decay
- Finish - Lacquered (found common in palaces and homes of the wealthy), includes ti-hung or carved lacquer style t”ien-chi’l ( lacquer isused to fill in engraving. Luo-tien is inlaid with mother of pearl.
- Construction - No visible joints, mortise and tenon joints, tongue and groove. Joinery should be consistent and construction logical. If it is not there is a good possibility the object is a copy or that it has been altered.
How would you decorate with this style of furniture? You can go all the way with Asian influences everywhere in the home or you can easily add a single chair to add charm. When you have eclectic taste such as mine, there are no rules but there must be a sense of some rhyme and some reason. If you have a contemporary home, it is very possible to mix this sofa above in to the mix. Can you imagine it with a bright fabric on it such as orange or red? You could add a variety of accent pillows. Or, you could use a beautiful monotone beige and cream balance of fabrics. That would give it a dressy look, more elegant. A contemporary rug design that mimics the frame work of the sofa would be terrific. Support large piece of glass with solid blocks of wood to create a simple but modern coffee table.
Use your creativity to add the elements of any cultural influence in your home. Spatter about your travels of the world to remind you of all those wonderful times. You’ll add value to your home as well as have a spiritual environment.
For more information about the beauty of this era, you can travel to Shanghai to and see the museum or search on line such as Rain Dragon Antiquities.
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