EMPIRE FURNITURE » Egyptian

Painted Empire Furniture

Admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:01:25 +0000

Beautiful Painted Empire Styled Chair

This chair is typical of the Empire period. circa 1810-1815. The color of the paint finish is a dark grey blue hue.

Beautiful Painted Empire Styled Chair

Of the same model as the previous chair, this armchair has all its qualities and generosity. It differs in its arm-rests, which very prettily continue the line of their curved supports, and are ornamented with a very fine sculpture of stylized lotus leaves

Beautiful Painted Empire Styled Chair

This pure Antique French Empire chair, with a powerful yet not heavy look, is typical for the taste of the early 19th century which is inspired by the Etruscan style and furthermore and mainly by the discoveries of Napoleon in the Egyptian expeditions. As you can see the pure white upholstery plays off the off gray painted finish. This chair offers us turned front legs with ornamented extremities in the shape of stylised lotus leaves. All Pictures were originally featured here.

How To Achieve A Venetian Plaster Finish

Admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:10:54 +0000

Empire Furniture Classical Interiors - Venetian Plaster Designer Brian McCarthy

Amazon.com Widgets

A detail of the Dining Room of Brian J. McCarthy showing a Georges Jacob chair against a Venetian plaster wall- Picture Featured on The Devoted Classicist Blog Originally Seen in the January-February, 2012 issue of VERANDA magazine.

Venetian plaster is a plastering technique which uses a fine delicate layer of of lime plaster, which is then polished to give a glossy appearance. This type of finish is known as Venetian Plaster, Marmorino, and Stucco Lustro Veneziano and has been used throughout history starting in Egyptian times. Venetian Plastering was used by the Romans, and during the renaissance for decorating palaces and villas.

The composition of Venetian polished plaster is that of Marble dust & lime, and occasionally quartz dust is added.

The industrial process of making Venetian polished plaster involves heating limestone in kilns, which is then emulsified with water. The mixture is then left to age for some years. The result is a lime putty which requires exposure to air to cure.

After aging is complete the putty is mixed with a variety of materials to add decorative effects, commonly marble dust or quartz is used, and pigments are added to produce plasters of different colors. Exposure to the air will cure the plaster over a number of months and a durable finish is the result. The durable nature of the venetian plaster finish makes it very versatile. It can be used externally or internally, and in spaces where a less durable finish would quickly wear out. Essentially limestone is turned into a putty which when exposed to air will harden back into a stone like finish

Recently polished plaster finishes have become popular and seen in particularly wealthy homes and office buildings. The finish has been used increasingly by leading architects & interior designers. Venetian Plaster can be suitable in almost all the rooms in the home: bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, lobbies, swimming pool walls & ceilings, wet rooms & columns.

Applications

Venetian plaster is applied with a trowel or spatula and then polished to produce a smooth surface which has an illusion of depth and translucence.

Professional decorative plasterers will charge a great deal to apply the finish for you, however its with effort & patience, you can apply this beautiful finish yourself.

What you will need

1 large trowel,1 medium trowel, and 1 small polishing trowel , spatula, primer, brush/roller, polished plaster mix. sealer, cloth, wax.

Preparing the surface for plastering

A primer needs to have a slight grit to ensure the plaster adheres to the surface. Apply your primer with a roller, and allow it to dry for about 8 hours. The primer must be dry before plaster application.

Plaster application & Polishing

1st coat: Apply first coat using the large trowel so that it covers the surface, do not apply too thickly, and leave a slight patterning in the plaster. Leave overnight to dry.

2nd coat: Using the medium trowel lightly sand 1st coat to smooth any really textured areas and then apply the 2nd coat by using small rotating motions with the trowel, working from one corner to the other, in a methodical fashion.

Use as little plaster as possible, just enough to create an even smooth finish. Leave 8 hours to dry.

3rd coat: apply as for 2nd coat, Use even less plaster than before as you will be working on a smoother surface, work your way evenly and methodically across the surface with the small trowel, applying the thinnest possible coat consistent with covering the surface completely.

As the plaster dries, using an acute angle with your trowel smooth and compress the plaster using a cutting motion, this will give it a polished even glassy shine. Leave 24 hours to dry.

Sealing

The plaster effect can left in its natural state if desired. It can however be sealed, if the application is in an area subject to humidity, such as a bathroom. Sealing is achieved by applying 2 thin coats of sealer , the 2nd coat can be applied 1 hour after the 1st. Leave for 24hours at which point its possible to also apply wax to give the plaster added shine and protection.

