FanningSparks – Page 47 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

Ideas from the Idea House

Every year Southern Living magazine designs, builds and decorates a model home. The home, referred to as the “Idea House”, is featured in the magazine and opened to the public for viewing. This year’s Southern Living Idea House is located on Amelia Island, Florida in a new development called Crane Island. It is surrounded by natural marshlands on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) which is a 3,000-mile inland waterway from Massachusetts to Texas. When I arrived early for a recent visit, I decided to take a little walk on the dock.

My curiosity was rewarded when I witnessed a beautiful dolphin gliding along the waterway.

The ICW isn’t only for wildlife, though, I also witnessed several commercial vessels during my visit. Here’s a barge as viewed from the back porch. There’s no question it’s a beautiful and entertaining setting.

In realtor-speak, the Idea House is 5 bed, 5.5 bath, 4,540 sq ft. But it’s so much more than that!

When you enter the house, you are greeted by a spacious living/dining/kitchen area. Large windows provide an expansive view of the spectacular setting.

Those large windows are actually full height bi-fold doors that open onto a porch. There’s no shortage of porches in the Idea House‒I counted 5 including one that was screened. They’re on nearly all sides of the house so there’s one for every time of day or night. This is the second floor back porch which is charmingly called the “swinging porch”.

The color scheme throughout the house is soft and muted‒soothing blues, neutral taupes/buffs and calming whites. It’s perfect for this elegant waterfront home. This is the Game Room on the second floor.

I noticed a large variety of patterns used throughout the house. There are patterns on the wallpaper, tablecloths, table and vanity skirts, linens, bed canopies, pillows and so on. Here’s a closeup of the Game Room drapery and wallpaper.

Texture was also prevalent throughout the house. In the Master Bedroom, for instance, shiplap walls, luxurious bed linens, glossy wood furniture and a variety of interesting accessories built a rich textural experience.

While I admired everything about the Idea House, I’m not in the market for a new house or a major renovation, so I focused on details and little things that I knew I could apply in my own home. Here are my top 8 ideas from the Idea House.

Idea 1: Add Local Interest I love how cranes are sprinkled throughout the Idea House in recognition of the Crane Island location. There’s a striking gallery wall in the Living Room featuring illustrations of cranes and other wild birds. The middle callout shows a chair upholstered in crane-patterned fabric. The bottom callout shows towel hooks in one of the bathrooms topped with bird illustrations. Cranes would not be relevant to everyone’s home, of course, but every location has its own unique and interesting elements.

Idea 2: Add Life with Fronds and Leaves Large palm fronds and plant cuttings are used throughout the Idea House to add greenery and life. It’s a nice alternative to cut flowers or house plants.

Idea 3: Repeat Pattern on Walls and Windows If you follow home decorating trends, you’ll know wallpaper is back in style. I didn’t actually count the number of rooms with wallpaper but I’d guess more than half had a wallpaper treatment of some kind. But the idea that caught my attention was extending the wallpaper pattern onto the window blind fabric. It makes for a nice, seamless treatment. Here’s an example from the Laundry Room. And, yes, there are two washers and two dryers! I guess when you have a big house in a beautiful waterfront location that everyone wants to visit, you can expect to generate a lot of laundry!

Idea 4: Decorate Top of Cabinet Admittedly, this is a rather small point. I’ve never quite known what to put on the top of a standalone cabinet‒aside from the predictable collection of baskets. I like the idea of hanging a photo or print in the space above the cabinet with just a simple piece of pottery placed on the cabinet itself.

Idea 5: Frame Wallpaper as Art The vanity area of the Twin Bedroom is papered in a lovely pattern of birds and foliage. It seems a section of that wallpaper was then framed and hung in the adjacent bathroom. Great idea!

Idea 6: Camouflage a Switchplate Another small but impactful idea. Why not make those ugly switchplates and outlet covers disappear? Here’s an example from the far wall in the kitchen.

