An enormous indoor swimming pool that reflects the millions of blue and gold mosaics on the walls and ceiling above the pool. Also reflected are tall pedestal lamps surrounding the pool, and white roman statues.
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Want to Live Like Royalty? Maybe You Already Do!

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Modern technologies, techniques, and materials make homes more functional and comfier than palaces of the past. Today’s commoners live better than most royals throughout history.

A painting from 1875 by Gustave Caillebotte shows three shirtless men working on the floor of an empty Haussmann-style Parisian apartment building. They are in the midst of planing the floor, scraping up curls of wood before refinishing the floor for a new tenant.
What's Your Style?

Parisian Interior Design

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Trying to describe French interior design is daunting—it’s a bit like trying to describe French cuisine or French fashion. Its history is long and varied, its influence is far-reaching, and the variety of substyles is enormous. To get us started, here is an overview of one of the most influential and popular French styles—Parisian interior […]

A four-poster bed hung with white fringed linens sits at left. A caned two-seat bench sits at the foot of the bed on a wide-planked floor; a white chamber pot sits on the floor at the foot of the bed. At right are walls covered in bright, cheery leaf-patterned wallpaper in greens and whites, a double-hung window with white shutters, and white wainscot. Below the window is a window seat. Caned side and arm chairs matching the bench sit along the right wall. An antique highboy chest sits in the back right corner.
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The Delights of Historical House Museums

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

When I visit a new region, one of the first things I want to know is where to find the historical house museums. They’re full of beautiful old treasures and architectural choices I’d never find elsewhere. Houses tell us fascinating stories about their place in history. Guides or placards explain what you’re seeing and what’s […]