Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Decorate An Old World Kitchen With Antique Art

 

My philosophy: I fully believe in having art in every room in your home. Therefore art belongs in kitchens just as much as it does in living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms especially if your kitchen is old world in style. 
 
At present it is trendy to decorate with art in the kitchen....but that is not why I am doing this blog post. It is a classic look that never really goes out of style, depending on your art of course. Remember trendy art will eventually look outdated where classic art will not. 

It’s said that the kitchen is the heart of a home where people tend to gather to cook, to eat, even to play games so having a comfortable, neat, and cozy kitchen is essential. Since it is a place where a good amount of family time is spent, it is the perfect place to hang some great artwork. Art in the kitchen can transform this room from purely functional, to a charming space full of warmth. And kitchens should be warm and inviting. Who wants a sterile kitchen?

I prefer oil paintings as they automatically warm up a space and give instant old world flavor. Yes, you will have to occasionally clean them with mild soap and water. But that needs to be done no matter what room they are hung in. Whatever YOUR preference is, start collecting some art for your kitchen.



Art is usually not the first thing that comes to mind when decorating your kitchen. And unfortunately, after all the other elements have been placed, art is not even given a second thought. Most homeowners fail to understand that beautiful antique art can make all the difference when it comes to making your kitchen feel like the "heart of the home" that it is.


This second image of Chateau d'emallevlle gives a better view of the lovely old oil painting featuring game and produce.....perfect for an old world kitchen.

via Pinterest

An old world kitchen should be decorated and designed in a way that instantly evokes a sense of feeling welcome, cozy and warm. Art will help with the warm up!


A lovely old world kitchen by designer Axel Vervoordt. Investing in beautiful artwork for the kitchen might not be your first thought when collecting art. But, since we spend so much time in the kitchen, it's makes sense to display your art where people tend to gather.


Even antique art is not so serious anymore making it unnecessary to relegate it to only the formal rooms of the home. Kitchens and bathrooms are perfect spaces to display art. In fact in today's interiors you don't even have to hang your art.

bhg.com

Leaning artwork gives it a more casual, yet elegant, feel and a room like the kitchen benefits from this warmer look. You will see more of this trend in art display in some of the following rooms.

Art creates character in a way that not much else does. Add some to your kitchen by all means!!

James Farmer Designs

Look for places that allow you to work some larger-scale artwork into your kitchen. Large pieces have a way of helping make a small space look bigger.

Timothy Corrigan

I love antique oil figural landscapes because it feels like extending the space to the outdoors. This one pairs itself beautifully to the gardens outside of Timothy Corrigan's Restored 18th-Century French Chateau du Grand-Luc.

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

The following three pictures are from my kitchen last Christmas. I have used several oil landscapes plus samplers down the hall leading to the kitchen. This way the kitchen is connected to the art filled area leading up to it.

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

I love this big oil painting I found at auction. It has alot to do with warming up the space.

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

I have a heart for oil paintings but you can certainly use other types of art. The bottom picture here is actually an antique needlepoint picture of a French woman, her children, and sheep I found at auction and adore. Antique watercolors,lithographs, chromographs, engravings, will also work wonderfully in a kitchen.


When treasure hunting for kitchen art try look for antique oil pastoral settings featuring sheep.... 

countryliving.com.

Kristen Buckingham

or even cows. These look especially nice in an old world kitchen.


Or try antique oil paintings with a food or drink theme.....perfect for the kitchen.


The bowl of peaches in this old oil works well colorwise with the great old copper cookware.


This old world kitchen has a lovely oil painting of produce hanging above the door. Don't be afraid to hang your pictures high!! It will make the eye travel up and your walls will seem even taller.


Antique oil portraits bring instant old world charm to every
interior......why not the kitchen!!

via Pinterest


Oil portraits in the kitchen of the late Joan Rivers.


Or you can always use them all together like this great mix of landscape, food themed still life, and portraits which is leaned and showcased on a beautiful brass and marble shelf.

samsung.com

With all the necessities of a kitchen, like appliances, backsplashe, and cabinets, it can be hard to find a place to work in some art. This homeowner did not let limited space stop them. Try some of their ideas.


Kitchens don't have to be large to be transformed into a beautiful space with a collection of antique prints or paintings. Smaller kitchens usually have a cozier feel anyway and the art just enhances the warmth.

via Pinterest

No window above your kitchen sink? Make use of the space and hang a beautiful old painting to give you he feel of outdoors. Maybe a landscape or floral like this one.


Create an interesting art display by working a small framed piece of artwork into an open shelving display or even on the top of any ledge you might have in your kitchen.

via Pinterest


The farmhouse kitchen, has always been a classic old world look and is trendy today as well. An oil painting above the stove and another leaned casually on the counter enhances the authenticity.

Ginny Magher

A stunning old world style kitchen featuring antique art.



Gold framed art is lovely against white or cream walls of the kitchen. Works well with the soft glow of copper!



via Pinterest

If your kitchen cabinets don’t stretch all the way to the ceiling use the top for a display of leaning art.


I love the oil painting of rabbits above the fireplace in this colorful art filled kitchen by Bunny Williams.

Designer Megan Pflug

Dark kitchen counters and walls are popular but a few well placed paintings (especially in gold frames) can really supply the charm factor.


Even a small piece of antique artwork can make the most sleek and modern kitchens feel instantly more cozy.


