10 Architectural Features I Love

Image Courtesy Thomas Thaddeus Truett Architects

1. Bricks... as a feature.

They may be rustic but I reckon they soften a room ...

... take away it's airs and graces...bring it back down to earth.

Image Courtesy V Fine Homes

2. Panelling and coffered ceilings... oh and black doors.

Image Courtesy Martha Ohara Interiors

3. An entire wall of French door assemblies. 

Love doors with transoms.

Image Courtesy The Belding Group

4. Dark transoms. 

They don't even have to be black... just dark, framed in white.

Love the timber in this home!

Image Courtesy Charlie Allen Restorations

5. Basketweave tiles... 

....especially when paired with a classical subway tile.

See them? on the shower floor?

Love the transom feature too.... and the sink... and the floor tile.

Look, they've tiled the shower ceiling!

Image Courtesy Lda Architecture and Interiors

6. Transoms in bathrooms. 

They bring in such beautiful light.

Image Courtesy Carter Design Group

7. .....well this is really still number 6... more bathroom transoms..

see?.. lots of light ....

.. and these are black which makes them even more heart-stopping.

Image Courtesy David Sharff Architect

8. Full entry way transoms. 

This one is perfection in my eyes .... simple moldings, deep reveal.

Are you sensing a theme here? Obsessed with transoms.

Image Courtesy Paul Moon Design

9. Chunky French door assemblies.... with deep reveals... love.

Isn't this a beautiful room?  I sort of desperately love everything in it... the cabinetry, the door hardware the coffered ceiling, the contrasting black tile around the fireplace, the herringbone in the fireplace!... the neutral furnishings, the natural fibre rug. Yep, love. it. all.

Image Courtesy Mackle Constructions

10. Interesting staircases. 

I love this..... as it is tucked away behind a transom.

Maybe I should have just titled this post, 'Rooms With Transoms'... I'll never get over them you know!

School holidays! Delicious. 7am and we're all still in bed. Loving it. I love that my boys aren't waking up to an alarm and sleep as they need it. No wonder they grow 2 shoe sizes in the school holidays.

We're off to Gran's today.... to climb trees and wallow in the dam shallows, looking for things with signs of life. I am looking forward to having my tea in a pretty cup... and there's always something yummy to go with it at Gran's!

Happy Tuesday!

Could You Do Blue?

Look at this beautiful blue kitchen by Arent and Pyke. 

It's such a perfect blue for a beach house.

It takes guts to do a coloured kitchen. 

This is my my most favourite blue kitchen in the universe.

Big statement but true.

Look at those transoms!

Gorgeous.

Could you do blue?

The last weekend before we move house. I am getting up close and personal with cardboard boxes today. I need to go and buy the Saturday papers... as I have run out of packing paper for the last few things not ensconced in boxes yet.

Happy Saturday!

Well, The Rumours Were True

'The House' IS in this month's Australian 'Home Beautiful'!

They used the front door for their Christmas article. The glamour continues, long after the house has gone from my life! Feeling warm and fuzzy. I loved that front door (you know my obsession with joinery.... especially windows and transoms). I still have my original 'chicken-scratch' sketches of it when I was scheming the house. I changed my mind like a hundred times. Home Beautiful make it look so nice. Sigh!

To celebrate, I hightailed it up to Justine's coffee shop ... after my run.... and had her 'Haloumi Special' for breakfast (toast, avocado, tomato, and Haloumi... with a slice of lemon). They sort of cancel each other out really..... running cancels out Haloumi... it does... really.

It's getting really hot here in the mornings now...and the sun is strong. I think I might have to head out before light now.... which means the early morning blog post might have to wait. Will you cope? .... with my waffle being delayed somewhat?

Meanwhile back at my current abode....nothing escapes tinsel.

Happy Tuesday!

My Favourite Transoms

Original source unknown - please notify me if known.

I spent yesterday tidying up my computer files. Oh, the things I found! I got very side tracked... and ended up obsessing over pictures of transoms and moldings for practically the whole afternoon. I have always loved this (rather blurred) image above as I love the gentle curve in the transom lights....... so different. I can't seem to find the original source of this image so if you know please let me know.

According to Wikipedia, in architecture, a 'transom' is a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or a crosspiece separating a door or doorway from a window or 'fanlight' above it. 'Transom' is also the customary U.S word used for a 'transom light', the window over this crosspiece. In Britain, the transom above a door is usually referred to as a 'fanlight', irrespective of it's shape. In Australia we use both terms... depending on whether we are feeling particularly British or not at the time. 'Fanlight' is most often the lingo used with reference to our traditional Australian colonial architecture.

Image Courtesy BHG 

The original inspiration for the Great Room double-hung windows above window seats, next to a stone fireplace... with voluminous curtains thrown in for good measrure! 

Yep, beautiful skirtings, architraves, cornices, moldings and door and window assemblies set my heart a flutter. I think if you get the basics right and create a beautiful canvas with these features, when you build or renovate, you really can't go wrong and you set the foundations for a beautiful, timeless aesthetic.

Image Via House Of Bliss

This is rather glorious I say. Love the floors too.

Image Via Pinterest Via Google Images

Heartstopping. Oh the symmetry.

Image Via Southern Living

An oldie but a goodie. 

This was the original inspiration for me for 'The House' and all it's transoms, windows and door assemblies.

Original inspiration from the movie 'Something's Gotta Give'... for the west elevation of the Great Room.... the corner housing the piano and bookshelves.

... and my version. 

Remember the beam? Now that's going back.

The back assemblies at 'The House'. Another set ran off the dining room... so they were a matching pair right across the back of the place....I'm a sucker for symmetry. The secret to affording nice joinery? .... go for the 'stock' assemblies wherever you can. Custom-made totally blow the budget. I changed my plans around over and over so I could fit in stock windows and doors wherever I could. 

.... and I couldn't resist.....the 'transom-ed' front door.

Am I allowed to critique my own work? Next time, I will leave more 'freeboard' on the right side of the front door assembly. See how it sits flush in the corner? I had to do that to fit in a 'stock' door (eye on the budget) and I didn't want to consequently widen the hall any more (it was already 1.5m wide) and then throw out all the dimensions of all the other rooms. Just sayin'.

Week Two of term already! Only 8 weeks to go and the year is all over.... well the school year anyway.

Ok, now for the morning rush!

Happy Monday!