Sally and I are beginning interior design work on a very exciting  project. A new house to be built in in the style of an 18th century French chateau – much like one might find in the outskirts of Paris, Normandy or the Loire Valley. Designed by fellow ICA&A member Eric Daum of Merrimack Design Associates, the exterior of the home has been designed and looks like this.

Front Elevation

 

Rear Elevation

The interior is what we call white box. There are interior architectural budget allowances to work within, but nothing has been designed or selected. Our clients lived in Europe for many years and they long for a home that resonates with their memories. The words delicate and refined simplicity kept coming up in our conversations as they recalled that time in their lives.

So…. this week I began wrapping my arms around the project. Simple, but very critical areas and materials that will immediately define the character of the home – flooring,the foyer and foyer stair. I began my quest my taking a look at a small hunting lodge located in Normandy that was owned and beautifully restored by Charles Spada, one of my very favorite Boston interior designers and for whom I have the utmost respect.

 

I knew that the floor materials would be original or made to match the original.

The kitchen floor… Very quarry tile like. Note it’s scale and the running bond grout joint.

 

The simple herringbone floor pattern in the living room. (Lot’s of other yummy details, too…)

 

And the wide plank floor in the bedrooms.

 

I moved on to the early work of Timothy Corrigan. The marble pattern peeking out at you…

 

How the floor material change room to room to room.

 

While doing all this poking about on the I kept coming across images of abandoned villas, estates and chateaux’s. I found myself thinking, what better place to see the real thing?

The images are magical, mysterious, haunting, and awe inspiring. (These are mostly of stairs and floor patterns/materials.)

 

I leave you with this… My Favorite Foto for this Friday…

 

From these images and many more in our idea/inspiration folder, I am confident we will create a wonderful delicate interior of refined simplicity for our client.

Have a wonderful weekend! Tomorrow Sally and I visit the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston with our fellow Institute of Classical Architecture and Art members. Sunday, inspired, I meet with our new client!

 

Cheers,

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