Additional Rooms By Brian J. McCarthy

Classical Interiors By Brian J. McCarthy Seen In Elle Decor

Miniature Childrens Continental Empire Furniture

Admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:56:49 +0000

Miniature Childs Empire Ormolu Mounted Inlaid Mahogany Armchair

Tcs02186 on ebay has some outstanding examples of Empire Salesman samples worthy of any sophisticated private or museum collection.

This miniature child's continental Empire inlaid mahogany chair features shiny ormolu mounts, and beautiful lines. The chair is likely to be French in nature and dates to approximately 1860-80. They also have listed a miniature Empire commode with bronze mounts which look spectacular together. This set would make a spectacular gift to a grandchild or a unique family gift that can be handed down for many generations.

The chair is made of mahogany and the back and up-swept arms are inlaid with boxwood or satinwood string inlay. The back is decorated with an ebonized panel with an ormolu wreath in the center,flanked on each side by a reclining woman in the neoclassical style. The other is playing a lyre and holding a table. The end of each arm has an ormolu mount. The inside of each arm also has a similar ormolu mount. The seat of the chair has a removable rectangular upholstered cushion which sits firmly between the arms. Below the seat on the front of the chair is another ebonized panel, this one decorated with an ormolu urn. This piece is a fine example of the highest quality of craftsmanship.

Miniature Diminutive Mahogany Commode c. 1850

This miniature diminutive mahogany commode c. 1850 is made of solid mahogany with beautiful graining. The rectangular top sits above four rows of two short drawers each. The drawers each have their original mounted gilt bronze drop handles. The drawers are separated by a vertical piece of mahogany decorated with a scrolling gilt bronze mount. Flanking the drawers are two spectacular gilt and embonized bronze neoclassical figures in the Egyptian revival style. The commode stands on square tapering legs. The two front legs are decorated with small bronze mounts. The piece is extremely well made.

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti’s Empire Decorated Home

Admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:23:42 +0000

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti's Empire Decorated Home

Eva Jeanbart Lorenzotti founder of Vivre.com travels the world in search of artists that create beautiful home furnishings, clothing, jewelry, and gift items. Native of Switzerland, Lorenzotti set out 17 years ago for America, and since she has built a mini-empire, generating about $50 million a year by retailing luxury goods in catalogs and online. Lorenzotti started Vivre in 1996 as a thin mailer featuring just three brands. Just like any business, success comes with hard work and determination. She connects one of a kind treasures with unique buyers interested in rare objects. Today, Vivre's pages are filled with unique exotic wares from around globe. Lorenzotti is quite accomplished, but she isn't an over night success. Lorenzotti is a graduate of Columbia University and began her career as an investment banker at Lazard Freres, and is fluent in five languages.

Eva Jeanbart's home is as polished as the gems she finds, although it still remains hidden for the most part. Her closet has been featured in Domino magazine but the rest of her home hasn't been photographed. Habitually Chic Blog posted some wonderful pictures of her home which showcased her beautiful polished geometrical patterned floor. She was also photographed in Gotham's March 2008 issue, standing against an exquisite table. Jeanbart-Lorenzotti lives in Manhattan with her husband and their two children. For more reading check out Lonny Sept 2011's Interivew with Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti.

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti's Empire Decorated Home Gotham Magazine

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti's Empire Decorated Home

Empire Furniture: Powerful Empire Sofas

Admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:22:21 +0000

Mike Bell featured this lovely Empire style canape in an unusual dazzling pink fabric. Mike Bell Antiques are known for their period furniture, reproductions and prestigious antiques. What is a canape anyway? Its shape is distinct from other sofas of the period, including the chaise longue, and is a variation on the "sofa". Frequently matching chairs were made to go with it. A canapé is a piece of furniture much the same as a couch or a settee. What is a settee exactly? A Settee has been described as a long wooden bench with a back, and other dictionaries describe it as a small to medium sized couch. Are you confused yet? You should be. Have you ever heard any one describe a couch using the term "chesterfield"? If you are a Canadian, you might. A chesterfield is basically a sofa. I grew up with my grandparents referring to the sofa as a "chesterfield". Today the term is rarely used, and has gone out of style in Canada. In the UK, they use the generic term 'sofa' or 'settee' for living room furniture. They once used the term 'couch' for seating that was often seen in a psychiatrist's office. In some sense, they would describe a couch as being a piece of furniture used for lying down, while a settee is used for formal settings and sitting upright. In the old French language, they also describe a 'couch' as a place to sleep or lie down. Like other terms, ..........settee, canape, and longue, they all come out of different countries to describe a type of sofa to some degree or another.

