Tag Archives: 1st dibs
Destination: Los Angeles, CA | v.2
Having recently relocated to New York, I am missing Los Angeles terribly. I decided to revisit the city today and focus on the neighborhood where I lived. Design shopping galore! Yes, you can come to The Grove and spend a beautiful day at the outdoor mall and Farmers Market.. but walk a few blocks in [...]
History Lesson: The Lampshade
Lampshades are used to diffuse light emitted from a fixture. Its function is practical as well as decorative. In Paris in the 17th century, streets were lit with oil lamps fit with reflectors above and alongside the flame which projected the light downward and side to side. Gas light followed, and was filtered by opal [...]
History Lesson: The Tea Trolley
Also called a tea cart or tea wagon, the tea trolley is simply a serving cart on castors, usually with two shelves, used to serve tea and refreshments. First seen in the early 19th century, the tea trolley was used to display an attractive tea set in every proper Victorian household. It was important to [...]
History Lesson: Radiator Cabinets
(I have just moved into a new apartment which happens to be in an old home, and was inspired to do research for this post because of the old radiator cabinets that are in every room.) The early 19th century saw the development of many domestic household luxuries including central heating, fresh water, and piped [...]
History Lesson: Doorknobs
It is not known for sure when doorknobs were first used. Based on architecture history and what we know of the lifestyles of royalty, certain assumptions have been made. It wasn’t until the late 1500s that residential dwellings were converted to individual rooms with specific functions. Woven tapestries were used to separate the spaces, and [...]
History Lesson: Tassels
Tassels were originally made by winding thread or string around a suspended strand until the desired shape was attained. Later, turned wooden moulds were used as the base of the shape and wrapped with thread. Tassel construction became an art form, and in France an apprenticeship of seven years was required to become a “Passementiere”. [...]
History Lesson: Aubusson Carpets
Aubusson is known for its tapestries and carpets. The town is located in the Creuse Valley of central France, and the first looms were set up by Flemish refugees in the 14th century. The designs were inspired by motifs of Savonnerie rugs, which at the time were available only to royalty. The production of the [...]
History Lesson: The fleur-de-lys
The fleur-de-lys is decorative design resembling a stylized lily or iris. It has appeared on countless European artwork, coats of arms, and flags over the centuries, and has been found on Mesopotamian and Mycenean pottery, Egyptian bas-reliefs, textiles, coins, clothes, emblems, and totems since the beginning of civilization. Throughout history it has been primarily associated [...]
History Lesson: The Console Table
The console table is primarily attributed to French furniture design of the 1700’s. Originally the console was designed as a half-moon shaped top on two legs. It was adhered to the wall with an S-shaped bracket called a console, making the table appear as though it was freestanding. The tables were mainly decorative until they [...]
Design History Lesson: The Wingback Chair
Wingback chairs were first seen in front of fireplaces across Europe in the 1700s. They are named for the part of the frame that extends from the arm and joins the back at a 90-degree or wider angle. The resulting wing shape was used to shield the body from the heat of the roaring fire, [...]