If you like alot of art try a gallery wall grouping of interesting pieces. Also  a great way to bring color to your kitchen..

via Pinterest

Or if your preference is for just one piece of art to display, invest in quality that will retain it's value.

via Pinterest

You have heard the old saying "the little are mighty". Even a small piece of antique art can shine in the kitchen when styled nicely.



If you want your old world kitchen turned into an aesthetically pleasing and charming family space instead of opting for a purely utilitarian look, antique art can transform it instantly!!






Click here to see the previous post




This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer

In the event that I have not credited the correct source of an image, please contact me at lisafarmerdesigns46@yahoo.com and I would be glad to correct it.





Thursday, August 20, 2020

Decorating With French Girandole Candelabras



A girandole, JEER-on-dole (from French, in turn from Italian girandola) is an ornamental branched candlestick consisting of several lights, often resembling a small chandelier. Girandoles came into use about the second half of the 17th century, and were commonly made and used in pairs.

A girandole has always been a luxurious source of lighting in the great 18th-century period of French house decoration. There are girandole table lamps, sconces, and even chandeliers as you will see in the pictures below.

Although the name is Italian in origin, girandoles reached the greatest heights of popularity in the second half of the 18th century in France and England. At the beginning of this period these gilded bronze and crystal beauties represented the most extravagant expression of the Rococo style of lighting.

Beautiful and charming, French girondoles will add a wonderful old world feeling to your home no matter what room you you choose to use them in. I hope you will enjoy learning about them and viewing the images I have gathered to share with you.

Jacques Garcia

Girandoles are prized standout pieces that are utilized today as decorative objects in old world interiors. Once used as mantel ornaments they are usually found in pairs.

The French girandole was designed to look like a fountain in the center with arms arranged around a central axis and radiating outward like the spokes of a wheel. They were also well decorated with prisms and beads of glass that gave the impression of water droplets. The use of all the ornamentation had a purpose other than aesthetics.


Before the advent of electric lighting it was important to try and produce as many reflective surfaces for the candle light as possible through the use of multifaceted beads as well as prisms that would reflect and refract as much light as possible from the candles.


Large girandoles were placed on tall candle stands called torcheres that raised them as high as the wall sconces. Added all together the three sources of light, (chandelier, sconces, and girandoles) produced enough light to illuminate the centers of rooms. The use of smaller girandoles on tables and roaring fires in fireplaces helped to bring light towards the floor.


They understood the use of mirrors and crystals to create lighting in the court of Versailles. Here, in the Hall of Mirrors, gilt guéridons hold girandoles up as high as possible to help light the corridor..... especially at night.


No one seems to know who created the girandole but they were first seen in French royal inventories as early as 1660.


Beautiful girandoles in the apartement of the marquise de Pompadour.
Fireworks.... or girandoles at Versailles.

The earliest uses of the word girandole in the 17th century, referred to a kind of firework or to something, such as a fountain, with a radiating pattern like that of a firework. You can see the similarity and why this style of firework is where these wonderful lamps got their name.
Another firework style that resembles the girandole.


By the 18th century, the word girandole was being used for a branched candlestick. With this close up you really get the idea of why they called it a girandole due to its resemblance to the firework.


This size is perfect for table lamps and will add a wonderful old world feeling to your home.

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

I have a pair that I use on top of the desk in my office. I found them in a old antique car parts place.......just laying on a pile of stuff. Went for a part and came home with girandoles.

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

This image is from last Christmas. I forgot to light the candles. Just imagine that they are even more magical when lit.


Suitable for a hallway, living room, bedroom, sitting room, dining room. You can't go wrong with girandoles anywhere in your interior.

K&Co. Antiques

Some French Girandole table lamp candelabras have glass toppers like these.


Others do not.

via Pinterest

Girandoles were popular throughout the 18th century. Sometimes people used semi precious stones such as garnet, amethyst, carnelian, even agate alongside their prisms.

Dejavu on Instagram

The girandoles that have an aged patina instead of a shiny metallic one pair beautifully with French provincial and Gustavian elements.

via Pinterest

French Brocante themed interiors are primarily white or grey. Lovely crystal girandoles will add a little bit of glamour to these interiors.


Some people prefer a simpler look with only prisms for adornment.


While others like to embellish their girandoles with strings of glass beads.

This image and the one below from vignetteantiques.blogspot.com
Another popular way to display your girandole is with shades.

Rodolphe on Instagram

The urn based girandoles are also very striking.




They look so pretty with distressed or even chippy paint furniture.
via Pinterest

Oh my.....girandole Heaven!

House of Porters

The timeless styling of the girandole is an Old World design that will never go out of style.


Next up we have the French girandole sconce. They have the similar fountain/firework design of the table lamps. 

via Pinterest

Girandole sconces (or brackets as they were called) were objects of luxury that reached their height in popularity in England and France in the second half of the 18th century.

Designer, Jacques Grange

Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design

In addition to my girandole table lamps I also have a girandole wall sconce in my office.

These wall sconces coordinate well with other Old World antiques.


Always present are the radiating hooked arms.

via Pinterest

This dreamy, creamy space features a French girandole table candelabra and chandelier.

via Pinterest

The girandole chandeliers will also always resemble the style of the table lamps with the hooks that create the fireworks look.


The hooks are what give them their distinctive look.



via Pinterest

Girandoles are getting harder to find and when you do they can be quite expensive.


However, they are still out there and you might get lucky as they can turn up at the most unexpected places.......just ask me.




Click here to see the previous post




This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer

In the event that I have not credited the correct source of an image, please contact me at lisafarmerdesigns46@yahoo.com and I would be glad to correct it.

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