Idea 7: Dress Up the Ceiling I was surprised to see at least two rooms with wallpaper on the ceiling. It was such a pleasant surprise. Here’s the cozy little Bunk Room with 2 sets of bunk beds ready for guests. The ceiling treatment adds style and glamour to this small space.

Idea 8: Add an Unexpected Piece The designer, Heather Chadduck Hillegas, called this out as one of her signature style moves in the August 2019 issue of Southern Living magazine. She said “It’s always nice to throw an oddball into the mix. A chair is a good option in a hallway. It can hold a stack of laundry or a stray handbag.” I love a few surprises in a home’s decor and this quirky chair is a great example.

I hope you’ve found these ideas interesting and that you might be tempted to try them, too.

More Info

You can learn more about the Southern Living Idea House on the Southern Living website or the Crane Island website.

There are 7 elements of design including color, pattern, texture, space, line, form and light. The Interior Design Academy explains these elements must work in harmony to create an aesthetically pleasing interior. I’ve discussed some of these topics in previous posts. See my Color Palette by Mother Nature post for more information about inspiring color palettes. See my Patterns by Mother Nature post for inspiration about patterns. In my posts, Texture by Mother Nature and Decorating With Texture, we looked at texture. Decorating with Texture includes quite a few photos from previous Southern Living Idea Houses.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider visiting the Southern Living Idea House or a similar model home near you.
2. Study the setting, architecture and décor to identify elements that appeal to you.
3. Take photos and/or notes of ideas that inspire you.

Nature Southeast Travel Wildlife

Turtles Racing to the Sea

It’s sea turtle nesting season along the coast of Florida. There are 7 species of sea turtles, 5 of which can be found nesting in Florida. These include the Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, Kemp’s Ridley and Leatherback. Sadly, all sea turtles are threatened or endangered. According to The National Wildlife Federation, “They face an uncertain future due to threats of many kinds, including pollution and the encroachment of coastal development on their nesting beaches. They are also susceptible to accidental drowning in fishing gear and are at risk from the international trade in turtle meat and shell products.”
The Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) is the most common sea turtle in U. S. coastal waters. In fact, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, 20 miles of coastline from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach, along the northeast coast of Florida is one of the two most important places in the world for loggerhead nesting. The other is Masirah Island at the Sultanate of Oman. Many organizations, including the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch, Florida Fish and Wildlife Services, National Marine Fisheries Services, and others, are actively working to preserve and protect the world’s sea turtles.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy hosts an annual event called Tour de Turtles. This event is designed to increase awareness and gain financial support.

Satellite telemetry is used to follow a group of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds. Since only female turtles come ashore for nesting most of the Tour de Turtles participants are female. I had the opportunity to witness two female loggerhead turtles at a Live Release event on Melbourne Beach. Philanthropy Phyllis (Phyllis) is sponsored by the Community Foundation for Brevard. Lulu (shown in the photo below) is sponsored by, honu, a UK-based jewelry company with “a mission to help save one of the Earth’s oldest inhabitants from extinction by creating pretty, ocean inspired jewellery and accessories”.

Phyllis and Lulu were selected after nesting at a nearby location and detained for a few hours. During this time, the turtles were outfitted with a satellite transmitter.

The race begins when the newly-wired turtles are released back to the ocean. Here the gate is being opened to release Phyllis.

This is Phyllis making her way back to the ocean. She headed straight to the water’s edge and moved surprisingly fast.

Here’s Lulu crawling across the beach to the water. She also made a speedy exit.

These turtles are tracked for about 3 months. The turtle who swims the furthest distance during the migration marathon is declared the Tour de Turtles winner. Live turtle releases, involving various species, are hosted in a series of locations. In addition to the Melbourne Beach, Florida Live Release which I attended, turtles will be/have been released from 7 other locations: Tortuguero, Costa Rica; Vero Beach, Florida; Florida Keyes, Florida; Nevis, West Indies; Guanahacabibes National Park, Cuba; Anna Maria Island, Florida; and Soropta Beach, Panama.
It was an amazing experience watching these creatures crawl across the sand and glide into the ocean.

