New York City dreams

As a blogger one receives a lot of PR emails and every once in awhile something catches your eye. Such was the case when an apartment in the famed El Dorado building on Central Park West decorated by Alexander Doherty was sent to me last week.

The building is an icon seen from central park and has been home to many big names for decades.

The homeowners own and run Blithfield & Co, a line of luxury textiles, and evidence of this is seen throughout the personal abode. I love this living room and those old steel casement windows!

 Design Development NYC was brought on board to do the extensive gut renovation and created all of the custom millwork and mouldings seen in the apartment which give it an art deco / old New York character.

 I love their idea of floating a fuzzy white rug over a heavily patterned antique.

 Some of the gorgeous fabrics from the owner's company used throughout the apartment are seen above.

 Notice the antique brass hardware on the jib door above -such a great little detail that's so important to get right.

 Books are to be found throughout the apartment even on either side of the guestroom bed; no wonder I like it so much!

 More space for cookbooks in the beautiful kitchen.

 I think this may be my dream kitchen. I love a galley kitchen as they're so efficient especially with tons of counterspace and natural light. You can keep your islands!

I love the mixture of wood floors, painted cabinets (a custom Farrow & Ball color), wood and marble countertops with a marble slab backsplash (so clean and easy!).

 After the kitchen, the cozy library has to be my favorite space. Can't you see yourself living in here?

Tons of books, a large tv for movies, and a comfy couch to curl up with a book or favorite magazine seem like heaven to me. I love the addition of a glass desk which doesn't block light from the windows.

Also notice those herringbone floors in the library. The floors are bleached oak to best reflect the light; always important in an apartment!

The master bathroom is a refuge of gleaming nickel and soft white marble off the white and bright master bedroom.

 I love a bed like this; lots of pillows, a fluffy down duvet, and all white - no fuss no muss!

I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I did!
Photographs courtesy of Trevor Tondro.

Louvre staircases: It's a factor of scale

The Louvre is totally overwhelming; Not just the collections which are astounding but the sheer scale of the building.

The entry under the I.M.Pei pyramid is probably the most stressful place in all of Paris. Not just because of the crowds but the pickpocket warning signs posted EVERYWHERE are rather disconcerting.

Once you enter the museum itself you can find pockets of calm, such as in the Marly Courtyard above.

The most amazing thing in the building to my eye are the numerous staircases.  Even the smallest of these, such as the Lafuel staircase, are on an enormous scale.

Here you can take a deep breath away from the crowds and just enjoy the beautiful building.

Because you step out of the stairways and even on a weekday this is what you encounter; hoards of people RUSHING towards you!

The Daru staircase is also of an immense public scale. It reminds me of a drawing by M.C. Escher.

And of course the tourists with their cameras (who cannot look at an artwork EXCEPT through the eye of their camera lens for whatever reason) are continually falling down the stair or else stepping on you.

The vantage points through these spaces are amazing.

I think much of this architectural detailing is overlooked in favor of the amazing collection of artwork. Save a day for art and a day for architectural looking perhaps?

The LaFuel courtyard is unfortunately not open to the public although visible from the galleries inside. Wouldn't this make a great cafe?

Loved the columns on the porte cochere above.

Speaking of cafes this staircase had a lovely cafe ringing its upper level.

Wouldn't you love to have a meal here? It must be one of the prettiest cafes in all of Paris (and thats saying something).

The ceiling decorations throughout are amazing.

And all of the abundance of natural light keeps the museum from feeling too cold.

What have your impressions of the Louvre been on your visits? Are there certains days to go which are better than others?

Additions to my apartment or estate sale treasures

Summertime is always slow for blogging; lower readership, less to read, and so much going on that there just isn't time in the day. However it's a great time for fun little posts sharing whats going on in one's life!

 I was thrilled last weekend to find an interesting antique cabinet at a Georgetown estate sale for only $60.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The previous owners had taken an antique sideboard (mid 19th century) and gutted it to hold their stereo and record player. It was looking a little worn but the lines were great as was the price.

The cabinet measures in at a hefty 6' long, 2' deep and 36" high. Originally I thought it would make a great vanity for a project I'm working on.  As it had already been altered I didn't mind further mutilating it but it proved to be 6" too long for that task.  However it fits nicely in this corner of my living room and holds all sorts of entertainment glassware, board games, etc, with room to spare!

As you can see it was a little rough when I got it home (the top still hinges up but no more record player inside!). Some wood glue to re-affix the broken veneer (seen in the center), a light cleaning and then a heavy polishing was all it took to shine! You never know what you'll find at an estate sale. Have you found any treasures lately?

Louvre: Apartments of Napoleon III

One thing not to miss at the Louvre, out of many items not to miss, are the state apartments of Napoleon III. I've visited a lot of opulent places in my travels but never seen something on this scale and so completely over the top.

Built between 1854 and 1861 by the architect Hector Lefuel, the set of rooms was basically built for partying and entertaining. How could you fail to impress guests of the State when this is the setting?

Long hallways lead you past anterooms designed for large scale gatherings through a stately enfilade until you reach the Grand Salon.

 Every square inch is ornate; designed to within an inch of its life. And it's totally magnificent.

The ceiling of the Grand Salon is a painting by Charles-Raphael Marechal depicting the building of the wing itself:  The Reuniting of the Louvre and the Tuileries by Napoleon III.

I love the filtered light through the many windows. The low light from the now electrified chandliers almost appears as candlelight at this time of day.

 The view out the windows isn't so bad either.

I loved this little side table nestled between pilasters; a perfect spot to place your drink at a party or more likely for a candelabra.

 Small rooms dot the enfilade, such as this card playing chamber.

 The small dining room features magnificent wall murals.

The apartments have been faithfully restored and the upholstery and gilding looks brand new; probably the same as in the 1860s (minus the smog).

The grand dining room features an immense table and a ceiling painted by Eugene Appert depicting exotic birds in flight.

 The paneled opening at the end of the dining room sets the symmetry of the space as the entry is off center.

The large sideboard of course would have been loaded with cut glass, silver, and exotic fruits to impress guests.

This service hall of sorts runs the length of the apartments and dining room. Even the underside of the circular stair is decorated; no detail overlooked.

 At the end of the apartments is a gilded bed and balustrade from the throne room of Napoleon I. Not your standard 1 bedroom apartment.

Before visiting the Louvre, make sure the apartments of Napoleon III are open on the day of your visit as they close periodically.