Barn Raising

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Would you be willing to live in a barn? Well, yes, if the barn looked like the romantic compound that Andrea Filippone and William Welch have created by combining 19th-century barns and farmhouses in New Jersey horse country. The couple owns <a href="http://www.tendenzedesign.com/" target="_blank">Tendenze Design</a>, which is housed in their 11,000-square-foot home/workspace that continues to evolve after 18 years. "Our aesthetic is based on a love of how older buildings age and the resulting textures of old wooden surfaces, stones, etc.," says the couple's website. They use architectural salvage to create interiors and landscapes that are inspired by "the classic design of European country houses and gardens." Take a peak . . .</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lZDOlXigUj4u7EfbSfo1hJP3P9VGbG8BRKwR6E0Ecz4SqjfP5YGdlbHXZu4yQeZptkZ5SYEzlA2yqRbpZhcvXpkY1yVgGpJbFPk3Mm0dXmQBnP2tSPzCDM2DIGVgvxFQGFB6VCFZ0SA/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone02-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lZDOlXigUj4u7EfbSfo1hJP3P9VGbG8BRKwR6E0Ecz4SqjfP5YGdlbHXZu4yQeZptkZ5SYEzlA2yqRbpZhcvXpkY1yVgGpJbFPk3Mm0dXmQBnP2tSPzCDM2DIGVgvxFQGFB6VCFZ0SA/s640/EDC050112Fillipone02-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The biggest compliment," says Andrea Filippone, "is that people say this place looks like it's been here forever.  . . . That's what we're going for."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOUamj3E7KmbF9qO8TUno6AkQ1YAUyXO3j61ZpTGiEVYWFOuSEf_70d-nqiP1fCgC2tItNkO8ZmTSpXSO_dixBevFAc5OGM-VR2G1SLaIbFgl4J5h1hceOlG8k0b2j4KBWr0Um50pS7U/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone01-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOUamj3E7KmbF9qO8TUno6AkQ1YAUyXO3j61ZpTGiEVYWFOuSEf_70d-nqiP1fCgC2tItNkO8ZmTSpXSO_dixBevFAc5OGM-VR2G1SLaIbFgl4J5h1hceOlG8k0b2j4KBWr0Um50pS7U/s640/EDC050112Fillipone01-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Circa-1910 fireplace surround. 1920s mirror.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"The flooring was originally beams in a Civil War hospital in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUjes0xhlOkJfHcep-J2JStQO_0KHn25h09lSr6Ib12lOTcomHqljo3ZXldd6Q6uUpufwwC14yk_HDBMcgqbyyY8Tq5ryr9BRHYX2FjTPx9hqhg9w798rCA4T0Q6ziq6CzUX6GFmvIe8/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone12-625-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUjes0xhlOkJfHcep-J2JStQO_0KHn25h09lSr6Ib12lOTcomHqljo3ZXldd6Q6uUpufwwC14yk_HDBMcgqbyyY8Tq5ryr9BRHYX2FjTPx9hqhg9w798rCA4T0Q6ziq6CzUX6GFmvIe8/s640/EDC050112Fillipone12-625-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The orangery.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Italian chandelier. 19th-century French doors.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1920s farmhouse bench from France.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Busts of Diana and Caesar.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gzf1IQuDHGu7E1wSshLrv6u0GSUsPlJkCcq2oQQRsJ_m4Nt1ImUtsAhPYNaFgBqi9qfbWhemaCmQcpT1EqGkm-uVlvvw4E_E_UrCBLU6y7-yAkqsjg4DDxVu8qWavb4kzdp49DpOL18/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone10-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gzf1IQuDHGu7E1wSshLrv6u0GSUsPlJkCcq2oQQRsJ_m4Nt1ImUtsAhPYNaFgBqi9qfbWhemaCmQcpT1EqGkm-uVlvvw4E_E_UrCBLU6y7-yAkqsjg4DDxVu8qWavb4kzdp49DpOL18/s640/EDC050112Fillipone10-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Circa-1930 ladder-back chairs. American drop-leaf table. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Empire-style chest. Antique pine floor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qWY0tZycKlv4qiN3G7ZhiXK_OKxuT413M2QMoV_JyUbcRyqjBGDYdIbKeVV9ZJ9IzV4QNY_oCl6vyZzINz03ZUYA5bCc4I3yLLmpsO-bEnOw3k56RDfZwFLGN_v4Kb4uMd-JsOQqvsc/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone05-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qWY0tZycKlv4qiN3G7ZhiXK_OKxuT413M2QMoV_JyUbcRyqjBGDYdIbKeVV9ZJ9IzV4QNY_oCl6vyZzINz03ZUYA5bCc4I3yLLmpsO-bEnOw3k56RDfZwFLGN_v4Kb4uMd-JsOQqvsc/s640/EDC050112Fillipone05-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boxwood hedges in the courtyard.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2w8bMYwS0XLEwtHbiDlvwdV3K8wDC64TiHGswMJoHq1WCAKYjOu4IJfW0LvNsyonisMTFN_TH1544DpGAYoDGPUbMJr-DxWAstEgfsXX94bomWfSfNLArFv8nNdEp2Wbvveax-ukukw/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone03-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2w8bMYwS0XLEwtHbiDlvwdV3K8wDC64TiHGswMJoHq1WCAKYjOu4IJfW0LvNsyonisMTFN_TH1544DpGAYoDGPUbMJr-DxWAstEgfsXX94bomWfSfNLArFv8nNdEp2Wbvveax-ukukw/s640/EDC050112Fillipone03-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andrea Filippone tests plants for their ability to withstand the many deer that roam the area.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"Having challenges focuses you, makes you humble about what is possible. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But it also makes you more creative."</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqh3m0hng_7SVKn-WWHoxTldUb6YUqaH0PG4OsDI4eBp2k4a8VQ4Ft2mh1dxts97ehRUbfhjAUSzGAhJTi3wh-H18t5hGLtycXFveSlUhVQ-ud8Hd3kcsv9FQcSnazFOBX6pHcLM2JK4E/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone07-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqh3m0hng_7SVKn-WWHoxTldUb6YUqaH0PG4OsDI4eBp2k4a8VQ4Ft2mh1dxts97ehRUbfhjAUSzGAhJTi3wh-H18t5hGLtycXFveSlUhVQ-ud8Hd3kcsv9FQcSnazFOBX6pHcLM2JK4E/s640/EDC050112Fillipone07-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The compound is a popular site for photo shoots. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fashion editors are drawn to its elegant beauty and aristocratic grandeur.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvF5TGt-M_40Q9C07hgYqWOZAnEcPHxL4FcCU5U39QufYISmkRp2hBD9w3PVB8WPhxvpsHLqE4e03zGqj8V0av-n0LWKJlVTwzza3ZBQQLNcdq9uNVD175N_4t2JRSGtFWGQ5ckTQIDw/s1600/EDC050112Fillipone11-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvF5TGt-M_40Q9C07hgYqWOZAnEcPHxL4FcCU5U39QufYISmkRp2hBD9w3PVB8WPhxvpsHLqE4e03zGqj8V0av-n0LWKJlVTwzza3ZBQQLNcdq9uNVD175N_4t2JRSGtFWGQ5ckTQIDw/s640/EDC050112Fillipone11-400-lgn%255B1%255D.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Husband and wife Andrea Filippone and William Welch, the creative team of <a href="http://www.tendenzedesign.com/" target="_blank">Tendenze Design</a>, met while studying at Harvard University's School of Deisgn.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by William Waldron.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by JC Garcia-Lavin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Text by Nancy Hass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elle Decor (May 2012).</span></div>