The Tour de Turtles website has a cool tracking feature where you can watch the turtles’ progress. Check out Phyllis’ progress here. She seems to be taking the long way home. Here is the link to Lulu’s marathon migration map. She seems to be taking a more direct route.
Sea turtles as I’ve learned have a unique life cycle. Here’s the explanation from The National Wildlife Federation (NWF): “Mating occurs roughly every two to three years in shallow waters. In summer, an ancient reproductive ritual begins when the female leaves the sea and crawls ashore to dig a nest in the sand. She uses her rear flippers to dig the nest hole, then deposits 80 to 150 eggs that look a lot like Ping-Pong balls. When egg-laying is complete, the turtle covers the eggs, camouflages the nest site, and returns to the ocean. Nesting turtles may come to shore several times in a nesting season to repeat the process.” Interestingly, the mother turtle never sees her young. She simply deposits the eggs and moves on.
Amelia Island does not have the nesting density of south Florida beaches and does not conduct turtle walks to look for and observe sea turtles nesting. However, the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch organization does have a strong force of volunteers who monitor sea turtle nesting activity, gather statistical data and address sea turtle emergency situations. The volunteers survey the beach at daybreak each morning looking for signs that a turtle came ashore during the night. Nests are taped off and posted.

The volunteers also conduct excavations of sea turtle nests to gather data for assessing nesting success. The excavations, which are open to the public, are a great opportunity to learn more about sea turtles. I attended an early morning excavation on North Beach on beautiful Amelia Island.

The excavation was hosted by Len Kreger (Thank you, Len!). He explained the loggerhead turtle nest he would excavate had emerged at least 72 hours earlier meaning the hatchlings had already crawled out and entered the ocean. Here is Len digging out the nest.

Continuing with the NWF explanation of the turtle life cycle: “After incubating for about two months, the eggs begin to hatch. Hatchlings range from 1.5 to 3 inches (3.8 to 7.6 centimeters) in size, depending on the species, and emerge from the nest as a group. This usually occurs at night, and the hatchlings use the bright, open view of the night sky over the water to find their way to the sea. After their first frantic crawl from the nest to the ocean, male sea turtles never return to the shore again, and females come back only long enough to lay eggs.”
The purpose of excavating a turtle nest is simply to inventory the remaining nest contents: unhatched eggs, shards (empty egg shells), dead hatchlings and, sometimes, live hatchlings. Len stressed the nest had emerged 3 days prior and we should hope not to find any live hatchlings. Live hatchlings at this stage would have a lower than normal chance of survival. That’s significant given that typically only 1 in a 1000 hatchlings survive to maturity. The below photo shows some of the nest remains including 2 unhatched eggs (top left), several shards and a few dead hatchlings.

But the biggest surprise was live hatchlings… 18 in total. Here are the first 2 hatchlings recovered.

Len gathered them in a bucket and then released them at the water’s edge.

Despite knowing the hatchlings had little chance of survival, it was thrilling to see them up close and in person and then to witness their eager rush into the sea.

I would be remiss if I didn’t pass on these reminders. Please abide by the following rules if you’re in a sea turtle zone during nesting season.

Keep Dark Minimize beachside lighting. Close drapes in oceanfront rooms at night. Do not use white flashlights (including smart phone flashlights) or flash cameras at night.
Stay Clear Do not disturb nests, eggs, markers, signs or tracks. Do not approach, touch, or get in front of adult or baby turtles.
Remove Obstacles Take your trash with you when you leave the beach. Do not dig holes on the beach without filling them in before leaving. This includes knocking down and filling in sandcastles. Remove beach furniture (beach chairs, umbrellas, canopies, etc) at the end of the day.
Control Pets Keep dogs on a leash, and away from turtle nests, at all times.

More Info

There are numerous online reference sites regarding sea turtles. I found the following helpful:
The National Wildlife Federation – Sea Turtles
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Sea Turtles
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
Sea Turtle Conservancy
You can learn more about the Tour de Turtles annual event hosted by the Sea Turtle Conservancy on the Tour de Turtles website.
The Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch website provides information about their nest excavations.

