Some beloved family friends just completed the construction of their gorgeous Italianate house (more photos to come). Mr. Wonderful and I were married on the grounds of one of their other estates of Neoclassic style. They just build beautiful things! Its a joy to tour their homes when they are finished and all moved in. Here are a few shots of the Master Bathroom. Enjoy!

Antique mirror and cast concrete columns, a streamlined version reminicent of Bernini's Baldacchino in Saint Peter's Basilica. All of the baseboards, crown mouldings, casings, and cobels throughout the estate are custom cast concrete commissioned especially for this project.

A cast stone soaking tub. Bliss! Out that window is a vista of lush, green rolling hills.

The window threw off the lighting in this photo, so I had to convert it to B+W. Notice the smooth barrel vaulting. Just gorgeous.

All photos are property of J Steinberg Design and may not be used or reproduced without permission. Thank you.

I received the May 2009 Pottery Barn catalog yesterday. The best accents (as with all retail companies- I usually only shop accents & decor, not furniture), were these great pillows and baskets with natural fibers. So summery and so classic. Not to mention durable. A great way to add some summer to your space- indoor or out.

Paper Crochet Pillow Cover

Beachcomber Baskets in various sizes

Jute Braid Pillow Covers in two sizes

(photo from Roullier White)

Remember the post on the symbolism of the red front door? This post goes hand in hand. The door knocker- its gorgeous jewelry for your door. Second to your architecture and landscaping, your front door leaves a lasting impression and also subtly nods towards your style. Door knockers have been in use since Medieval times (possibly even before that!)- to say this is a classic that has evolved is an understatement. While there are tons of whimsical designs out on the market I feel its best to leave the whimsy to a second home or vacation home according to the vernacular. If you have a beach house on the Vineyard- go for the crab, lobster or scallop shell knocker. If you have a chalet in Aspen, go for the pine cone. Select something solid in statement for your primary residence- both to echo the architecture and to give your door some classic style. For an amazing and detailed article on door knockers, visit this page on "Old and Sold Antiques Digest".

Now, lets look at some delightful door knockers! I am a fan of classic brass- both for the longevity and the aesthetics. If you go with a cool metal finish, make sure its plated on brass. It will have great hand and it will also wear well. I will start with my favorite one- a fox door knocker. Just charming!

I would love to see this fox knocker on a high gloss orange front door. *Love*.

Fox Door Knocker by The Brass Gallery

This simple and classic style would be great for both traditional and transitional styles.

Classic Ring Door Knocker. From Jefferson Brass Co.

I would love to see this on a colorful front door (any color will do). This classic French motif would really pop on a brilliant color.

Fleur de Lys Door Knocker from Doorknockers.com

The quintessential classic door knocker. Perfect for engraving a monogram or a family surname.

This one is a reproduction from House of Antique Hardware

This glorious eagle knocker is perfect for Georgian and Federalist style homes. I see this on a navy or crimson red door for the ultimate statement in traditionalism. From PE Guerin

This is a nice take on the very common lion door knocker. I hesitated in including the lion- since I feel its so conventional and sort of overused (especially in situations when one shouldn't use a lion- for some reason, I think some people feel if they stick a lion "something" outside it means "classy"...think oversized concrete roaring lion garden decor in front of a dinky tract house). But- I found this one that's done a bit differenly than other lion door knockers. Its quite tasteful and the lines are elegant. As an FYI- lion door knockers were very popular in Victorian times. This one is from Designer's Brass.

This hexagon door knocker would be amazing in brass (Guerin does offer brass as a finish option for this style). This would be a great knocker for traditional architecture with a transitional interior style. Simple, geometric and classic. From PE Guerin.

Lastly- this lovely and elegant acanthus leaf door knocker. This would suit French and American Georgian architecture quite well.

Also by PE Guerin.

I am on the mailing list for many, many (many!) product lines. This one came across my wire today and I drooled a bit, thought about where I could put it in our place, decided I didn't have room for it- and that I would just post it here. I'm pretty sure I have an affinity towards British Colonial styling from growing up on "Pippy Longstocking", "The Swiss Family Robinson" and Disneyland's "Jungle Cruise" as a child. I also love the dark wood in British Colonial style- just like American Georgian and Federalist, which I (surprise!) admire as well. Enjoy this gorgeous settee! I would get a long down stuffed, self-welted cushion made from cut velvet for this chair. In white or possibly my signature mossy green from my living room. I would then place it in the foyer or somewhere in my bedroom. No pillows. Wouldn't want to hide that gorgeous canning or fluting!

"Settee BR003SE", Chocolate stained Mahogany wood.

$4,200 retail. By British Regency.

Do you know about Jack Arnold? Have you seen his work? He's a residential architect that has carved out a little niche for himself in the French County and Olde World style architecture arena...and I am a huge fan. I've noticed (for awhile now) he is running more and more ads in shelter publications, and he also has a few product lines out- so I'm sure Arch_ID minded people are catching the fever. If you remember back about a year, his personal home was featured in Veranda, too. I have the spread somewhere in my files (which I am noting to myself to go and find!).

After viewing many of his houses online and from his folio books of plans (see photos below), I honestly can't pick The One I like best. The hardest part of being an interior designer is "committing" to a home style for us (sorry, Mr. Wonderful- what I say goes!). Its hard to make a final style decision (both exterior and interior) when there are so many lovely choices for everything! Its easy to do for clients, but for me- when I can feel my emotional response to so many different styles- its really hard to pick just one (currently, we are stuck between American Federalist and Jacobean Tudor Revival w/ a bit of French Normandy flare). I want them all- even the stark modern spaces. I love them all.

Anyways, I digress. I do not know Jack Arnold, but maybe our two worlds will bring us together one day. Or maybe I will hire him as my architect one day, purchase an antique from his wife (I'm pretty sure she has a shoppe and does interior decor) or at least purchase his plans (and of course tweak them a little...I am pretty particular and I feel mass produced plans can only take someone so far, especially a classically trained designer who rocks space planning). But oh how I love his work. The character really jumps out at you...the rustic stone, the brick, chimney pots, shutters, and other details...enough to make a (very picky) designer like me very happy- even just to look. I heart Jack Arnold. Jack...if you are out there- I love your work! Consider me a patron in waiting. (I also say this about Derek Gores, the artist responsible for amazing collage portraits).

Go here to see his photo gallery. Really- go, now!

Go here to see his product line for architectural chimney pots.

Go here to see the house plan portfolios he offers....or, walk through the ones I have received as gifts from my mom- who is equally (well, okay, not equally) enamored with interiors and design.

The plan books come in different styles. Each folder has two components: a look book of each plan, and loose plans that relate to the look book. You get a rendering, photographs/details and the actual floor plan (not to scale) of each house. Really fun!