Barn Raising

Would you be willing to live in a barn? Well, yes, if the barn looked like the romantic compound that Andrea Filippone and William Welch hav...

Read more »

LEGO is Latin for "I Put Together"

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LEGO<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">®, the Danish company that makes the colorful plastic building bricks, turns 80 years old this month. Last night I discovered <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdDU_BBJW9Y" target="_blank">a video on YouTube</a> that is narrated by the LEGO<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">® founder's grandson, who explains the company's history. After watching the video, I began thinking about artists who use LEGOs<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">® to create art. "Lego" is Latin for "I put together", a perfect name for a perfect product -- one that has fed the imaginations of children and adults for 80 years. Here are the creations of three different artists:</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7R_P_mHDZlVuAC7NE5CE7M_Lv133l85ewcPlhEfj7e88kl6nrAtNLHZLXT5jonihAZahg0Xhy19aQ2WN27SgGKJyjMMv2ypYVPHAQfVm6_ed_FenDzwXwvB6J5kiipqdEGT5FnvQZXc/s1600/brian-lego%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7R_P_mHDZlVuAC7NE5CE7M_Lv133l85ewcPlhEfj7e88kl6nrAtNLHZLXT5jonihAZahg0Xhy19aQ2WN27SgGKJyjMMv2ypYVPHAQfVm6_ed_FenDzwXwvB6J5kiipqdEGT5FnvQZXc/s400/brian-lego%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brian Korte began playing with LEGOs<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">® as a young boy. He now designs commissioned LEGO<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">® art for <a href="http://brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz LLC</a> in Richmond, Virginia. Brian is sitting next to his Guiness World Record-breaking LEGO<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">® mosaic.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz LLC</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5WzWtOTMI_j71EoEmKPDDKTxuVxb_1JROukz3b8nh5RJZJmM-xJACvpGT0aGh3qCAXpsiDfxcSNhoPirh0tvVEfIn9_HjbJ-ZWRGR-igQxw_RKsU_haJSGjrhXRV-bn94DJANLDzD1o/s1600/originaldandy%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5WzWtOTMI_j71EoEmKPDDKTxuVxb_1JROukz3b8nh5RJZJmM-xJACvpGT0aGh3qCAXpsiDfxcSNhoPirh0tvVEfIn9_HjbJ-ZWRGR-igQxw_RKsU_haJSGjrhXRV-bn94DJANLDzD1o/s400/originaldandy%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brian Korte started with this photo . . . </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwFXJ5BF5GGL81mmhQRr9tFzMX1JGGklcFgr-bE_Rq-aatA-KS3Pyyi8X2xXfKUrpGJ37sperI93tftxanUnnREgbeTD1vDpzlh3qWEA8S3pcROIGxKSJ5XtLZzjDLkV_Jwv4GddP70c/s1600/lego-mosaic-dandelion%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwFXJ5BF5GGL81mmhQRr9tFzMX1JGGklcFgr-bE_Rq-aatA-KS3Pyyi8X2xXfKUrpGJ37sperI93tftxanUnnREgbeTD1vDpzlh3qWEA8S3pcROIGxKSJ5XtLZzjDLkV_Jwv4GddP70c/s640/lego-mosaic-dandelion%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And ended up with this creation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roy Lichtenstein's "Kiss V 1969" was the inspiration for . . .</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cumUytPn43oQPZrjmVAIbss41u0-MNiBY8ESRwfK8J_iXCE_aAkmcQ7vw66VOuxtfnGEfXyphYwpyAhzwJXYijObjWZmi_UJ9GANG4VStalMZRL8BwrpEa_Ra6I_Hy7iKsv2NvpgTyU/s1600/lego-mosaic-pop-art%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cumUytPn43oQPZrjmVAIbss41u0-MNiBY8ESRwfK8J_iXCE_aAkmcQ7vw66VOuxtfnGEfXyphYwpyAhzwJXYijObjWZmi_UJ9GANG4VStalMZRL8BwrpEa_Ra6I_Hy7iKsv2NvpgTyU/s640/lego-mosaic-pop-art%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LEGO Mosaic: "Pixel Kiss"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">by Brian Korte</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">45" x 45"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">20,736 LEGO elements</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">5 colors</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_NZYL91U-Vq0nzOZNaWU9AjW4entLnikOI4Fnb_ca5hkoM_UZqem3d7D6svGNzFLHSicvOS78FITTWWuZ9a_0xPritg0ZZZk9-G81JEydTwMpF4twptiVJwWjCGV_aHpSxYbCR_Ciko/s1600/finishingtouches%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_NZYL91U-Vq0nzOZNaWU9AjW4entLnikOI4Fnb_ca5hkoM_UZqem3d7D6svGNzFLHSicvOS78FITTWWuZ9a_0xPritg0ZZZk9-G81JEydTwMpF4twptiVJwWjCGV_aHpSxYbCR_Ciko/s640/finishingtouches%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.brickworkz.com/" target="_blank">Brickworkz</a></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9JQs3mQDp8zyMFyl31ATvXmDzPHfPOq8UFJ2NcyGtC3Epzb-XoN9eYq8kNsIAUbc1PicfqCo2So3FLMr7iZ53S67ZCkN2kOlThlkKomzxOYcS-pBZ8cfW0A6h1rLaB-d8aSJqZBuOzw/s1600/1338988396m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9JQs3mQDp8zyMFyl31ATvXmDzPHfPOq8UFJ2NcyGtC3Epzb-XoN9eYq8kNsIAUbc1PicfqCo2So3FLMr7iZ53S67ZCkN2kOlThlkKomzxOYcS-pBZ8cfW0A6h1rLaB-d8aSJqZBuOzw/s640/1338988396m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artist </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seankenney.com/" target="_blank">Sean Kenney</a> created this "sculpture of an in-flight Tiger Swallowtail butterfly [that] is over 5 feet across and was built with 37, 481 LEGO pieces."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8VeQ3DUwj2CE-bCpPful8kWsMWwVLvYQSAnI9UXAjaKJ1OAmxE3eKJRJkOE1kGijKtKtBPFg3OUKgiDu3TygRMMj-Jcgqy5_pT8fz_6J8zrHkWlfLJneFwfn6zmXbu68qul8E8FmFnY/s1600/1338988253m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8VeQ3DUwj2CE-bCpPful8kWsMWwVLvYQSAnI9UXAjaKJ1OAmxE3eKJRJkOE1kGijKtKtBPFg3OUKgiDu3TygRMMj-Jcgqy5_pT8fz_6J8zrHkWlfLJneFwfn6zmXbu68qul8E8FmFnY/s640/1338988253m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another view of the Tiger Swallowtail, which is part of Sean Kenney's "Nature Connects" show, which currently is touring the United States.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtIvadNwaq01T4IOw9CWxXOesCNXZruihrdUGzvikQKiVLl2TSEsBsTLK1XSu9uFPC7_dtrHIhAx81bwxpsddhoAQi7VVO2ajz1gg-xAp63xyn7hgkKLgGJXhOAZOPzHHACcGFGGUyWM/s1600/splash%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtIvadNwaq01T4IOw9CWxXOesCNXZruihrdUGzvikQKiVLl2TSEsBsTLK1XSu9uFPC7_dtrHIhAx81bwxpsddhoAQi7VVO2ajz1gg-xAp63xyn7hgkKLgGJXhOAZOPzHHACcGFGGUyWM/s640/splash%5B2%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This scene [by Sean Kenney], installed in a real lake, is built entirely out of 57,132 LEGO bricks and features five giant lily pads, a jumping koi fish, a frog and a water lily (lotus bloom)."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtFsCkRzcfb_WwTZSGCm8zG9P-TPwP2rVTBPxFrhI_GfHtBx0CQvkp1ssQ4oQZAb5XERSpYupu1T_yppoYDsElBg_mWe6FjyK8BVnox_A1Ew1His2ngyuoofaarCPf1NSehzRo0jPQIM/s1600/1336649212m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtFsCkRzcfb_WwTZSGCm8zG9P-TPwP2rVTBPxFrhI_GfHtBx0CQvkp1ssQ4oQZAb5XERSpYupu1T_yppoYDsElBg_mWe6FjyK8BVnox_A1Ew1His2ngyuoofaarCPf1NSehzRo0jPQIM/s640/1336649212m_SPLASH%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Says Sean Kenney: "The sculptures were assembled in my New York City art studio, then custom-crated in museum-quality exhibition crates for my new show, Nature Connects, which is currently touring the United States."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-G17YL3LGwgDK0rmmJq4TpL96OAIumALHjll8hN_dg1i1uvVFUFag13V1z_uOESn-R8ThNCf45rz-D8eys_RY-lhz0zeAiGRuTQe46Ysfl-MslXRMjfAegsLy5hobOVNsfWlIT0GuQU/s1600/splash%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-G17YL3LGwgDK0rmmJq4TpL96OAIumALHjll8hN_dg1i1uvVFUFag13V1z_uOESn-R8ThNCf45rz-D8eys_RY-lhz0zeAiGRuTQe46Ysfl-MslXRMjfAegsLy5hobOVNsfWlIT0GuQU/s640/splash%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Google and LEGO have a fun and special history. . . . The Google founders, Larry Page and Sergey Bin, are both avid lovers of the LEGO brick, as are many of the company's employees. Sean [Kenney] was approached by the head of Google New York about bringing LEGO to their offices."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This Google logo is 6 feet wide and composed of 5,300 LEGO elements.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It was completed in April 19, 2007.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAMciDOd8HABtbjV3wjBadhrG9r6ziOwmpliMy1c2moYo-6tMAj2-66niEXO_Uzjp4rFxD3rkVajhBo5RvARLC7LgX7ZFEM8XL-cb_9cSxBtQmqN2gg6dOIjG_J6GhKYM6LFqYsAEgSc/s1600/splash%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAMciDOd8HABtbjV3wjBadhrG9r6ziOwmpliMy1c2moYo-6tMAj2-66niEXO_Uzjp4rFxD3rkVajhBo5RvARLC7LgX7ZFEM8XL-cb_9cSxBtQmqN2gg6dOIjG_J6GhKYM6LFqYsAEgSc/s640/splash%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This LEGO sculpture of the Nintendo DSi [by Sean Kenney] was on display at the Nintendo World Store at Rockefeller Center in New York City for 6 months in 2009."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">78" x 18" x 78"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">51,324 LEGO elements.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Completed April 5, 2009.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: Sean Kenney</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnokbyfw2rljctg5fUNi9Q-kIy-SfORMZSh3dYlOF4vhzbw80NFCu4A_EOJFJ1PH287vl1hia4Umm61pJlMfg5kkw2QJeILcZfJbfBTdHq_k_R936GWTADnVXcxLMe-lwFht8mDwjLc4/s1600/nathan-bio-2%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnokbyfw2rljctg5fUNi9Q-kIy-SfORMZSh3dYlOF4vhzbw80NFCu4A_EOJFJ1PH287vl1hia4Umm61pJlMfg5kkw2QJeILcZfJbfBTdHq_k_R936GWTADnVXcxLMe-lwFht8mDwjLc4/s640/nathan-bio-2%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brick Artist<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">™ <a href="http://brickartist.com/" target="_blank">Nathan Sawaya</a> is a full-time freelance artist based in New York. While growing up in Veneta, Oregon, he "drew cartoons, wrote stories, perfected magic tricks and also played with LEGO." He uses the same LEGO bricks anyone can buy at <a href="http://shop.lego.com/" target="_blank">LEGO</a> or any toy store.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNgNfiWUVsAg7IAye38q_FePy7qBU9M3AopEqiX9tvvqNzg-0W0G5KJExTER0L_IobIOkKwhvmfDIODgaaGGbZG6NzJjcdQL_81LM9FuOjytX1DI62-GjG93ln8UYccXBwB7hA3Z4nlk/s1600/dna-1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNgNfiWUVsAg7IAye38q_FePy7qBU9M3AopEqiX9tvvqNzg-0W0G5KJExTER0L_IobIOkKwhvmfDIODgaaGGbZG6NzJjcdQL_81LM9FuOjytX1DI62-GjG93ln8UYccXBwB7hA3Z4nlk/s640/dna-1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Close-up view of Nathan Sawaya's "Building Bricks of Life".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">May 2011.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">83" x 16" x 22"</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2tqhE5QvHdPVUoY8QhirLrNWhjzj2GtCCw5maU97ePFowPMJHDh9rUm8M-doMH1r9ydTw51V-KBKhz8RQKcyqMjcXmh-7F7swqTQ92Nbo7T3btY0qnJ28jbZ1GaZwO9LBaaLU2cc5T8/s1600/dna-2%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2tqhE5QvHdPVUoY8QhirLrNWhjzj2GtCCw5maU97ePFowPMJHDh9rUm8M-doMH1r9ydTw51V-KBKhz8RQKcyqMjcXmh-7F7swqTQ92Nbo7T3btY0qnJ28jbZ1GaZwO9LBaaLU2cc5T8/s640/dna-2%5B1%5D.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nathan Sawaya's "Building Bricks of Life" "debuted as part of the X Prize Foundation's National DNA Day exhibit at the Saint Louis Science Center."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bvuvh4MGSPjADoH7ptP4j9K9j0vtxAVmhPLfDMbzMOZjq6wYujucEU4s7EdoC1RuTAVt4egJIOQ3-Wr1IUQtkWf2Cb6dbUNtn2eMAXZw8MhCt6dxnUZXe9ObMDe8eZq_zml3Hv2kNVU/s1600/van-gogh-starry-night-2%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bvuvh4MGSPjADoH7ptP4j9K9j0vtxAVmhPLfDMbzMOZjq6wYujucEU4s7EdoC1RuTAVt4egJIOQ3-Wr1IUQtkWf2Cb6dbUNtn2eMAXZw8MhCt6dxnUZXe9ObMDe8eZq_zml3Hv2kNVU/s640/van-gogh-starry-night-2%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nathan Sawaya was inspired by Van Gogh's "Starry Night".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">45" x 36"</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZ0UVFPTOLC2h2MRGXyNhmosb2tq5G8mRu8hOzP7kAgCjfuqXb-jq2Nyz8xXTcYW7ZCxvOP3QUAV2PhPB3v6i1epOUiD2S_n5XopfPs4YhPiAi7qHaho0_M_s86bqULFtA9kRpxvHqMY/s1600/melting-man%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZ0UVFPTOLC2h2MRGXyNhmosb2tq5G8mRu8hOzP7kAgCjfuqXb-jq2Nyz8xXTcYW7ZCxvOP3QUAV2PhPB3v6i1epOUiD2S_n5XopfPs4YhPiAi7qHaho0_M_s86bqULFtA9kRpxvHqMY/s640/melting-man%5B1%5D.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Melting Man" by Nathan Sawaya.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">38" x 16" x 16"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Says the Brick Artist<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">™: "As the winter season approaches, I wanted to try my hand at ice sculpture, Out of LEGO. So I created this Melting Man sculpture completely out of transparent LEGO bricks. I also lit it from within, to give it a glowy-feel."</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUD4aTcxAYm2_zGyaICz2HzXmwS_1JGiwqWHkxQOSs8zXJG1yUPS-YcLdZ0C6NnvJdlUd9bWVB-1pGQ_8mZ_7SUHHqWug46PqVWAZffyYIFPSPbJ2KRPeNu-wQpw1LnS1vNTEbjoeeWo/s1600/think-1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUD4aTcxAYm2_zGyaICz2HzXmwS_1JGiwqWHkxQOSs8zXJG1yUPS-YcLdZ0C6NnvJdlUd9bWVB-1pGQ_8mZ_7SUHHqWug46PqVWAZffyYIFPSPbJ2KRPeNu-wQpw1LnS1vNTEbjoeeWo/s640/think-1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;"></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The title of this 42" x 26" x 22" piece by Nathan Sawaya says it all:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"Think!"</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photo credit: <a href="http://brickartist.com/">brickartist.com</a></span></div>