Today’s Takeaways

1. There’s nothing like seeing a wild creature in its natural habitat.
2. Strive to learn all you can about a creature that interests you.
3. Consider actions you can take, both large and small, to preserve and protect wildlife.

Artists Make Southeast Travel

Clara and Mr Tiffany: The Backstory

If you’re looking for some light summer reading, you might want to consider the book “Clara and Mr Tiffany” by Susan Vreeland. It’s not a new book (published 2011) but well worth reading if you missed it when it first hit the market. The story, which takes place in New York City from about 1888 to 1909, tells the intriguing tale of Clara Wolcott Driscoll and her work for Louis Comfort Tiffany at Tiffany Studios. It’s well written and thoroughly researched and, while it’s a work of fiction, it is built upon actual facts. How these facts came to light makes the story even more interesting.

Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) is considered one of the most influential creative designers of his time. Tiffany Studios was famous for innovative stained glass windows. Tiffany Studios is said to have produced about 5,000 windows during its 50-year history. Many of those windows had a religious theme including the one pictured below called “The Righteous Shall Receive a Crown of Glory” from 1901. This window was commissioned for the United Methodist Church in Waterville, New York. It is currently on display at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. The exhibit card indicates this window is made of “handmade colored and opalescent sheet glass and textured glass, cut and assembled, painted; lead came”.

Here is a closeup of the cross.

A notable exception to the religious theme was the below window which can be seen at the Morse Museum in Winter Park, Florida. The museum describes the window as “Maiden feeding flamingos in the court of a Roman house”. The window was designed by Tiffany for the World’s Exposition in Chicago in 1893. There is an amusing little story about this window in the book Clara and Mr Tiffany.
Below is an example of a Tiffany glass window made with techniques described in Clara and Mr Tiffany. The Hudson River landscape window was commissioned for a Gothic Revival Music Room at Rochroane Castle, Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. It was recognized by International Style magazine in 1905 as one of the most important residential commissions of its day. The exhibit card explains “Tiffany did not use paints or stains in the execution of the window. The rich colors, details, and illusionistic effects are produced with different types of textured glasses, and by layering pieces of colored glass – a technique called plating – on the front and back of the window.”

Here’s a closer look at the hollyhocks and the trumpet vine in the foreground.

Meanwhile, around 1898, the first leaded glass lamp shades appeared. These iconic lamps incorporated insect and floral motifs and became known by names such as the Dragonfly, Cobweb, Butterfly, Wisteria, Poppy, Laburnum, Arrowhead and Geranium.

The lamps were costly but quickly became sought after by New York’s wealthy citizens. For years, Tiffany was credited with designing these beautiful lamps. Then in 2005, a marvelous discovery revealed a different story. Two separate collections of personal correspondence written by Clara Driscoll and her family were brought together and studied as a whole. As it turns out, Clara Driscoll is actually the designer of several of the Tiffany leaded glass lamp shades! Two years later, the New York Historical Society hosted an exhibition based on this ground breaking research. It was called “A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls”. As stated in the exhibition press release, “The exhibition presents the renowned works of Tiffany Studios in an entirely new context, focusing on the women who labored behind the scenes to create the masterpieces now inextricably linked to the Tiffany name.” The exhibition has long since dissolved but many of these Tiffany lamps can still be seen in museum collections.
The Wisteria lamp, an iconic masterpiece of leaded-glass art, can be seen at the Morse Museum. The designer of the Wisteria lamp is clearly identified as Clara Driscoll in the exhibit guide. Aside from the sheer beauty of this lamp, it’s impressive to think about how it was constructed‒over 2000 individual pieces had to be selected, cut, pieced together and soldered into place.

Here’s a closeup of the Laburnum lamp, also on display at the Morse Museum, which is equally intricate.

Here’s a look at the Dogwood design with an emphasis on glass colors and patterns. The form is less complex with straight edges and a simple bottom edge.

