: : the colors of our new home: :

: : hurray!! finally I have some photos to share with you all! we had a little house warming party this weekend and had to get the place in order, so I took the opportunity to snap some quick photos. we're lovin' our apartment!! and we were so happy to share it with our friends this weekend. above are photos of the .dining room. and .living room. the dining room wall is a pretty turquoise, our four yellow eames chairs complement it nicely. the table is what I used as my desk at my old apartment. we're on the hunt for a dinner table that could host at least 8 people for dinner. but this will have to do for now. it's just big enough to fit the silicone table cloth that my sister and brother gave me [by wisdesign]

in the living room the wall is painted in japanese fern, the eames lounge is a reproduction, and sooo comfortable. the fabric on the ottoman was a present from my best friend .louise. who works for a textile company in Sweden.
the kitchen is long and narrow, so we have extended it out into the diningroom and bought one large kitchen island and two small ones to make up for the lack of storage. and now it's the social spot of the house. everyone comes to hang by the kitchen island while drinks are served and food is being cooked. my swedish cookie box I found on swedish ebay .tradera.
the tea box is from an adorable little market in Quebec and the orange pyrex bowl we bought at a fleamarket in Virginia.
the bedroom is heavenly in the afternoons when the sun fills the whole room. the front balcony is right off the bedroom. up until this point, the balcony has been the most frequently used 'room' of the house. at night the balcony looks so cozy with lights wrapping around the railing. we also just started a small herb garden out there. funny how incredibly satisfying gardening can be? who would have thought?

FLORENCE - Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Uffizi, Accademia Gallery

Section of the dome of Florence Cathedral

Florence will be my first stop in Italy on my way to study Architecture at the University in Ferrara (see my post here). I have always wanted to visit this city. FLORENCE, capital of the region of Tuscany, has a population of around half a million inhabitants. Florence is called the capital of arts; according to statistics produced by UNESCO, 60% of the world's most important works of art are located in Italy and approximately half of these are in Florence.
This is the birthplace of Dante and Michelangelo. Wow do I have allot to see in this city. First things first. Where to stay. Well I wanted to stay at JK Place, but unfortunately it was all booked (pretty popular place in spite of the very expensive room rates ). JK Place recommended the Hotel Santa Maria Novella, which is right next door. I checked it out on line and I liked what I saw!



It is centrally located, situated two steps from Florence’s central train station, (which is good because I will be traveling by train to Ferrara to start my studies) and it is in one of the most exclusive areas of Florence in the presence of so much beauty and History. It faces the piazza of the Santa Maria Novella Cathedral and dates back to the Nineteenth Century. All the better and I have booked a room with a "view" of this.

I love the polished chrome door plaque. You never get a second chance to make a first impression and I'm impressed.

A beautiful marble statue graces the entry foyer.

This is a view of the classically decorated dining room where a buffet breakfast is served, or to enjoy an aperitif, nightcap or a light snack later on. It has views of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica across the square.

I love the "Grisaille" wallpaper and the enormous vase of yellow roses.
"Grisaille" (noun) A style of monochromatic painting in shades of gray, used especially for the representation of relief sculpture.

Stairway

Regal in Royal Purple & silk bed canopy and draperies that frame a view to the Historic Piazza and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. I even have a flat screen TV. But don't think I will be watching it.

Beautifully detailed bathroom all clad in sumptuous Carrera Marble. Just what I would expect in Italy.

A glance of admiration from my room towards the sumptuous church of Santa Maria Novella

This is just a partial list of what is close to my Hotel:

Santa Maria Novella Church – 50 metres
Duomo (Cathedral) – 200 metres
Congress Hall – 200 metres
Exhibition centre – 200 metres
Ponte Vecchio – 1 kilometre (0.5 miles)
Uffizi – 1 kilometre (0.5 miles)
Academy of Fine Arts – 1 kilometre (0.5 miles)
Palazzo Vecchio – 1 kilometre (0.5 miles)
Pitti Palace – 1.5 kilometres (1 mile)
Boboli Gardens – 1.5 kilometres (1 mile)

Two of my "must- do" visits are: Uffizi & Academy of Fine Arts or Accademia Gallery. Both offer private guided tours which I have booked on-line.