LEGO is Latin for "I Put Together"

LEGO ®, the Danish company that makes the colorful plastic building bricks, turns 80 years old this month. Last night I discovered  a video ...

Read more »

In the Billiard Room

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was growing up, I used to play the murder mystery board game <em>Clue</em>. My family had an old 1950s version of the game that looked like this copy I found on eBay.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsjlWsUqWOYdOB8ACnK_utRnlMEji8bpe8gokmXLx4htcxjcJs_5dT0oeCYfEuKoMmXkfoIF6Oyn7eLOx6mYJRl10KhEWhYrqHp-iUJvmfc04jq8fbTg2lmDmufdduQLNBT2OpCo4TL4/s1600/il_570xN.312277284%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsjlWsUqWOYdOB8ACnK_utRnlMEji8bpe8gokmXLx4htcxjcJs_5dT0oeCYfEuKoMmXkfoIF6Oyn7eLOx6mYJRl10KhEWhYrqHp-iUJvmfc04jq8fbTg2lmDmufdduQLNBT2OpCo4TL4/s400/il_570xN.312277284%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The game is set in a large country home. Players must determine the room in which the murder was committed (library, kitchen, conservatory, etc.), the weapon that was used (rope, lead pipe, revolver, etc.), and the character (Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, etc.) who committed the crime. <em>Clue</em> is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie novels, which I read in abundance when I was younger. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the rooms in the <em>Clue</em> manor is the billiard room. I imagined this space to be dark with wood-paneled walls, leather furniture, the smell of a pipe. The perfect place for mystery. Like the billiard room in <span id="goog_150440206"></span><a href="http://www.wrothampark.com/" target="_blank">Wrotham Park<span id="goog_150440207"></span></a>, the English manor where some scenes from the movie <em>Gosford Park</em> were filmed. The billiard rooms I have seen recently in decorating magazines are not exactly like the one I envisioned long ago. Some are rather beachy and most are full of light. Take a look . . . <em> </em></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfL85mlZlrKL25Unpjx3jVqdLDlk4yitRl-8bnvghyphenhyphenTZGojFEHhbAFkTzUJ0rkxtnkul-MAarQyjJZZHB4HMrKICTtR1CLqW9kdRH1Qh3iV64CRKDbFSizMd2aMWIU8YTvAxAYTeh4hg/s1600/15-craftsmanship-familyroom-1107_xlg%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfL85mlZlrKL25Unpjx3jVqdLDlk4yitRl-8bnvghyphenhyphenTZGojFEHhbAFkTzUJ0rkxtnkul-MAarQyjJZZHB4HMrKICTtR1CLqW9kdRH1Qh3iV64CRKDbFSizMd2aMWIU8YTvAxAYTeh4hg/s640/15-craftsmanship-familyroom-1107_xlg%5B1%5D.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A new house in Bedford, New York. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Jeffrey Bilhuber.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Don Freeman.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">House Beautiful.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQL6DGbZatkB6FEaQq3ULJLcDBCx0wKfg2R6lY3pp3FYER2Ux6VbEW93X-p1yUYPnq1w3fM5jd9kgGGBIVpvfnqWBXC4STQ61rT1IbtxNZFjFkpR5ZsI00-bspeBdCS1Uk3O5nQF3xn0/s1600/BlogBilliardRoomADSept2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQL6DGbZatkB6FEaQq3ULJLcDBCx0wKfg2R6lY3pp3FYER2Ux6VbEW93X-p1yUYPnq1w3fM5jd9kgGGBIVpvfnqWBXC4STQ61rT1IbtxNZFjFkpR5ZsI00-bspeBdCS1Uk3O5nQF3xn0/s640/BlogBilliardRoomADSept2011.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calabasas, California vacation home of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The pool room's alder-wood billiard table with nail-head detailing  was designed by Lance and fabricated by Blatt Billiards."</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architect: Stephen Samuelson.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by Roger Davies.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (September 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnv0DEBjF6IbEFkx__lLYm_9rerHm9xLcOk-c0iPVJKJF6YmYuJ2nQxp_apaSEFeYoahrExDdTFLzi6HPtmXctrIlHGxBG3kIt5l_2T28JmI7F93GxlX_u1oZfjRGN28z5bj8P2KDtvI/s1600/courteney-extra-wm-04-lgn%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnv0DEBjF6IbEFkx__lLYm_9rerHm9xLcOk-c0iPVJKJF6YmYuJ2nQxp_apaSEFeYoahrExDdTFLzi6HPtmXctrIlHGxBG3kIt5l_2T28JmI7F93GxlX_u1oZfjRGN28z5bj8P2KDtvI/s640/courteney-extra-wm-04-lgn%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Custom made pool table in home of actress Courteney Cox.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Flagstone floor. Painting by Arsen Roje.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chairs from Blackman Cruz.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Light fixture by Hivemindesign.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elle Decor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmulM1TsjMq0lC-_hhN3btgIIywF3OfuzkUYD-cQrjZ5We054PhkX4iuN5EBiGvwcpNhR_FftFjQX1I4GSRbx5KuNhXCt-PR2GouuUtqGu6cSKHjzTZbYpdrHW4Ie4hfwKndoEjQpU8YY/s1600/item3.rendition.slideshowHorizontal.steven-volpe-lewis-butler-04-lounge%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmulM1TsjMq0lC-_hhN3btgIIywF3OfuzkUYD-cQrjZ5We054PhkX4iuN5EBiGvwcpNhR_FftFjQX1I4GSRbx5KuNhXCt-PR2GouuUtqGu6cSKHjzTZbYpdrHW4Ie4hfwKndoEjQpU8YY/s640/item3.rendition.slideshowHorizontal.steven-volpe-lewis-butler-04-lounge%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A restored circa-1915 pool table from Blatt Billiards.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, a pair of 1940s French chairs by Marc du Plantier, a black marble mantel by Axel Vervoordt and twin '50s floor lamps by Gino Sarfatti.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Steven Volpe.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Renovations by architect Lewis Butler, Butler Armsden Architects.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Pieter Estersohn.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (November 2011).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlASjyJaftQd6zThjxlSfZPeB5L1t87emDVHXijkakPuXTMH7UoRFbVg-B0yv6n7ExCAQdMxdHQHmpYJ7lsfcXgzYWiCf20EWUYcEoTrWIYJ346PTPkxeIntvzbQLeymNdIucIL6zFqs/s1600/item3.rendition.slideshowWideHorizontal.frank-greenwald-03-family-room%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlASjyJaftQd6zThjxlSfZPeB5L1t87emDVHXijkakPuXTMH7UoRFbVg-B0yv6n7ExCAQdMxdHQHmpYJ7lsfcXgzYWiCf20EWUYcEoTrWIYJ346PTPkxeIntvzbQLeymNdIucIL6zFqs/s640/item3.rendition.slideshowWideHorizontal.frank-greenwald-03-family-room%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hamptons home of architect Frank Greenwald.