An early model of the famous Dragonfly lamp (aka Dragonflies and Water Flowers Lamp) can be seen at the Corning Museum of Glass. This 1899 version has a large base designed to hold kerosene oil.

Subsequent models, like this one from 1910, had a slimmer, more elegant base designed to be used with electricity.

It’s magical to see a Dragonfly lamp in person because of the prominent role it plays in the story of Clara and Mr Tiffany. At one point in the story, Clara says “It still leaves me on edge. I have to make this dragonfly lamp more exquisite and more individual than any blown shade, more art than craft. It’s got to have a place in Mr. Tiffany’s heart.”

More Info

Learn more about the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, in Winter Park, Florida, on their website. The Morse Museum is known internationally for its collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. It is considered by experts as “the most comprehensive and the most interesting collection of Tiffany anywhere.” I enjoyed the museum immensely and would not hesitate to recommend it.

The Corning Museum of Glass is another museum well worth visiting. Their website provides all necessary information. In addition, their collections are beautifully captured with photos and descriptions online. For instance, here is the listing of the Dragonflies and Water Flowers Lamp. The Corning Museum of Glass is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass, the world’s foremost library on glass, and one of the top glassworking schools in the world. I would highly recommend this museum as well.

Another great source of information about Clara Driscoll and Tiffany Studios is Susan Vreeland’s website.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Reading fact-based fiction about art and artists is a great way to learn.
2. Consider combining travel and art viewing to see works you’ve read about.
3. Imagine how the artwork you’ve read about and/or viewed could influence your own designs and projects.

Artists Events Make Travel

Kaleidoscope of Fashion

Looking for some relief from the summer heat? How about escaping to a lovely air-conditioned museum for a few hours? SCAD FASH is one of my favorites in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) bills itself as “The University for Creative Careers”. SCAD FASH is their Museum of Fashion + Film. It’s not that I’m a fashionista… far from it… but I do love refreshing new ideas and the SCAD FASH exhibitions never fall to deliver. The current exhibition, Kaleidoscope Katrantzou: Mary Katrantzou, 10 Years in Fashion is a great example. I’ll admit I didn’t even know who Mary Katrantzou was before attending the exhibit. But the exhibit closed that gap and I’m filled with admiration for her work.
The Kaleidoscope Katrantzou exhibition celebrates Katrantzou’s 10^th anniversary and includes 88 outfits from 20 seasonal collections. The outfits are beautifully displayed in the spacious gallery.

Katrantzou designs luxury ready-to-wear womenswear featuring innovative digital prints, sophisticated embellishment and statement pieces. Here’s what the exhibit has to say about the artist “Born in Athens, Greece, and based in London, Katrantzou took the fashion world by storm in 2008 with her now-legendary debut collection of trompe l’oeil prints, quickly becoming an industry favorite. Over the past 10 years, Katrantzou has surprised and stunned critics each season. Tapped for prestigious partnerships with cult brands including Longchamp, Moncler and Adidas Originals, she has also collaborated with artist-provocateur Pablo Bronstein, designed costumes for the New York City Ballet and Paris Opera, and exhibited her work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. … Katrantzou’s garments are highly sought after by fashionistas, collectors and celebrities alike, and have been worn by Michelle Obama, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong’o and Naomi Campbell, among many others.”
Perhaps the best place to start is with Katrantzou’s debut collection from Fall/Winter 2009. Called “Woman in a Bottle”, the collection was inspired by perfume bottles and the reflective quality of glass. The first look she presented was this “Black Shalimar” dress. The gorgeous design is the result of a digital print manipulated to form the desired silhouette.

Although digital prints on fabric are quite popular today, the technique was highly innovative at the time. Katrantzou has included digital prints in subsequent collections but always interpreted in a unique new way. Here’s an example from her Spring/Summer 2014 Collection. This unusual collection called “The Shoes”, was… you guessed it… inspired by footwear. Common details, such as the shoelaces shown here on the “Tamale Dress”, were incorporated as decorative elements in the outfits.

