The drawing (or WITHdrawing) room at Filoli is, after the reception room, the most grand room in the house. Meant for entertaining guests (ladies) after dinner, this is a formal space. The overdoors of broken pediments, seen above, hark this formality.
The drawing room lies between the reception room and the dining room with the library, seen above in the distance) at the end of an enfilade created by this suite of rooms. Formal architecture like this makes my heart sing! I love the matching overdoors through the rooms.
The carrara marble fireplace is unusually underscaled for the large room. It creates a feeling of intimacy in this seating group but the room lacks a strong focus. This may have been purposeful as it forces one to look at the view of the gardens through french doors. I love the texture of the linen covered walls. To one side of the seating group is a card table while the other side holds a piano. Mrs. Bourn originally used this space as her music room.
The stunning Parquet de Versailles floor is of quarter sawn white oak. Each room has a different floor which generally would feel discordant but because of the scale and varied nature of each space, works at
Filoli. One last room with some hidden surprises to share tomorrow before we explore the gardens. I can't wait to share them with you!
The drawing (or WITHdrawing) room at Filoli is, after the reception room, the most grand room in the house. Meant for entertaining guests (ladies) after dinner, this is a formal space. The overdoors of broken pediments, seen above, hark this formality.
The drawing room lies between the reception room and the dining room with the library, seen above in the distance) at the end of an enfilade created by this suite of rooms. Formal architecture like this makes my heart sing! I love the matching overdoors through the rooms.
The carrara marble fireplace is unusually underscaled for the large room. It creates a feeling of intimacy in this seating group but the room lacks a strong focus. This may have been purposeful as it forces one to look at the view of the gardens through french doors. I love the texture of the linen covered walls. To one side of the seating group is a card table while the other side holds a piano. Mrs. Bourn originally used this space as her music room. 
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9 comments:
Lovely. Wondering about the overpowering pottery at the small fireplace tending to diminuitize it even more. And the chairs intentionally facing away from the fireplace. Can't wait for the gardens. Barbara
A talented former architect friend, from whom I have learned much over the years,always made certain that when open, a door never looked to a blank wall---except one instance, specifically designed for a huge canvas by Cleve Gray---always a window, a fireplace, another door, regardless of style he was working in---and indeed his houses always had a wonderful sense of space and vista.
PS, I have always loved those doors in the reception room, very bold and beautifully executed.
Filoli has a cousin in Ireland, Muckross House, which also has lovely gardens. The murals in the ballroom/music room of Filoli are views of the Muckross estate which was also at one time owned by William Bourn. The house is now part of Killarney National Park, which was created in 1932 when Bourn and his son-in-law donated the estate to the Irish government.
I would think that the french doors leading to the garden is the focal point in this room.
Don't have to tell you I cannot wait for the gardens.
xs
So that's what those are called: Broken Pediments. They should be legally required above all doors.
Stefan -
Your photos of Filoli are great. As always you pick out some really great details. That drawing room mantel never seemed right to me and I think you have put your finger on it.
Another word for the broken pedimnet doorways is Aedicule. A description of an aedicule is 1. A shrine or 2. Architectural frame around a doorway, niche, or window-aperture consisting of two columns or pilasters over which is an entablature with pediment, like a miniature distyle building: such an opening is said to be aediculated.
Looking forward to tomorrow's post!
Also, I like that enfilade shot from the drawing room through the reception room into the library. The other direction also processes on axis through the dining room and out into the garden.
just fabulous... await more... and yes, the gardens...
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