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Mary Foley and Michael Cox</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Scott Frances.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (July 2012).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIVa7uo7jZ9RJPs3pTsaIJ9gMNu27io6pp66FLJ0v2G6zuRPJk5kOj9W4tIQmdk3hZ0LP_aNn5J9GsMsikLRPAeTupM7pDyH0mwfaKfR32-RczQa7oE8txla-gaJrQJCP3hemVmF8wFY/s1600/item5.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.leroy-street-studio-hamptons-house-10%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIVa7uo7jZ9RJPs3pTsaIJ9gMNu27io6pp66FLJ0v2G6zuRPJk5kOj9W4tIQmdk3hZ0LP_aNn5J9GsMsikLRPAeTupM7pDyH0mwfaKfR32-RczQa7oE8txla-gaJrQJCP3hemVmF8wFY/s640/item5.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.leroy-street-studio-hamptons-house-10%5B1%5D.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pendant lights by Tom Dixon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hamptons home created by <a href="http://www.leroystreetstudio.com/" target="_blank">Leroy Street Studio</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by <a href="http://www.kennethalpert.com/" target="_blank">Kenneth Alpert of KA Design Group</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Adrian Wilson.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (June 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOHelse0vouKZSDvoZEiQykOtjcXIc1PkKjXm3JmQElWRaXEmEC9IS2iu9IYAevFzZSR-981TYwZoyVJzy-Ut0h-leaFR8Pf_ZCWUaxMYud5iY6qtn0pOyGhVCsERlYGzz23t76XbXoY/s1600/item08.rendition.slideshowVertical.08_martyn-lawrence-bullard-vacation-home-mexico%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOHelse0vouKZSDvoZEiQykOtjcXIc1PkKjXm3JmQElWRaXEmEC9IS2iu9IYAevFzZSR-981TYwZoyVJzy-Ut0h-leaFR8Pf_ZCWUaxMYud5iY6qtn0pOyGhVCsERlYGzz23t76XbXoY/s640/item08.rendition.slideshowVertical.08_martyn-lawrence-bullard-vacation-home-mexico%5B1%5D.jpg" width="590" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A custom-made light by Reborn Antiques hangs from a thatched ceiling in a Punta Mita, Mexico beach home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Tim Street-Porter.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architectural Digest (August 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF0cJzVeSehVw7TbepVbiW-WMjXVbWnTJc8PJhdM6BYnMPZ_IbAEhcEb6OUX8kX1IKU1vQAlZA3zkVIgflPfd5a-96hcrvg7nMfQP6dy_sSPf67RYXite9M8kZMikTZsZlbBB29AwINY/s1600/item08.rendition.slideshowVertical.couturier-08-billiard-room%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF0cJzVeSehVw7TbepVbiW-WMjXVbWnTJc8PJhdM6BYnMPZ_IbAEhcEb6OUX8kX1IKU1vQAlZA3zkVIgflPfd5a-96hcrvg7nMfQP6dy_sSPf67RYXite9M8kZMikTZsZlbBB29AwINY/s640/item08.rendition.slideshowVertical.couturier-08-billiard-room%5B1%5D.jpg" width="590" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marshcourt, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a country house 75 miles southwest of London.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The billiard room's Zaha Hadid sofa for Sawaya & Moroni and pair of vintage Italian armchairs complement a reproduction by Lutyens Furniture & Lighting of the original billiard-table light."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: Edwin Lutyens.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Robert Couturier.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"My natural tendency would be to look at Lutyens's books and think you have to have Elizabethan or neo-Gothic furniture here. But then it would become very boring. We soon realized that contemporary furniture would jolt the house to life."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Tim Beddow.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (September 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgtGe8hxLF6DwFybhyphenhyphenZbo-ouclrmP3Ukj_5rf_owDIW03QVnWBikQ1eYRCZuquzHOaK7aMQQQGVZTxPB_sT5BlRXSbkYAX6GCTcn-Dv0un1daxt265PyZOuKGP1HOja_msMueuG9w-tA/s1600/item01.rendition.slideshowHorizontal.couturier-01-marshcourt-exterior-facade%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgtGe8hxLF6DwFybhyphenhyphenZbo-ouclrmP3Ukj_5rf_owDIW03QVnWBikQ1eYRCZuquzHOaK7aMQQQGVZTxPB_sT5BlRXSbkYAX6GCTcn-Dv0un1daxt265PyZOuKGP1HOja_msMueuG9w-tA/s640/item01.rendition.slideshowHorizontal.couturier-01-marshcourt-exterior-facade%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">External view of Marshcourt (pictured above).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Built in England in the early 1900s.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: Edwin Lutyens.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQWSslXM2MrUA4PpZcTWRMZcOblrBPpejkNlCRg-82H1TdkSfEN8agUTCw91pmVgeK_4QH60V6LsOk4xKgpnFXEKuH-5Q_ll-EmETHHhShr7ptzHPd_f8yNTwrKAxJ3Ubwp53Le-7ZM0/s1600/p_101451410%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQWSslXM2MrUA4PpZcTWRMZcOblrBPpejkNlCRg-82H1TdkSfEN8agUTCw91pmVgeK_4QH60V6LsOk4xKgpnFXEKuH-5Q_ll-EmETHHhShr7ptzHPd_f8yNTwrKAxJ3Ubwp53Le-7ZM0/s640/p_101451410%5B1%5D.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The classic burgundy of a pool table's felt is the inspiration for this billiard room. Fiery reds appear in the grasscloth wall covering, Kilim-covered George Smith club chairs, and the geometric folding screen. The round mirror above the mantel takes its 'cue' from the billiard balls."</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traditional Home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-zAQAZL1O5yjRbG-d6S-ssbmIaLJuhSKFZQ3KUoivYNb2R2B5J-N3M1QDoVTKpFakZmkGmpSqDpK-cap10nLrrwsO9kgOQQ3Xy89c0fdbX_XGvLYTl0JXWzWPloiRug4eKhQNZ2H8AE/s1600/ss_101945403%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-zAQAZL1O5yjRbG-d6S-ssbmIaLJuhSKFZQ3KUoivYNb2R2B5J-N3M1QDoVTKpFakZmkGmpSqDpK-cap10nLrrwsO9kgOQQ3Xy89c0fdbX_XGvLYTl0JXWzWPloiRug4eKhQNZ2H8AE/s640/ss_101945403%5B1%5D.jpg" width="592" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bel Air, California home of actress Sela Ward.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">The map behind the bar picks up the colors of the billiard balls.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Traditional Home.</span></div>