Empire Style Swan Canape

The traditional meaning of couch is a type of sofa that features a half back and one end that appears to be raised. If you were to visualize this type of couch, you might think of a bed that looks much like a day-bed or chaise longue. As early as 2000 B.C., the Egyptians used sofas much like these. The ancient Romans took design principles from the the Greeks, and used their wood longue frames in their kitchen. The coverings would be composed of animal hair or plant fiber that was often wrapped snugly in some sort of material which sat on the sofa than being nailed down like we see today. It wasn't until the late sixteenth century during the Renaissance that soft cushions were attached to the frames of benches and chairs. The Roman sofas usually had an armrest to one side, which a person could recline back on, having back support, and a longer styled bench which the legs could rest straight. I am sure they would be fans of the modern day recliner that extends the legs with a flip of a handle, but unfortunately those modern days comforts weren't seen until our modern day. The Romans created a number of couches and beds which we today associate with lounge chairs, much like you would see at the pool except with exceptionally beautiful craftsmanship. (Picture to the left from J. Clayton Spears & Co)

Medieval furniture was highly uncomfortable. Forget about the lush padding that we sit on today, as only the richest people had sofas and chairs through the medieval time periods. The poor had to make due with wooden benches and stools. The floor might have been more comfortable! Furniture was made entirely made from wood and BUT was functional. Animal skins were used to cover chairs with, and the basic design was sturdy. Baroque sofas took the simplistic design of the medieval furniture and added decorative carvings and seat coverings. Rich Baroque styles originated in Italy very quickly spread throughout Europe.

Then came Thomas Chippendale who was one of the first to feature patterns for furniture that had padded arm rests and backs and comfortable cushioned seats with the beautiful frames still being visible. In 1828, springs were introduced into furniture, where they were originated for the seats in carriages to minimize the bumpy rides. Empire furniture combined the functionality but were highly decorative. Empire furniture often features rich motifs and carved details. They are some of the nicest furniture in history. The heavy masculine frames looked wealthy and were accented with lavish carved details. But it wasn't until the early twentieth century that upholstered furniture became common to every household. The modern day couch evolved from the settee. Fully upholstered settees made for middle-class families only were brought to the market not that long ago in the early 1920s.

Today upholstery is common. Chairs, sofas, ottomans and footrests are seen everywhere. Many new lines come out with unique fabrics every season but nothing that compares to Empire period furniture. Not only do we see supreme quality with Empire furniture, but the overall size was robust, wealthy and glamorous. Upholstered furniture was once a symbol of wealth and affluence. We don't see the decoration on furniture as it was once was made for show. Having Empire furniture in ones home is still an indulgence in the best that luxury has to offer.

Empire Cane Back Sofa Daybed

Museum Empire Furniture

Unique Portugese Empire Sofa Daybed

Unique Portugese Empire Sofa Daybed From RITTER ANTIK

Empire Egyptian Curule X Frame Chairs

Admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:42:40 +0000

The Curule chair came about in Etruria (referred to in Greek texts as Tyrrhenia , now known as Tuscany) and was found on surviving Etruscan monuments to identify magistrates. Much earlier stools that were supported on a cross-frame are known from the New Kingdom of Egypt. Curule chairs were designed for the officials of the highest government dignitaries. It was originally made of ivory, without arms and it was usually inlaid with ivory and precious metals. It served a seat for the positioned in power, and later the emperor himself.

Interior Design by Scott Snyder Neoclassical Egyptian Roman Curule Chair Bench Stool

Cleopatra chair Red Fabric upholestry Ebay Seller louisxv2006

Cleopatra Vivien Leigh

CURULE BENCHES Seller Sydelle&Jay Livingston

Curule chairs

Austrian Biedermeier Curule Mahogany Bench. Circa 1820 Seller Florian Papp

Empire Egyptian Curule X Frame Chairs

Curule Bench Stool Chairs- Interior Design by Juan Pablo Molyneux