Here’s another twist, the digital print for this pantsuit, is printed on metal mesh. This is the “Iris Dress” from the Minoan Collection of Spring/Summer 2017. For this collection, Katrantzou was inspired by the rich history, mythology and culture of Greece.

Many of Katrantzou’s designs feature spectacular embellishments. A variety of materials are used including embroidery, beads, sequins, Swarovski crystals and metal chains. The 3 outfits below, from the Cosmology Collection for Spring/Summer 2016, were inspired by the engravings of medieval cosmology. Shown left to right are the “Prism Dress”, “Azalea Dress” and “Milana Dress”.

Here’s a closer look at some of the embellishment.

Some outfits were embellished with completely unexpected items. This dress, from the Ordinary Objects Collection for Fall/Winter 2012, is embellished with rubber pencils, beads and plastic ruffles. The exhibition guide explains “With this collection, Katrantzou discovers beauty in the everyday, elevating the mundane to the sublime. A simple concept becomes dazzling in execution.”

Another example of using an everyday item in a surprising way is this “Ellsworth Dress” which is made of acrylic puzzle pieces, metal rings and PVC. It is from the 10^th Anniversary Show for Spring/Summer 2019.

There are many more lovely and innovative designs in the exhibit. But I’d like to wrap up this gown from the The Youth of the Year Collection for Spring/Summer 2018. This collection celebrates the limitless imagination of children and was inspired by their toys and games. I think the partially completed paint-by-number design is genius! Interestingly, this gown was worn by the award-winning, Austrialian actress, Cate Blanchett, to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. This gown was definitely the star of the Kaleidoscope Katrantzou show! Isn’t it beautiful?

More Info

The Katrantzou Kaleidoscope exhibition is on display at SCAD FASH until Sept 22, 2019. The Exhibit Guide can be accessed online.
You can learn about designer Mary Katrantzou and her latest collections on her website.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider checking out the current exhibition at your local museum.
2. Entertain options to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
3. Explore the endless possibilities for embellishment.

Decorate Exteriors Northeast Travel

Step Inside with Frank Lloyd Wright

In my previous post, Then Came FallingWater, I shared photos from this Frank Lloyd Wright architectural masterpiece along with some recurring themes from his work. Blurred lines, nature inspiration, horizontal planes, natural materials, cantilever construction, natural light, art glass, and geometric shapes‒these are all recurring themes I’ve observed while visiting homes designed by Wright. In that post, I shared several illustrative examples of Wright’s building exteriors. Wright is well-known for his architectural genius but he was also a talented designer of interiors. This is the living room at FallingWater.

According to Meegan M. Thompson author of Frank Lloyd Wright: 21 Surprising Stories, Wright “not only designed the structures, but what furniture would go inside, what colors and patterns would make up the decor, and, in the cases of some of his homes, even what dress the hostess would wear while entertaining. Napkins, dining room chairs, and end tables were all to be found among his designs, alongside light fixtures, area rugs, and sofa pillows. Essentially all of Wright’s designs included these interior details…. the pieces were intended to be viewed as part of a greater whole. Every corner of every room was carefully plotted so that it would look exactly how Wright envisioned it. Thus, his buildings were not just buildings–not in his eyes, anyway. He seemed to think of them as art installations in themselves.” Given this context, Wright’s bold statement that “A house is more than a home by being a work of art” makes sense.

FallingWater is reported to be the only Wright house that still has its original furnishings and artwork. It’s also the only Wright property I’ve visited where photos were allowed inside the house (Note: only on the 2-hour In Depth Tour). Let’s take another look at those recurring themes.