In the Billiard Room

When I was growing up, I used to play the murder mystery board game Clue . My family had an old 1950s version of the game that looked like t...

Read more »

Out in the Open

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather is warm -- perfect for enjoying one of these outdoor showers.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGPNl3yrFpdfhH_PA9dzMDcp-3xWFYKuHmAvyC1J_5DuSm9QRrltQlDz8IXqRfwWRIgtQyr0dLDmvQPIayIGgxO8yQCcl3nYOiORnchv6nAKb9cQW1YHl5zouc916QNuiKJ8GetpwLXE/s1600/BlogOutintheOpenVerandaJulyAugust2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGPNl3yrFpdfhH_PA9dzMDcp-3xWFYKuHmAvyC1J_5DuSm9QRrltQlDz8IXqRfwWRIgtQyr0dLDmvQPIayIGgxO8yQCcl3nYOiORnchv6nAKb9cQW1YHl5zouc916QNuiKJ8GetpwLXE/s640/BlogOutintheOpenVerandaJulyAugust2011.jpg" width="492" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shower by Waterworks. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Mirrored sconce by Urban Electric Co.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Vintage lantern. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Vintage concrete wave, Downtown.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Lap of Luxury"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Veranda (July - August 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwXpOjbAI_OR455iKnHMeobiSwlDfTrjmOnH4MY4-7gSC2g-XVa5mX3V9v6SqpAMbtzBh0L6HUAkhb2jXuAgWY_8OIh_hTX-ej1lin0mMj-7-Tukc7guaSCKzgW6dew2hGQGL8euBRy4/s1600/item6.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.kelly-klein-07-master-bath%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwXpOjbAI_OR455iKnHMeobiSwlDfTrjmOnH4MY4-7gSC2g-XVa5mX3V9v6SqpAMbtzBh0L6HUAkhb2jXuAgWY_8OIh_hTX-ej1lin0mMj-7-Tukc7guaSCKzgW6dew2hGQGL8euBRy4/s640/item6.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.kelly-klein-07-master-bath%5B1%5D.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"In the master bath, the double sink is by Corian; the teak-framed glass doors lead to an outdoor shower."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Kelly Klein's Palm Beach, Florida home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: David Piscuskas of 1100 Architect.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Carlos Mota.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (August 2010).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSwZAqnLpBpWix0Ccvj5C-oESKA8q5vEKHlWt57NKHouq_l4ziim92jiF3TCLOBVqfMREHZEULqFFfSFuGNEfrLm1cfigBHavWXZrsqo3Rl0HwteSMmcceau9MbgkE4f-cDWp3h7rW20/s1600/item7.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.kelly-klein-08-outdoor-shower%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSwZAqnLpBpWix0Ccvj5C-oESKA8q5vEKHlWt57NKHouq_l4ziim92jiF3TCLOBVqfMREHZEULqFFfSFuGNEfrLm1cfigBHavWXZrsqo3Rl0HwteSMmcceau9MbgkE4f-cDWp3h7rW20/s640/item7.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.kelly-klein-08-outdoor-shower%5B1%5D.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The stainless-steel standing shower is by Marcel Wanders for Boffi, and the area is enclosed by cypress walls and gates."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Kelly Klein's Palm Beach, Florida home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: David Piscuskas of 1100 Architect.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Carlos Mota.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (August 2010).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRghqEeXJ4hL2_GT-WmxIB-0LrDmYfRH0gc4pt5JdA5QF1io56qywnJMjIU1fSW7XYKiLS0LTxj0GkSawK0B-9yag094TTSBXHCfgGBMA4tB4DlaxpqF_Y9QnF2hIwFVg7XD5r9VOcD6E/s1600/BlogOutintheOpenHBNov2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRghqEeXJ4hL2_GT-WmxIB-0LrDmYfRH0gc4pt5JdA5QF1io56qywnJMjIU1fSW7XYKiLS0LTxj0GkSawK0B-9yag094TTSBXHCfgGBMA4tB4DlaxpqF_Y9QnF2hIwFVg7XD5r9VOcD6E/s640/BlogOutintheOpenHBNov2011.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"An outdoor shower is mounted above a patio facing the beach."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A bachelor's Hermosa Beach, California house.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Parrish Chilcoat and Joe Lucas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Victoria Pearson.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">House Beautiful (November 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiHLy_PHrrfamIW3K8w-ucn3_yHSrMsoQSPkZ4uIE_9bYa5rZNdQcydo2kyGNVZXrrugKvZR0ULAOwt-fX8Haah08C7nHB1SJXnm0RslFfrpohjpuViBJjnWlMufa7qC5BqV-RnSEhHc/s1600/BlogOutintheOpenADSept2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiHLy_PHrrfamIW3K8w-ucn3_yHSrMsoQSPkZ4uIE_9bYa5rZNdQcydo2kyGNVZXrrugKvZR0ULAOwt-fX8Haah08C7nHB1SJXnm0RslFfrpohjpuViBJjnWlMufa7qC5BqV-RnSEhHc/s640/BlogOutintheOpenADSept2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"A Waterworks tub with Dornbracht fittings looks onto a courtyard featuring an outdoor shower, a hot tub and a fire pit."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Los Angeles home of Ellen and Andrew Hauptman.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: John Pawson.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Landscape design by Jonathan Bell.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Alexandra and Michael Misczynski of Atelier AM assisted John Pawson with decor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Styled by Carlos Mota.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Todd Eberle.</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (September 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Akml-oz6lbXjsIDey3cg-zLVa05medffVSl-JEJFxu4a67zb-z1f8IOsPPxkxTj6DphAvDELR5IDUVEPAduLVFOq9HItHCDoVK-OxphLfe2jLQG3jE61hmHzGNhW44hFnaH_02IIFuo/s1600/item11.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.gleason-and-mcalpine-napa-home-12-outdoor-shower%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Akml-oz6lbXjsIDey3cg-zLVa05medffVSl-JEJFxu4a67zb-z1f8IOsPPxkxTj6DphAvDELR5IDUVEPAduLVFOq9HItHCDoVK-OxphLfe2jLQG3jE61hmHzGNhW44hFnaH_02IIFuo/s640/item11.rendition.slideshowWideVertical.gleason-and-mcalpine-napa-home-12-outdoor-shower%5B1%5D.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Off the master bedroom is an outdoor shower walled with stone salvaged when digging the foundations of the house."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Casa Kulanu, the Napa Valley home of Don and Rela Gleason.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Rela Gleason, interior designer and creative director of the fabric and furnishings company Summer Hill.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Roger Davies.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architectural Digest (November 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8amqcecJ5B-HjnpdmWO3V_yQWZ22NvzfkcnIAf4o9qrUtmZ57JpHNqBV_UelTciDY3Ug0SFYHkSCGHx9PNTwqZwb762yMcWrJ3AH3NUi9Sl6MpMfAG3jkadHmdKMy2dHBwsQLoruY9B8/s1600/BlogOutintheOpenHBJulyAugust2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8amqcecJ5B-HjnpdmWO3V_yQWZ22NvzfkcnIAf4o9qrUtmZ57JpHNqBV_UelTciDY3Ug0SFYHkSCGHx9PNTwqZwb762yMcWrJ3AH3NUi9Sl6MpMfAG3jkadHmdKMy2dHBwsQLoruY9B8/s640/BlogOutintheOpenHBJulyAugust2011.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The master bath's nearly alfresco shower has Alabama white marble tile floors and French doors that open onto a pea gravel-bordered lawn."</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Costello bronze side table from Arteriors Home.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architect Bill Ingram's Birmingham, Alabama cottage.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Bill Ingram.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Simon Watson.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">House Beautiful (July - August 2011).</span></div>

Out in the Open

The weather is warm -- perfect for enjoying one of these outdoor showers. Shower by Waterworks. Mirrored sconce by Urban Electric Co. Vintag...

Read more »

