callum's Profile

I wish I had friends to make this article even relevant.

I was in a shop recently in Shanghai - Shun Art Gallery - and they had a bunch of really nice hanging lights made from all sorts of standard kitchen fare - colanders, graters, spoons, knives, ladles etc...

Each one was made from multiples of the same object and they had maybe 8-10 on display. Regrettably I cannot find a decent photo, though you can get an idea in some of their gallery photos on the website. www.shunartdesign.com

I disagree that it would have been impossible to install the tile without replacing the window casing.

I think the whole window was replaced which I categorically reject. Old windows are about 100 times more beautiful than the modern plastic stuff you find these days. It looks like the trim is plastic MDF foam stuff too. Old windows are not as inefficient as they make you believe. Proper maintenance and a bit of glazing putty go a long way to retaining the charm of old buildings. Please consider this if you are making a decision about windows yourself. See http://www.nps.gov/history/HPS/TPS/briefs/brief09.htm#Window%20Replacement

I didn't particularly like the Monet mural (it gave me a cat lady vibe)but it did look quite well done. I love the new floor, and will look much better once it is broken in and looses the Home Depot shine.

Preservation is a very difficult issue. I feel that there are a lot of details that are not discussed in the article to make judgement one way or another. If the home had been previously stripped of all original details then this may not be so bad. In a house that is in generally original condition, this project would have been a disaster. I generally maintain that projects on historic homes should be reversible. In this case if the addition is not affecting the original structure and could be removed without too much damage to the original structure and details, I am OK with it. I do not think this is the case in this example though. Replacing nice original cabinetry with IKEA is an improvement? That being said buildings need to be relevant to the world we live in - not every house can be a museum.

I like a lot of places in Europe and especially Milan where they have ancient spaces but look completely modern as a result of the furniture and way they use the space while leaving the original structure original. Paint and lighting can all update a space and even updates to obviously replaced features (cabinets, flooring) can all make a dramatic affect on the space. In that light, do any people have any sites that show good examples of this? I am currently trying to furnish a historic building but keeping it modern inside.