Blurred Lines
Wright liked to “blur interior and exterior space, where the interior decor and furnishings would complement the lines of the exterior”. This unusual window and flower bed combination is the epitome of blurring the lines. The photo is taken indoors with frame running from right to left. The short ferns are indoors and the tall ferns are outdoors. The Tour Guide told us the the window glass is actually embedded into the earth of the flower bed.
Nature Inspiration
Wright often included large walls of windows to bring the outdoors inside. This is one of Wright’s unique corner windows.
Horizontal Planes
Wright designed for his own height which was 5’ 8”. He kept ceilings low and deliberately placed furnishings close to the ground. This strategy is evident in the FallingWater living room.
Japanese style floor cushions, called “zabutons”, were designed by Wright and placed throughout the living room.
Natural Materials
As with the exteriors of his buildings, Wright preferred to use local building materials to create a harmonious connection with the home’s surroundings. Local sandstone and black walnut were used throughout FallingWater as seen in this guest bedroom.
And, yes, that’s an original work (Portrait of a Man ca 1930s) by Diego Rivera who was a prominent Mexican painter. Rivera, a favored artist of the Kaufmann family, visited FallingWater as a guest.
Natural materials – stone and wood – are also prevalent in the dining area.
In the below photo, the unusual construction of the fireplace is visible. Wright had the fireplace built on top of the natural rock from Bear Run falls.
That big red ball to the left of the fireplace? It’s a Wright original meant to be used for heating water. Apparently, the home owners used it only once because it took much too long.

Natural Light
The below leather butterfly chair is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the natural light in the study. Not all of the furniture and artwork at FallingWater was designed or selected by Wright. This chair, the “B.F.K chair”, was purchased by the Kaufmanns from its Argentine architects around 1940. Our Tour Guide told us it is 1 of only 2 remaining original butterfly chairs. This design was highly popular in the 1950s when an estimated 5 million were sold.

Geometric Shapes
Rectangular shapes dominate FallingWater’s interiors. The sitting area of the guest quarters, shown below, illustrates this point with the built-in rectangular seating and the vertically slatted room divider.
Art Glass
I didn’t notice any art glass at FallingWater but I was able to admire a few of Wright’s designs at the Corning Glass Museum in Corning, New York recently. This window design is known as The Tree of Life. Wright designed it for the Martin House in Buffalo, New York. According to the exhibit, “In this window, Wright reduced the tree to its most elemental, geometric form – with a square for the roots, simple straight lines for the trunk, and chevrons for the branches. Leaves are indicated by pieces of gold, red and green glass.” It’s a brilliant design!

The distinctive brightly-colored circles in the Coonley Playhouse windows are probably one of Wright’s most recognizable designs. According to the exhibit, “Wright once said that these windows were inspired by parades, and indeed, images of balloons, confetti and waving flags come to mind.”

And with that, the recurring themes identified in Wright’s building designs‒blurred lines, nature inspiration, horizontal planes, natural materials, natural light, art glass, and geometric shapes‒have all been found in his interior designs as well. Cantilever construction being the only exception. After this careful examination of the masterpiece that is FallingWater, it becomes more obvious what Wright meant when he said “A house is more than a home by being a work of art”.

More Info

You can read more about Frank Lloyd Wright and FallingWater in my previous post, Then Came FallingWater.
To learn more about Frank Lloyd Wright or FallingWater check out their websites.

Today’s Takeaways

1. When viewing the work of artists and experts, take note of the elements of design such as color, shape, texture and space
2. Look for recurring themes to find inspiration.
3. Consider Wright’s statement‒Is a house more than a home by being a work of art?

Nature Plants

Southern Ladies, Christmas Stockings and Hairy Armpits

What do Southern Ladies, Christmas Stockings and Hairy Armpits have in common? They’re all memory joggers to identify a species of fern. The Southern Lady Fern (Athyrium asplenioides), for instance, can be identified by its long smooth stalks. So the silly, little phrase, “Southern ladies shave their legs” is a helpful way to remember it.

The Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) can be identified by tufts of white or tan hairs at the base of each pinna (often referred to as a leaf) thus the hairy armpits reference. The pinna of the Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is thought to resemble the shape of a Christmas stocking. Note the toe of the stocking close to the stalk in the below photo.

