One of the design principles we tout here at Interior Archaeology is the blending of both contemporary and historic to achieve an environment that is rich, distinct and juxtaposing the nuances of timeless treasures with more recent furnishings. Two key examples come to mind from recent projects, both discovered in the beautiful island of Kauai:
The first real art I ever purchased were copperplate engravings popular during the 1700 & 1800's. I fell in love with their tattered neutral tones printed on textured linen & paper sheets. They were the posters of their time, copies of an original painting etched onto a soft metal plate and then painted with ink and printed for multiple copies - the mass market of the olden days. They were often historical, geographical or allegorical in subject matter, appeared in books and were affordably priced to adorn homes of the era - spreading discoveries of the day like National Geographic. I always thought that the engraver's work rivaled or surpassed that of the original as he or she was interpreting the original and recreating it in black, white and shadow carved into metal. I still seek out engravings in my art purchases as I not only appreciate the history & workmanship but love how an etching can provide neural relief and add depth to grouping of paintings in a composition. While in Kauai, I appreciated the collection of the maritime engravings depicting the voyages of Captain James Cook and his exploration of the Pacific Islands. Art, travel, history, cultures... truly nirvana!
Upon watching the movie, The Descendants just the other night and fondly recognizing the many shops and strolls, the core message of the film resonated with our design philosophy. Specifically, the wonderful bounties from nature are bestowed upon us and strike well beyond their financial value. To this end, I like to collect and have on display things that have either historical merit or personal meaning. Good design often relies on subtleties such as gradations of rich neutrals and interesting silhouettes. While strolling on the beach in Hanalei, Kauai on my last visit, I discovered treasure that hit my personal design bullseye. The beaches there are filled with these amazing fossilized corals! You can barely find sand to walk on between the mounds of it. Every piece is a textural masterpiece. We checked to see if it was okay to bring some home - and happily spent the afternoon collecting our favorite pieces. They now sit in a huge transferware bowl on our dining room table, the perfect centerpiece.
The first real art I ever purchased were copperplate engravings popular during the 1700 & 1800's. I fell in love with their tattered neutral tones printed on textured linen & paper sheets. They were the posters of their time, copies of an original painting etched onto a soft metal plate and then painted with ink and printed for multiple copies - the mass market of the olden days. They were often historical, geographical or allegorical in subject matter, appeared in books and were affordably priced to adorn homes of the era - spreading discoveries of the day like National Geographic. I always thought that the engraver's work rivaled or surpassed that of the original as he or she was interpreting the original and recreating it in black, white and shadow carved into metal. I still seek out engravings in my art purchases as I not only appreciate the history & workmanship but love how an etching can provide neural relief and add depth to grouping of paintings in a composition. While in Kauai, I appreciated the collection of the maritime engravings depicting the voyages of Captain James Cook and his exploration of the Pacific Islands. Art, travel, history, cultures... truly nirvana!
Upon watching the movie, The Descendants just the other night and fondly recognizing the many shops and strolls, the core message of the film resonated with our design philosophy. Specifically, the wonderful bounties from nature are bestowed upon us and strike well beyond their financial value. To this end, I like to collect and have on display things that have either historical merit or personal meaning. Good design often relies on subtleties such as gradations of rich neutrals and interesting silhouettes. While strolling on the beach in Hanalei, Kauai on my last visit, I discovered treasure that hit my personal design bullseye. The beaches there are filled with these amazing fossilized corals! You can barely find sand to walk on between the mounds of it. Every piece is a textural masterpiece. We checked to see if it was okay to bring some home - and happily spent the afternoon collecting our favorite pieces. They now sit in a huge transferware bowl on our dining room table, the perfect centerpiece.
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