The Uffizi is the most famous museum in Florence and houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Rubens.

Botticelli Birth of Venus, 1484

The Accademia Gallery in Florence houses Michelangelo's most famous work - the statue of David

the Venus and Cupid by Jacopo Pontormo.

Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli)

Together with Pitti Palace, in 1550 the Medici bought the Boboli gardens behind the building. The name of Boboli is thought to come from the prior owner.

Nicolò Pericoli, was called in to transform the area into one of the most spectacular Renaissance gardens. Pericoli worked at what he called his "green architecture" masterpiece until he died.

Interesting note: Boboli became a model for all European Royal gardens, including those in the Palace of Versailles.

Florence skyline

Italian Lighting Design

Some Beautiful Italian designed lighting fixtures. I love them all, but especially the first image of the "Feather Chandelier". How fun is that?! I would hang it in a bedroom, closet area, or maybe powder room. The second image is a classic "Fortuny" style design.

These would be nice over a kitchen island

360 Italian Design

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design.
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Ferrara Italy - The University of Architecture

It's official, I am going to be studying at the renowned University of Architecture in Ferrara Italy for the month of July 2008!!! This University is situated in the Medieval walled city of Ferrara and has been the top ranked University of Architecture in Italy for 8 consecutive years. The University of Ferrara was founded in 1391, and that makes it one of the oldest Universities. I feel very honored and privileged to be studying at this facility under the tutorage of top Italian Professors in the "Facolta di Architettura di Ferrara".

Location of Ferrara in Italy This is a map of Ferrara and you can see the
outlines of the wall around the city.

Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River. The town has broad streets and numerous palaces dating from the 14th & 15th century. It is a walled Renaissance city, surrounded by 9 kilometers of ancient red brick walls. For its beauty and cultural importance it has been qualified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Ferrara is a "bike city". When I arrive, I am given a bike to ride back and forth between campus and the Residence. It is apparently a 10 minute bike ride. Very European and very energy efficient, as well as good exercise.

The city walls and one of the gates into the City of Ferrara Ferrara is a bicycle city--as you can see from
in front of the train station.
photos James Martin

I will be taking two courses juring the month of July:

The Faculty of Architecture building

The first course is 19th - 21st Century Design
History of Italian Architecture, Interiors, Furniture & Graphic Design
Taught by Prof.ssa Dr. Giulia CERIANI SEBREGONDI
My text books for this course are two "Bibles" of 20th Century Architecture and Furniture Design

20th Century Furniture Design Modern Architecture Since 1900 by William Curtis
by Klaus-Jurgen Sembach The front cover is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Brick Villa Project, plan, 1923


2. My second course is Sketching and consists of three nodules
Module 01 taught by Prof. Mario MANGANARO
- Proportioning an drawing plans and elevations
- Direct perspective and exercises on representing elementary volumes
- Field exercises
- Examples of travel sketches (Rome, Venice, Naples, Palermo)
- Field Exercises

Module 02 taught by Prof. Salvatore SANTUCCIO
- Part One: a theoretical lecture focused on sketching history in recent architecture from the experiences of Le Corbusier in the Middle East and Delacroix in Maroc
- Part Two: "on site" sketching in the city centre of Ferrara. At the end of class students should have a rich sketch book with some different drawings of Ferrara to show on final examination.

Module 03 taught by prof.ssa Carolina CAPITANIO
- Tools and methods for a sketching survey to highlight the major elements of an architectural text
Consists of 3 lectures on developing the sketching survey through:
The rules of classic architecture
The rules of modern Architecture
The interiors survey
The building survey
The townscape survey
The landscape survey

As well as having classes on campus we have 3 field trips planned in Florence, Rome, Venice, and Milan.
I can hardly wait as I have never been to Florence, Rome or Milan. And what makes it even more interesting to me is that instead of studying Antiquity, we will be visiting 20th Century Architectural sites. I will have an extra free day in each of these cities so of course I will visit the museums and Historical sites.

Stay tuned and I will fill you in on my adventures in these four Cities

I love this quote by Mark Twain:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover.