These lovely antique mailboxes can be a perfect addition to your home. Amco's Victorian Pedestal Mailbox is the perfect complement to any home and is the nicest of all the reproduction Victorian Mailboxes. Its lightweight construction is durable to withstand all four seasons.  This locking mailbox features security locking [...]]]> Antique Mailboxes From Sans Sanity Flicker Photostream

These lovely antique mailboxes can be a perfect addition to your home. Amco's Victorian Pedestal Mailbox is the perfect complement to any home and is the nicest of all the reproduction Victorian Mailboxes. Its lightweight construction is durable to withstand all four seasons.  This locking mailbox features security locking and a solid brass mail flap with an opening of up to 2 1/2" depending on your mail volume. Quality craftsmanship goes into this mailbox for added strength and durability for years of enjoyment. Choose from eight designer finishes in durable baked enamel to match any home exterior.  9 x 15 x 31 inches ; 45.4 pounds  Amco sells their antique reproduction mailbox for just under $270

Colonial Pedestal Mailbox - Patina - Cast Aluminum

Anthony Trollope was an 1815 English novelist. He was one of the most successful and prolific English novelists of the Victorian era. Writings: Chronicles of Barsetshire. He is also responsible for introducing the familiar red pillar mailboxes in Britain (1853).  Paint your existing antique styled mailbox or antique reproduction mailbox with Rust Oleum's regal [...]]]>

Anthony Trollope was an 1815 English novelist. He was one of the most successful and prolific English novelists of the Victorian era. Writings: Chronicles of Barsetshire. He is also responsible for introducing the familiar red pillar mailboxes in Britain (1853).  Paint your existing antique styled mailbox or antique reproduction mailbox with Rust Oleum's regal red oil paint for a durable finish which will last years.

Red Mailbox From Nemo's Great Uncle Flicker

Red English Mailbozes From Silly Jilly's Flicker Photostream

This lovely photo captured by Howard Lee Puckett Photography shows how beautiful an architectural urn can be in a formal livingroom or dining room. Special oversized urns can be given a grand pedestal to really highlight the classical appearance of their design.  Amazon carries a lot of smaller urns perfect for bookshelves, but [...]]]>

This lovely photo captured by Howard Lee Puckett Photography shows how beautiful an architectural urn can be in a formal livingroom or dining room. Special oversized urns can be given a grand pedestal to really highlight the classical appearance of their design.  Amazon carries a lot of smaller urns perfect for bookshelves, but not oversized urns like the picture above.  One incredible sourse I have found on Amazon is Orlandi Statuary.  Many of their products disappear quickly, which leads me to think they carry specialized decor, or one of a kind decor. I have to say their collections are stunning.  Finding a high end oversized urn with Orlandi Statuary is not a problem.  Do check their stock for that special one of a kind classical look.

Orlandi Statuary Embellished Urn 31 Inch with Lid

Beaded Stonecast Hose Pot - Grandin Road

There is nothing worse than having several 50 foot hoses all piled around your property. Today there are a number of options available for hiding away the excess length of water hoses. Connect your gardens with style using these garden containers which look beautiful while [...]]]>

Beaded Stonecast Hose Pot - Grandin Road

There is nothing worse than having several 50 foot hoses all piled around your property. Today there are a number of options available for hiding away the excess length of water hoses. Connect your gardens with style using these garden containers which look beautiful while being functional at the same time.

Architectural Outdoor Gardens Angelina Jolie Vogue Dec 2010

Black cast iron urns can really transform a room or garden into an area that is prestigious. Feature these architectural urns in a line of sight outside a pair of french doors, or as a focal feature at te the entry way into a garden. These [...]]]>

Architectural Outdoor Gardens Angelina Jolie Vogue Dec 2010

Black cast iron urns can really transform a room or garden into an area that is prestigious. Feature these architectural urns in a line of sight outside a pair of french doors, or as a focal feature at te the entry way into a garden. These architectural urns really give this photo with Angelina Jolie a regal look.

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Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

Black cast iron garden urns and pedestals-gorgeous!!    US $800.00

Black Cast Iron Wide Mouth Urn Planter With Pedestal    US $1,105.00

Black Cast Iron Urn Planter With Pedestal    US $4,700.00

Architectural Landscaping - Picture Credit Christian Oth Photography

Create an architectural garden in your own back yard with creative pruning. Learn how to create architectural details out of hedges, and plants to get the most out of your property.

