Period specific design pros 1920s/30s/woodworkers?
Jessica Claire
2 months ago
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Jessica Claire
2 months agoJessica Claire
2 months agoRelated Discussions
Does anyone know much about 1920's gardens?
Comments (28)The Victorian style of gardening was dead, dead, dead right around 1900. It survived in public parks and railroad stations but most people had come to dislike it intensely. One of its chief features was the bedding-out of annuals, both flowering and foliage plants. I am now seeing some of these foliage plants, like coleus, so popular in the 1800s, popular again. Huge foliage plants such as cannas were also big with the Victorians and scorned after 1900. William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll began a revolution in English gardens. They advocated naturalistic planting styles and perennials. They also wrote books. Jekyll designed gardens for the very rich in England, never stirring from her hidden home at Munstead Wood, which I have had the great good fortune to visit. Jekyll was inspired by English cottage gardens but her gardens were planned for the upper class. Her books were very popular and well-to-do Americans bought them with enthusiasm. However, American gardeners soon found that English garden books do not translate very well in our climate. A whole new garden literature, most of it written by women gardeners, arose. These books were, I believe, the largest influence on American gardens from 1900 til WW2. They generally showed naturalistic groups of perennials in geometric beds. Borders were hugely popular, as well as the style described above, so often with a sundial at the center. Sorry for the long post!...See MoreWoodwork & window questions
Comments (26)kerry I'm in your boat too - I know people on this board hate what we did to our house, but it was so neglected when we bought it, so poorly "renovated" over the years preceding that we ended up basically starting over. The woodwork had been chewed by dogs in every room, so we had custom duplicates remilled (at $10/linear foot) to replace it. Not old growth wood, but better that what was there. The wiring was a hazard (you should have SEEN what we found POs had done with "wiring" when we started pulling it out.) The plumbing was a mess, had previously caused damage that was poorly fixed. There was no insulation. The plaster had been (poorly) replaced by drywall in half the home, and what was left came off in chunks when we tried to remove the wallpaper that was covering it. I could go on and on. Could we have saved some things? (new casing on this side of the door, original on the other?) Maybe, but in the big scheme it seemed futile. So everything we do we keep in mind the age of the house and what's appropriate, and seriously spend alot more money than necessary getting "right." (expensive custom millwork, etc. etc.) We are saving our windows, even though many don't work properly, some have rot, they all have lead paint, and we'll need custom storms along with the new weatherstripping. We looked in to doing custom wood sash kits (which you should look into b/c it will save your trim) but in the end decided that even though we're going to have to do it ourselves and it was going to be a major PITA, it was the best thing to do. In the end you have to do what's right for you - not everyone will agree. We all have different perspectives, and in mine we are doing the best we can to restore the glory of a home that had lost it for good long ago. It's not going to be original, but in the end it will be beautiful....See Moretile design for 1910s/1920s inspired bathroom
Comments (31)I've seen Pratt and Larson making a custom order from a customer's piece of vintage trim (I'm sure it hardly cost a thing...). So if you can dream it, and pay for it, I'm sure they can create it for you. Their standard trim is likely worth a look. [They'll also do custom colors, but have a pretty significant range as it is!] Lots of great points, sources, and tips upthread. I think for me the #1 thing that makes me question "old? new?" is tile with color variation. Most people don't/can't spend the money for handmade, and even in white/cream the gradations in color are so pretty. You may have already considered this but before I went to all the trouble of sourcing tiles I'd definitely have rough estimates from your tile artisan. Your dream bath may be 20K in tile + (tile) labor cost -- which may be fine, or may mean a revamp. BTW, I've used the Americh Bow double apron in a project. Downside (purist/preference), not cast iron. Upside, a true soaker depth (most of the corner salvage tubs in my area are much more shallow). ps One of my favorite mansions is this 1914 one -- and check out the tile work: pretty low-key!...See MoreSmall Kitchen Layout--1920s Craftsman Puzzle--Please help!
Comments (52)M, So great to hear your take on form following function. I think we share a practical streak. On the one hand, I'm not a preservationist, on the other I do want to be true to the spirit of the house. I'm not aiming to make it something its not, and I don't want to "over improve" either. I agree that its entirely possible to "design a modern functional home and have the original vintage design-spirit prevail". In fact, thats precisely the balance I'm striving to achieve. In my situation, honoring the vintage design spirit means keeping certain elements intact: --the cottage windows --the china cabinet --the built-ins in the living room flanking the fireplace I'm not as attached to keeping the kitchen and breakfast room spaces separate as my partner is. In the spirit of cooperation and domestic harmony ;-) I've solicited feedback on how we could fit everything in the footprint of the kitchen proper, and posters to this thread stepped up admirably (THANK YOU!!) Reading the comments here has allowed me to feel more comfortable with merging the kitchen and the breakfast room--that this might be the right place to "modernize". Considering the two spaces as one is beginning to feel…well…more practical to me. Your point about it being possible to botch both the form and the function strikes a cautionary note---Sheesh, that would be awful. Aiming to avoid this, on both counts! Thanks so much M, for your always incisive comments....See MoreJessica Claire
2 months agoJessica Claire
2 months agolast modified: 2 months ago
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Jessica ClaireOriginal Author