Finally, as promised a bit of what I have been up to.....one of the things that I was determined to do during the renovation was utilize as many of our former furnishings and collected pieces which we have acquired over the years. So with this in mind, it influenced every decision I made regarding choices for flooring, trim, window placement, paint and...lighting.
I have had this Capodimonte light fixture in storage for years. Originally for sale in my store, it didn't sell and ended up in my possession after the store closed. It is serendipity that a piece reflecting my heritage should now be hanging in the new garden/dining room! Capodimonte paste porcelain originated in Italy in the early 1700's. King Charles VII, king of Naples and Sicily became interested in it's manufacture after he married the grandaughter of the Meissen porcelain factory's royal founder. This prompted Charles to start his own factory....There are manufacturers throughout Italy who continue the tradition of paste porcelain to this day. The N and crown logo, as seen above, constitutes authenticity, somewhat!
The intricate flourishes and precise detail of the flowers and leaves imparts a delicate sense of nature to the fixture...
I understand Liberace was an avid collector as well!!
I decided to suspend it from the ceiling of the new garden room, hoping to bring the outdoors in...especially in the summer, when the garden will be in bloom...it also works well in the winter.....
I have still to finish painting the french refractory table... white, and antiqued...you can see the cardboard and paint can in the corner...decided to leave the table top stained to balance the rush seats....hope to add our large natural wicker arm chairs to each end, for more comfortable seating for reading and relaxing...
It is suspended too close to the ceiling and needs to be dropped closer to the table top...hoping to fix that this weekend!!
This little acorn pendant hangs over the kitchen sink...it is the only new fixture to the scene!
Could not resist it!!
The sconces below have also been in storage for years, waiting to be used in the renovation...whenever it might be....one thing about me....I am very patient and nothing deters me....
They flank both sides of the bed in the master bedroom...
Antique lights do not need to be grand...old, charming turn of the century fixtures, even candlesticks, impart a special warmth and character to a room that new fixtures cannot...
...another Italian porcelain fixture, which was gifted to me by my husband for my twentieth anniversary...
It previously hung in our dining room, and now I have installed it in my new closet...
I still think it is lovely after all this time.....
....a simple hall fixture which has found a new home in the master bath....
I especially admire the fine detail in the brass stampings....one of the things I learned is that silk wrapped bulbs impart a special soft incandescent light to a room....something which makes a rather important difference to lighting a room...
...in the new master bath....
...This turn of the century light is a re purposed gas fixture, which hung in our front foyer since 1989!!
The only change I made was replace the original glass shades with glass prisms....I am very happy with the result...
I especially love the crown motif and the fine tassle detail.....
It is a fine example of vintage lighting!
Even though it has a rather formal air to it, I have toned it down with my rough hewn floors and chunky island posts....
The two original "floribunda" love seats have been recovered in simple duck cotton....
...everything seems so new and clean and austere...we will have to do something about that!!
It has been one week since the move....boxes to open and still more
sorting and organizing and editing....but we are back home, and Spring is around the corner.....
N.xo
