A Garden In Armonk

This is a house designed by Lucio de Leo of Studio RAI in Armonk, NY. The gardens are now 3 years old and were installed at the time of construction. We planted some mature trees and 60 year old wisteria which has really taken off. There's a wonderful side garden with boxwood hedges. Most everything is green with some white here and there.

Side garden

Back of the house

Looking from the front door

A tropical garden by the pool

The pool house

A cottage garden for vegetables

What I Am Looking At Today: Memorial Day

There are so many things to be remembered. So many small, forgotten things all of which helped make us what we are, so on this Memorial Day, I visited Philadelphia, our Founder's city and I was reminded of all the little things that helped get the US where it is today.

All of the horses that the soldiers rode. The stablehands and blacksmiths and harness and saddle makers, metal smiths that made the parts.

The designers that drew patterns and uniforms and the seamtresses and tailors that made the clothes. the people that cleaned them....

The embroiderers and weavers that made the cloth. The smiths that made the swords. The authors, bookbinders and enlightened philosophers who proved mightier than the sword.

The generals and admirals, soldiers and sailors and marines, many who may remain unknown.

The everyday ladies that waited at home or took care of the wounded.

The gilders and carvers that made fancy frames for the Framers. The architects and decorators and servants that built houses, public buildings and kept them going....

The fancy ladies that helped pass the time or waited patiently for their husbands at home. The fancy boys, some who fought and died as well. The artists, singers, dancers, painters.

The mercenaries that came over to help.....Old Europe and the French without which we would not be here. Lafayette, thanks for arriving. 

The 'Gentlemen Farmers', some who left their farms, the others who helped finance the war....there weren't too many pictures of slaves, but they deserve thanks too. Their toil built the country for no wages, just their sweat and tears.

The teachers that kept people educated, the botanists and gardeners, scientists....that made and make us the envy of the world.

The belief in Liberty and Justice for All.

Still being worked on if you're a woman, or gay or a minority, but always remember it will come.

Labor without which the country would not be what it is. 

Commerce and plenty. Let us not forget that and let us not squander it either....we have been granted a great deal in this land, it is a shame to waste it....let us thank the multitudes that came from other shores to work and build and live here.....let us be grateful that we are from many one.....these are our strengths.

A big thanks to all the forgotten,  the small as well as the great.

A Girl's Room in Armonk

I've been working for a while on a house upstate and it's finally coming together, so I will start posting a few pics here and there. As you may know, I like working very loosely and do a lot of sketches, but most of the time, the concept sketch is pretty close to the finished product. Below is the sketch of the room for a stylish young lady under 10 years of age. The program was to give her a room which she would enjoy now, but also grow into.

The layout of the room was unusual as there were windows and doors on almost every wall and the one wall that was clear had a jog, so we decided to do an old fashioned bed alcove with a modern twist. It's basically her first studio apt.

The  finished room is pretty close to the concept drawing. My young client and I did a day's worth of fabric shopping at the D&D building, luckily she's a fashionista and liked some pretty cool things. Although pink was the color of choice, we painted the walls the softest shade possible, just in case the color palette changes in the future. The Directoire daybed was a find from my pickers. The pair of 1960's French tub chairs which we painted glossy off white and upholstered in crushed velvet were originally intended for another client, but found their way here.

Shag rugs in flower cutouts define the furniture placement.

Self portrait of the artist over the Directoire daybed.

Lots of pillows

Sleeping Alcove with upholstered walls in stamped linen from Osborne & Little and tufted bed in hot pink velvet.

What I'm Looking At Today: Galata Tower

The Megaolos Prygros [Great Tower, as the Byzantines called it]. The Christea Turris [as the Genoses who built it named it], the Old Tower of Galata stands on the north side of the Golden Horn inside the citadel of Galata. The purpose of the tower was to raise and lower a great chain across the Horn. But that tower was destroyed in 1204 allowing Dodge Dandalo to sack the city. 

The current tower of Galata [Galata Kulesi in Turkish] is a medieval 9 story fortified tower built to replace the old one in 1348 during the Genoese colony expansion. Lucky for us there's an elevator and some great panoramic views of the city.

The tower.

There's a nice water fountain across from the base.

Looking up from the one door.

There's a restaurant on top of the tower....dancers and music and tons of views.

Looking at the roof.

Views of the sprawling city.

Looking at the Topkapi, The Hagia Sophia and the Sultanhamet. LOVE the terraces.

Looking like the Golden Gate, Europe to Asia.

More views.

There are many very sweet apartments with terraces, the drawback would be all of the nice tourists looking at you ALL day long....every day..........

The base of the tower leading down very steep hills to Karakoy

Looking back up from not even half way down the street.

You can take the Tunnel instead of walking to Galata Bridge....160 seconds vs  a one hour walk, but it's fun getting lost in the maze of streets.

What I'm Looking At Today: The New Mosque

I am not familiar with mosques. In all honesty, I had not been in one until I entered the New Mosque in Istanbul. I am not a religious person, so it always amazes me that these buildings were built by the masses at huge expense in the service of God....that one or two were not enough is also pretty crazy to me....just like there's a church on every corner in Italy, there seems to be a huge mosque in every quarter of Istanbul...there's even smaller ones next to the big ones....the buildings are, as in all churches the same. Basic elements are required, but the subtle decoration changes from one to the next. I have to say that I have now only been in 4 or 5 mosques, but I really like this one....the colors, the size....it's goldy locks...not too big, not too small....just right. I like the lightness above with the wieghtiness of the perimeter and I like that it's not crowded! and I like the large overhangs similar to the ones at Topkapi. It's a nice, nice building. 

The New Mosque [Yeni Camii] on the banks of the Golden Horn sits just off the Galata Bridge.

While the Hagia Sophia was built in 5 years and the Blue Mosque was built in 7, the New Mosque took 50 years to build and was actually begun before the Blue but completed after most of the others in the city. Ordered by Safiye Sultan, the wife of Sultan Murad III in 1597, she envisioned a mosque built in the Jewish quarter of town would enhance the Muslim sphere of influence. However one year into construction and the architect, Davut Aga, an apprentice to the great Mimar Sinan, died.  He was replaced by Dalgic Ahmed Cavus. It took another 50 years  and another Sultan, Turhan Hadice to complete the building which had by that time fallen into ruin.

One of the reasons that I name so many names is that I do like history and useless info AND it's so long ago,  that we still know who these people were is pretty amazing......

The Spices Bazar in from of the Yeni Camii

There are fountains which the faithful use to wash their feet before they enter the mosque.

The inner courtyard.

One of two minarets.

Looking at the domes.

I love the antique tiles, they seem to be placed haphazardly almost as if they were left overs or restorations. Beautifully faded.

More Iznik tiles. The blue is so vibrant, even when faded.

The domes with very elegant and refined decoration.

The decoration on the walls is looking like Isfahan or Tabriz carpets....

I liked the decoration of this mosque more than the Blue and even than the painting in the Hagia Sophia.

The back of the Yeni Camii

Our spare room from many years ago......It was an Arabian Nights fantasy.....maybe that's why I like this mosque...it reminds me of our guest room...