Topiary Art Photo Credit Full Moon Goddess on Flicker's Photostream

Topiary art is the sculpting of shrubs to create shapes and designs most often for the use of visual art. Creating a topiary plant can take patience and a willingness to maintain the appearance by trimming it weekly because they do grow [...]]]>

Topiary Art Photo Credit Full Moon Goddess on Flicker's Photostream

Topiary art is the sculpting of shrubs to create shapes and designs most often for the use of visual art. Creating a topiary plant can take patience and a willingness to maintain the appearance by trimming it weekly because they do grow fast and can get out of hand.  The pay off for all the hard work can be tremendous as topiaries are visually stunning.  Topiaries come in a variety of shapes ranging from animals to the very basic of geometric shapes. These plants generally use shrubs and sub-shrubs such as arborvitae, bay laurel, box, holly, myrtle, privet, and yew. To create unique shapes, a shaped wire cage is used as the plant grows. The most common types of topiary frames are those that come in basic shapes such as globes, pillars, and cones.  Often times these shapes are seen combined with one another. The extra large elephant frames seen in the lavish French gardens are now available in different sizes on Amazon. The uniquely hand crafted topiary frame is constructed of high quality metal and finished in an elegant matte black powder coating to resist the elements. With every frame being hand made, this makes each topiary an almost one of a kind sculpture. The empty wire topiary sells in the largest frame measuring 60"H x 89"L x 29"W and sells for $849. A series of carefully planned topiary plants would really highlight a home and create an atmosphere of well planned gardens.

Imax 29121-2 Mossy Sphere Topiary-Set of 2

Imax sells a couple sets of TWO topiary plants which are artificual, for the lowest price on the market.

The Sphere set of topiaries sell for around $70 making them roughly $30 dollars a piece. The Cone shaped Topiaries sell for the same price.

The sets of mossy topiaries are planted in wooden boxes which gives a Swedish touch.

Imax has them for only $45 at this link for the set of two, making them roughly $20 a piece.

Many of you might be searching for a new house to buy, or perhaps you are hoping to reinvent your current home with some old classical details to give it that old style charm.  I have a book for you!  Many people don't even approach the idea of building a house, because imagining a new house, or [...]]]>

Many of you might be searching for a new house to buy, or perhaps you are hoping to reinvent your current home with some old classical details to give it that old style charm.  I have a book for you!  Many people don't even approach the idea of building a house, because imagining a new house, or the expenses associated with starting from scratch can be daunting thought. Many people touring new homes looking for ideas find nothing but cookie-cutter copies in which they then find themselves combing through the bookstore shelves looking for inspiration in which they can add to their homes to give that old world feel. Russell Versaci was inspired to write Creating A New Old House when he was in architecture school.  It was then that he discovered the modern American homes didn't even have a trace of the past, as if they abandoned the architectural elements all together.   He turned to history for inspiration, and while searching through dusty volumes in the library he discovered America was rich with forgotten styles, from the first colonial dwellings and styles of the new republic through early-twentieth-century classicism.  Russell spent 30 years studying the qualities that make old houses so appealing—and learning how to re-create these qualities in new homes for modern living.  Amongst those who love new styles, there is an even bigger population that clings to the old.

Google Books Has a generous preview of Creating A New Old House Here.

Also  Versaci's Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House preview is also on Google Books

Creating A New Old House  will show you homes which were built from scratch which incorporated elements which were patterned after tradition. The houses in this book have been created by some of the best architects, builders, and homeowners who dedicated their craft to creating styles based on classic designs. The homes presented in the book cover different styles ranging in different regional styles across America. You will see portraits of eighteen new houses in classic traditional styles. The examples given were selected from more than 300 homes, presenting the very best in each style. Creating A New Old House  became an instant classic when it was published in 2003 and is now used as a tool in hundreds of traditional architecture practices.

About the Author

Russell Versaci was a graduate of Yale, and studied architecture at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1985 he formed the award-winning residential practice Versaci Neumann & Partners, based in Washington D.C. and Middleburg, Va.  Then in 2006 he founded Russell Versaci Architecture which has a goal of improving the quality and value of traditional homebuilding.  Versaci's designs have been featured in national magazines, including Traditional Home, Southern Accents, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, as well as on Good Morning, America.

Russell Versaci offers 8 guide points to consider when designing a new house with classical strong traditional design.

1.  Invent within the rules- When creating new designs, work within the traditional language of architecture.

2.  Respect the character of place- Honor the local building traditions.

3.  Tell a story in your home about the growth over time.  Imagine changes
made by alterations and additions over time, and design within those ideas.

4.  Build for the ages- Build with durable materials and time-tested construction techniques which are built to last.

5.  Pay Attention to detail.  Authenticity of details define house character making it more convincing.

6.  Build with natural materials- The timeless beauty of natural materials will always remain in style, while the modern day plastics will always become dated at some point in time.