Checkmate

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xKHZX6QjEbYm_bIqzQlZVfL_tcUoeJgmUlRea7iBn569k5gYBVzSyEctOKt2QbqR_1XoR-sQM1-Z53uukMK7IVVHnnkM-7W5pSDpTz_25iJAp4RTmOgg0QJUwV9iVLSldXb7LioCcMY/s1600/BlogCheckMateADSept2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xKHZX6QjEbYm_bIqzQlZVfL_tcUoeJgmUlRea7iBn569k5gYBVzSyEctOKt2QbqR_1XoR-sQM1-Z53uukMK7IVVHnnkM-7W5pSDpTz_25iJAp4RTmOgg0QJUwV9iVLSldXb7LioCcMY/s640/BlogCheckMateADSept2011.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A pair of 1960s Brazilian rosewood chairs from Noho Modern.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Living room of the Calabasas, California retreat of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Architect: Stephen Samuelson.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Roger Davies.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (September 2011).</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZaGKmflwPEh-uu8raSql23zOaNjXHdDDBx00uCKyOTixieFOjAgClx3HbIRXbsc2NUNRq3f-M1EhFxCXZ4xMLBHwI1VpUSg9X5f-NbdmRz6ULKrWWDLdyDLRggJpYBhs-LjZicnWjDk/s1600/BlogCheckMateADJan2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZaGKmflwPEh-uu8raSql23zOaNjXHdDDBx00uCKyOTixieFOjAgClx3HbIRXbsc2NUNRq3f-M1EhFxCXZ4xMLBHwI1VpUSg9X5f-NbdmRz6ULKrWWDLdyDLRggJpYBhs-LjZicnWjDk/s640/BlogCheckMateADJan2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Villa Palagio, Sting and Trudie Styler's farm in Tuscany.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The giant chessboard was Sting's idea.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Landscape design by Arabella Lennox-Boyd.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Giancarlo Gardin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (January 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMum50kIcnkMCD83pzXgFkefOxMUKF3RPryo_WYNpChsGbKO7ecWRGbq3LzbCteAf-SE8LQ-l19ilho6ywtWl4snejkE6sz39l_yt7ZVGrrFPEktZk-iTCpPU18ovwx6RfnwKU0pR0HI/s1600/cn_image.size.sting-tuscan-paradise-h670%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMum50kIcnkMCD83pzXgFkefOxMUKF3RPryo_WYNpChsGbKO7ecWRGbq3LzbCteAf-SE8LQ-l19ilho6ywtWl4snejkE6sz39l_yt7ZVGrrFPEktZk-iTCpPU18ovwx6RfnwKU0pR0HI/s640/cn_image.size.sting-tuscan-paradise-h670%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another view of Villa Palagio, Sting and Trudie Styler's farm in Tuscany.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Landscape design by Arabella Lennox-Boyd.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Giancarlo Gardin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Architectural Digest (January 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhEkcloK8RPGW49Yon0maZXyWZfEN4klxjR0YMdFqNxwWjJtr8BsJHfrZNpwkpdTLcyDl7JEc2Yt-__waVyPcvoRdT0T0Eg64CZgFAKbdN5UuBNq8oaM2xuhb0dlnXYA3uIB-Krn5qxg/s1600/BlogCheckMateEDFebMarch2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhEkcloK8RPGW49Yon0maZXyWZfEN4klxjR0YMdFqNxwWjJtr8BsJHfrZNpwkpdTLcyDl7JEc2Yt-__waVyPcvoRdT0T0Eg64CZgFAKbdN5UuBNq8oaM2xuhb0dlnXYA3uIB-Krn5qxg/s640/BlogCheckMateEDFebMarch2011.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Living room of Elle Decor's 2010 San Francisco Showhouse.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Large Hicks pendant by <a href="http://www.circalighting.com/" target="_blank">Circa Lighting</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elle Decor (February-March 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ugP0dlsG_WoHcYRKnBXun8_UqrZOSURsSw-foprvEeHTuJ5VzOm-fFHHK-RXPHtymdTIp8HkzFQGrzp6i4r6pxEHExt9e703miXGjADFKiTHhoa3SENdP47GQfG0nICDm60ym3lDJoY/s1600/BlogCheckMateHouseBeautifulDecJan2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ugP0dlsG_WoHcYRKnBXun8_UqrZOSURsSw-foprvEeHTuJ5VzOm-fFHHK-RXPHtymdTIp8HkzFQGrzp6i4r6pxEHExt9e703miXGjADFKiTHhoa3SENdP47GQfG0nICDm60ym3lDJoY/s640/BlogCheckMateHouseBeautifulDecJan2012.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hans Wegner's Wishbone chairs in a Los Angeles house.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Interior design by Pamela Shamshiri for Commune.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Amy Neunsinger.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">House Beautiful (December-January 2012).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtZKGJZoG2lvAjza3JiNiVABIxSxELRlxOKb5vjP4bSUVENc8GAzZROWsL07YPSKSTZzghmlQHDh6isE4BF_OQrj6sKbA29_KZR2wOyl325uXZBofBNxmaqNLcwXq-dcAubCHLdR4gYI/s1600/BlogCheckMateVerandaSept2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtZKGJZoG2lvAjza3JiNiVABIxSxELRlxOKb5vjP4bSUVENc8GAzZROWsL07YPSKSTZzghmlQHDh6isE4BF_OQrj6sKbA29_KZR2wOyl325uXZBofBNxmaqNLcwXq-dcAubCHLdR4gYI/s640/BlogCheckMateVerandaSept2011.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interior design by Richard Hallberg.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Game table, Rose Tarlow Melrose House.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chairs, <a href="http://www.polo.com/" target="_blank">Ralph Lauren Home</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Art (Medicine Cabinet) by Damien Hirst.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Veranda (September 2011).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASk7nAXxGeuJ2balngzXR6sHpYVQon9X1GdiXhySye1FaIqBJXrzSKvV1nUrz9zHVbrDRKCJFR3BS5zG_GLenMCKdCphwMQ1XsKhtKQB-EUSXyGdXmqRidXlpG2XQJPAg9DboPWB3pEM/s1600/BlogCheckMateTradHomeJuly2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASk7nAXxGeuJ2balngzXR6sHpYVQon9X1GdiXhySye1FaIqBJXrzSKvV1nUrz9zHVbrDRKCJFR3BS5zG_GLenMCKdCphwMQ1XsKhtKQB-EUSXyGdXmqRidXlpG2XQJPAg9DboPWB3pEM/s640/BlogCheckMateTradHomeJuly2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giant chess pieces made of teak.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Silverbrook Farm between Leesburg, Virginia and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by <a href="http://www.helennorman.com/" target="_blank">Helen Norman</a>.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traditional Home (June-July 2010).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWwbNz4iSYX0uImX8t_OWDA_Gy8G3tpD4R_wBdtYlCcKdCRuftR0M3v8zj0N3bkN284zGaiqlUKBUj58lSqb79YjTjZ2Z8VcE1KapYQ1NvKkhyrMFo8GEvNAYeaXHS3HO1DUbHj024e0/s1600/BlogTimetoPlayTradHomeJuneJuly2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWwbNz4iSYX0uImX8t_OWDA_Gy8G3tpD4R_wBdtYlCcKdCRuftR0M3v8zj0N3bkN284zGaiqlUKBUj58lSqb79YjTjZ2Z8VcE1KapYQ1NvKkhyrMFo8GEvNAYeaXHS3HO1DUbHj024e0/s640/BlogTimetoPlayTradHomeJuneJuly2010.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another view of the giant chess pieces made of teak.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Silverbrook Farm between Leesburg, Virginia and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photography by <a href="http://www.helennorman.com/" target="_blank">Helen Norman</a>.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traditional Home (June-July 2010).</span></div>

Checkmate

A pair of 1960s Brazilian rosewood chairs from Noho Modern. Living room of the Calabasas, California retreat of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett ...

Read more »