These are some of the fun facts I learned during a recent class at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. The class, Ferns and Fern Allies, was taught by Dr Wilf Nicholls and Linda Chafin. It was an excellent opportunity to learn about these interesting plants. I had no idea, for instance, that ferns and fern allies (more accurately “seedless vascular plants”) were the first land plants and date back 475 million years. Who knew?
We learned about the astonishing diversity of ferns (Phylum Pterophyta) which includes 11,000 species. Although there are only about 130 species native to my home state of Georgia.
We learned the proper terminology for ferns. For instance, ferns do not have leaves, they have fronds. Here are the major parts of a fern.

We learned that all fern fronds begin as croziers (that pretty little spiral I always thought was a fiddlehead). Here’s the crozier of a Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides).

We used microscopes to examine spores and sporangia (spore-producing case or bag). We learned about the life cycle and sexual reproduction of a fern. Here are the sporangia on the underside of the Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis) pinna.

We concluded our class with a guided tour of the Dunson Native Flora Garden to identify native ferns and discuss their growing conditions. We didn’t address ferns for home gardens but, of course, recognizing native species and understanding their preferences goes a long way to making wise selections for the garden. Here are a couple more native ferns we saw. This lovely frond, backlit by golden sunshine, is a Broad Beech Fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera).

This is the Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum). Unfortunately, those hairy armpits mentioned above are not visible in this photo.

Ferns always remind me of a place I stayed in Thailand. Fern Paradise is a small, family-run resort hidden away in the countryside just outside Chiang Mai City in northern Thailand. My friend Vicki and I stayed there for a few nights many years ago. I’m happy to report that a quick internet search shows Fern Paradise is still a going concern. At Fern Paradise, guests stay in unique, elevated villas which are restored rice barns. The rice barns, or “Lhong Khao”, were originally used by rice farmers in what was the Lanna Kingdom in northern Thailand.

Guests can enjoy a cozy, outdoor terrace underneath the rice barn.

Dr. Niwat Tantayanusorn, owner and architect of Fern Paradise, moved 9 of these structures to his property to preserve their rich heritage. These unique Lanna architectural treasures are surrounded by a lush, green tropical paradise. Much of that lushness can be attributed to an abundance of ferns. Niwat is a fern expert and an avid fern collector. There are more than 300 types of ferns at Fern Paradise. During our stay, we were fortunate to have Niwat take us on a tour. He explained the history of the resort and showed us the Fern House where a variety of ferns are exhibited.

He also showed us the Green House where he starts ferns from spores and nurtures them to maturity.

From the rustic-chic rice barn rooms to the lush fern gardens to the charming hospitality, staying at Fern Paradise was an unforgettable experience!

As suggested by the number of photos in this post, ferns are fun and easy to photograph. Their elegant, graceful lines and soft, airy foliage lend themselves to interesting patterns and pleasing compositions. Here is a favorite shot from my photo archives. I like the near-perfect reflection of the fern fronds on the water’s surface. And thanks to my recent class, I can now identify this as the Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) which is common to wetlands in Georgia.

More Info

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, at the University of Georgia in Athens, offers a number of adult education programs.
The Nature Study Guide, Fern Finder: A Guide to Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada, by Barbara Hallowell and Anne C Hallowell is a helpful tool for identifying ferns.
The iNaturalist.org and their Seek app, which I mentioned in my previous post Seek to Identify Wildlife with this Fun App, are great resources for identifying wild plants and animals.

For more information about Fern Paradise in Northern Thailand, check out their website.

Not only photographers are attracted to ferns; ferns are a popular subject in art, craft and design. Check out my new Pinterest board, Ferns – FanningSparks Favs, for over 100 ideas on how to incorporate a fern motif into your home and surroundings. Jewelry, dishes, wallpaper, fabric, embroidery, vintage prints, sculpture… ferns are everywhere!

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider taking a look at the vast and fascinating world of ferns.
2. When selecting ferns for a home garden, choose a native species suited to your growing conditions.
3. Ferns are a popular design element; consider incorporating them into your home or surroundings.

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