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This past weekend I was able to see a classic cult film, Harold and Maude (1971). While I loved the movie, what really caught my eye was the house of Harold's mother, Mrs. Chasen. 
The house really reminds me of the work of John Woolf: mainly because of that canopy over the front door. (Read this great article from Vanity Fair about Woolf by Matt Tyrnauer HERE). Classic Woolf, don't you think? From what I could find HERE though, the house is actually the The Rose Court Mansion in Hillsborough and many of the scenes were shot inside, even using the actual butler from the house in the movie!
The home is extremely eclectic inside, but French styles dominate. This study, seen above was off the main living room where all of the dates Harold takes, set up by his mother, take place.
1971....but this could be a home today for the most part, don't you agree? The classic white lenox lamps, the beautiful chair in the background, simple drapes, big windows. I just loved this room!
The classic lenox lamp is used throughout the room as are potted orchids. The couch is a bit dated but still stylish: simple white linen with an interesting trim. My poor pictures don't capture the beautiful painted paneling in this room either.
Here you see that chair again...the clothes are definitely dated even if the room is not...
I loved the pelmets over the curtains - so perfect for a mansion of this caliber.
Yes, the yellow ragweed flowers are dated as is the victorian style table but you catch a better glimpse of the beautiful paneling in this room and the chinoiserie statue. Check out the checked B&W marble tiled hallway! classic!
From the next room over, you get a better glimpse of the living room. I love the 2 stylish 20's era portrait as well as the game-table in the corner; Another great white chair as well! Just ignore Harold's fake suicide attempt here in this photo with his feet up in the air.....just like his mother did!
To end with , maybe not a really great interior shot, but I loved the gallery wall in the master bedroom hallway. Ideas just keep being recyled: Whats old is new again!
Please excuse the poor quality of the photos are they are my own of my tv!
Label:
houses,
Interiors,
movies
This past thursday I attended the DC launch party of Barry Dixon's rug collection at Timothy Paul. I had been in the bedding and home store of Timothy Paul up the street but had never been into the carpet showroom so I was excited to see it!
All of the different designs are very personal to Barry, picked up from his travels. Ideas came from pieces of tooled leather picked up in bazaars and the pattern of leaves on a forest floor.
Leah came over last weekend to check out my place and chat for awhile. She's a great photographer and really captured my apartment well, no easy feat in such a small space! We had so much fun talking it hardly felt like an interview at all!
The architect matched the federal style applied to the structure with this beautiful detailed brickwork. Like elsewhere on the estate, the lanterns are intricate ironwork with delicate leaves and swirls. The french doors must be 8 1/2' tall; Love the transoms too!
Here is a detail of the cornice and one of the transom windows.
The interior has a 150 yr old fig tree (vine?) that encompasses the entire room, covering everything. You can see it here above the entrance to the space from the breezeway and how it wraps the entire space below.
So lush and green, the same hexagonal clay tiles are on the floor.
The lanterns are almost hidden behind all the plants. The way an orangery should be!
Each wall between french doors & transoms has a beautiful medallion or plaque. I love the way the fig tree has grown around them.
I realized it's been too long since my last china of the week post; Count this one as china of the month!
Facedown you get a better look at the odd petal shape of the plate. It's so useful having it here on the coffee table as another place to set a drink or snack without having to worry about staining a magazine or making a mess. Why didn't I think of this earlier?
This past weekend I visited Dumbarton Oaks, a house museum and gardens in Georgetown. While we were too late for the tour of the house (seriously, once a week a tour of only 15 people?? come on!) we were able to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather and explore the extensive gardens. 
Surrounded by beautiful bricks walls, the estate currently houses 10 acres (a huge piece of property for right in the city!).
The house was built in 1800 and was later remodeled in the Federal style seen today in 1923 by the last owners of the house, Robert and Mildred Bliss. They donated it to Harvard University who runs it as a museum, library and famous gardens. Seen above is the main entrance to the museum, which is connected to the house and contains Byzantine and pre-columbian artifacts as well as an extensive research library.
Here you can see the breezeway between the Orangery (which I will blog about later this week, a magnificent room!!) and the house.
This is the interior of the breezeway, a charming space with stucco (concrete?) walls, clay floors and amazing ironwork (like all over the estate). Everything seems to be original to the 1923 remodel which is fantastic: all the hardware, light fixtures, ironwork, etc. Just wait till you see the Orangery!
The rear of the house is probably my favorite view. It faces lawns which step down to Rock Creek Park. 
Since the gardens are so important, one feature I loved was that each doorway had a bootscrape. What a great detail!
The stonework around the estate is cohesive overall, but each portion still has its own character. It begins as very formal nearest the house, seen above, and becomes more natural the further from the house you walk.
You can see that spring has sprung -the trees are in bloom!
Even the cherry blooms! A whole section of the garden is devoted to them.
To the other side of the house on a lower terrace is a swimming pool with this loggia off it. See the same materials, hexagonal clay tile floors, stucco walls and groin vaults.
This loggia is reached by this unusual staircase which surrounds a fountain. Rather than pour, the water drips naturally - a very peaceful spot! 
This fountain (and after the stairs) make it a perfect spot to rest which is why the bench above is located at the base.
The estate is formed of numerous gardens or outdoor 'rooms' which are reached by stairs from one another all terracing down to a stream.
One of the common motif's throughout the garden is the sheath of wheat which is a symbol in the coat of arms of the Bliss family.
This unusual tree is in the center of another room. Notice the mangled limbs and visible roots! Creepy!!
I loved these little statues: the fruits are metal as are the turtles holding up the stone boat.
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