What do Athens, Pittsburgh and Sydney all have in common? No, this is not a trick question! Each has a Choragic Monument of Lysicrates.
The original monument was built near the Acropolis around 334 BC to commemorate the benefactor Lysicrate's sponsorship of dance. It was one of the first recorded uses of the correct Corinthian order for a monument; a style which would be copied for centuries to follow. Above is the original.
I first became aware of the monument while back in college at drawing classes which were occasionally held at the
Carnegie Museum of Art. The 'Hall of Architecture' , pictured above, was recently featured in a spread in the
World of Interiors magazine (March 2010) with beautiful photographs by Simon Upton. The charcoal sketch at the top of the posting is one of the many I drew of the monument, my favorite in the room. I wish I had photographed all of my drawings better!
The design has been copied and modified over the years after being restored following the Greek war of Independence when it was badly damaged. Often it appears as a folly in a garden, at other times atop a dome and has even been stretched into a lighthouse in Portland, Maine.
Next time you see this classic design, you hopefully will remember its long history. Also make sure to check out the March 2010 issue of WOI for the charming article on the hall of architecture at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh!
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The most magical spot at Filoli is probably the Summe House, also known as the tea house or more commonly known as a garden pavilion. Little accessory structures like this area always the jewel of any estate; Just think of the follies of English Country Homes.
Sitting between the walled garden and the formal garden adjoining the house which I showed the other day HERE, the small structure has views from its one room of all areas of the estate: the house, the formal gardens, the pool area, the walled garden and last but not least the gorgeous mountain view.
The room is floored with 3 types of marble in a graphic grid pattern and paneled with ornate boiseries. Designed by Arthur Brown Jr., this is the same formality seen at his well known SF City Hall (which I'll post about next week) but on a MUCH smaller scale. He made elegant grandeur cozy; Just who wouldn't want to have tea here?
These lovely sconces were originally intended for the stair well in the house, but fit in nicely here too adding to the formality of the space.
This column above is a copy of the Satyr plant stand found in Pompeii and was originally in the Bourn's SF house, as was the marble table in the center of the room.
The comfortable wicker chairs and profusion of plants bring life to the space. I can imagine it being a lovely cool spot on a hot day because of all the marble. Had it been seen empty, it might appear to be a very sunny mausoleum!
Some closeups of the very elegant woodwork. Someone worked very hard getting everything to meet JUST SO.
You can't miss the summer house in the gardens and before our guide took us in, I think every person in the group managed to ask if we would see inside! Tomorrow -more of the gardens.
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The gardens at Filoli, while they have evolved over the years, have aged so wonderfully primarily because of the thought that went into their planning at the first construction of the house.
The setting is amazing and was why the house was sited here; to take it all in. The gardens adjacent to the house are Georgian in design to fit in with the design of the house and bring the focus to the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The planning of the gardens was actually done as a partnership between the Bourns and the artist, 
The house was sited so that the rear would have views of the mountains to the East while the entry was put on the west side which lacked a strong view. An olive grove was planted across from the house's entry court to hide a visible water tower in the distance, seen above.
You can see why: wow! I especially love the fog which you can see creeping through the valley.
The elegant balastrade hides a 
This dining room door which connects to an enfilade through the hallways of the house lands on a patio where the family could have breakfast. The wall to the right hides the motor court and is the perfect backdrop for a collection of bonsai.
The garage has a clock tower modeled on one by the famous English architect, Christopher Wren. Much of the garden is considered a complete and rare English Renaissance garden.
My favorite spot lies just south of the house. A formal garden is centered upon a reflecting pond and rose garden. A summer house, which I'll share with you later this week, is the perfect place to take tea and enjoy the garden.
The focus of this more elaborate garden still remains the view of the mountains.
The stunning Parquet de Versailles floor is of quarter sawn white oak. Each room has a different floor which generally would feel discordant but because of the scale and varied nature of each space, works at 
The walnut paneled library at Filoli was the favorite of everyone on the tour, including our guide! The room is a copy of the library at Denham Place, England and was purchased before the house was even built by Mr Bourn. The intricate carvings depict roses, tulips, and daisies intertwined with leaves.
I think the reason it remains so popular is it feels the most like a home; it's personal. The room is littered with family portraits including this sketch by Sargent on the wall, above. Also, there is just something about a room filled with books, don't you think? I believe the saying "never trust anyone who doesn't have books in their house". 
The Isfahan patterned carpet in the room has a vivid history. It formerly lived at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight, after having been woven in Agra, India especially for Queen Victoria. It is one of the items original to the house, having been purchased by the Bourns.
This short post is in honor of the lovely 
Depicting the house and gardens as well as a crop of outbuildings, I took this picture expressly for Janet. It really captures the heart of the estate. The embroidery replaces an old french tapestry from the screen which hid access to the dining room from the butler's pantry.
The room is paneled in oak and contains many pieces original to the house such as the Bourn's dining table. The painting over the bolection style fireplace is one of the treasures of the collection and is a still life by 
Whats a post on the dining room without some information on the kitchens? Pictured above and below is the incredibly spacious butler's pantry with 17' tall ceilings. This is larger than most city apartments and it's not even the kitchen, folks!
As in most other rooms of the house, fresh flowers are introduced, connecting the indoors to the gardens. I really loved these pretty purple flowers in the green ceramic vase. You can never go wrong with white subway tile: clean and timeless, then and now.
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