7.  Create the patina of age by natural weathering processes.  Build with salvaged antique materials.

8.  Intergrate modern room functions but hide new technologies.

  Index Information:

Introduction - Page 2

Reviving the Classic Homes of the Past Page 4

A Portfolio of New Old Houses

CALIFORNIA SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL- Recapturing the Romance of Spain Page 24

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANCH- Rive House in Big Sky Country Page 36

SPANISH-PUEBLO ADOBE- Reviving A Primitive Power Page 48

MIDWESTERN GREEK REVIVAL- An Honest Prairie Farmhouse- Page 60

CONNECTICUT VALLEY COLONIAL- Relocating A Relic Page 70

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FARMHOUSE- A New Farmstead with a Past- Page 82

HUDSON VALLEY GREEK REVIVAL- Building By The Book Page 94

MARYLAND TIDE WATER PLANTATION- Preserving History Page 106

GERMAN STONE FARMHOUSE- Bringing a Farm Back to Life Page 116

CAPE COD COTTAGE- A. House of Salvaged Bones Page 128

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT FARMHOUSE- A New Farmhouse For An Old Village Page 138

SOUTHERN ANTEBELLUM PLANTATION- Proper Southern Planners Page 150

FRENCH CREOLE COTTAGE- A Weathered Bayou Cottage Page 160

TEXAS GERMAN RANCH- Sunday House on the Prairie Page 172

FRENCH COLONIAL PLANTATION HOUSE- A Portrait of Louisiana Heritage Page 184

CRAFTSMAN ARTS AND CRAFT'S BUNGALOW- House of Fine Woodworking Page 196

COLONIAL REVIVAL SHINGLE STYLE-New England in the Northwest 206

Directory of Architects 218

Antique Architectural windows can be just a click away.  Many reproduction companies duplicate the old styles in forms of castings that you can buy.  Today, you can buy concrete designs, as well as foam castings of antiuqe architecural moldings.  With the foam architecture, there are treatments that make it look like [...]]]>

Antique Architectural windows can be just a click away.  Many reproduction companies duplicate the old styles in forms of castings that you can buy.  Today, you can buy concrete designs, as well as foam castings of antiuqe architecural moldings.  With the foam architecture, there are treatments that make it look like concrete or stone.  There are plenty of options for your home to look like the styles found in Europe.

Climbing Vine Photo Credit Willow Decor-Blog

Increase your homes square footage by adding some architectural elements to the outdoor spaces.  Imagine having more lounging options to read the latest novel than in the living room.  After being in a stuffy house, the outdoor can seem like a retreat, especially when the sun sets and the breeze brings about [...]]]>

Climbing Vine Photo Credit Willow Decor-Blog

Increase your homes square footage by adding some architectural elements to the outdoor spaces.  Imagine having more lounging options to read the latest novel than in the living room.  After being in a stuffy house, the outdoor can seem like a retreat, especially when the sun sets and the breeze brings about fresh air.  The front and back yard areas in most homes are often not utilized while most of the attention to decorating and design is focused in doors.  While stone retraining walls can create a visual room, don't underestimate the impact that  lattice walls can bring.   Lattice is rather easy to put up and could be used in combination with posts in the ground to secure them when bad weather arrives.

There are many selections when it comes to climbing vines, some are the honeysuckle, Clematis, Boston Ivy, Engleman Ivy, Mandevilla, Jasmine and Hybrid Climbing Roses.  Again the weight of the vine can cause damage to your lattice, so as it grows, be sure to prune it to control the shape.  Another vine option is  the Virginia creeper and silver lace vine, which grows fast in just a few years.  Morning glory is another fast growing vine, and it keeps coming back year after year. Trumpet vines also are a great option, and they are known to grow 30 feet or more in one season.  Plant trumpet vines away some distance from the house or flowerbeds on a lattice.  There are so many varieties of vines with a wide range of colors.  Pick a vine which works in your area and within the colors you are most attracted to.

Growing Vines Vertically on Your Home:

Build a trellis or latice which is secure enough to support the weight of a vine over time.  Vines send out tendrils which are a thread like shape which wrap it self around whatever it touches.  Building your lattice structure away from your home slightly will allow adequate room to water and  pruning the vine to obtain the greatest amount of growth.

If you plan on creating outdoor walls away from your home, consider facing your lattice towards the sunlight, as the leaves grow toward the sun and roots grow away from the sun.  Following these tips you will sure to have that English cottage appeal that has become famously vogue!

]]> http://architecturalsalvageantique.com/archives/landscape-architecture/feed 0 http://architecturalsalvageantique.com/archives/lion-door-knockers http://architecturalsalvageantique.com/archives/lion-door-knockers#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:04:18 +0000 Admin http://architecturalsalvageantique.com/?p=335 Architectural Door Knockers

Some of the most interesting embellishments of the 18th century door design have been the ornate brass details of the door knocker. Door knockers send a sophisticated first impression of class and style.   Lion door knockers are some of the most exquisite knockers which signify courage, valour, and bravery as it serves to protect [...]]]>

Architectural Door Knockers

Some of the most interesting embellishments of the 18th century door design have been the ornate brass details of the door knocker. Door knockers send a sophisticated first impression of class and style.   Lion door knockers are some of the most exquisite knockers which signify courage, valour, and bravery as it serves to protect the home.

(Picture Lion Head Knocker Design Carter)

There are a couple things to consider when buying a door knocker, and size is one of them.  Buying a door knocker that is too small for your door will end up looking silly in relation to the size of the door.  Lion door knockers come in a vast array of sizes, so be sure to  take into consideration architectural details of the door and find an appropriate knocker that will fit with your existing elements.

Architectural Door Knockers - Lion Head Knocker Picture Credit Xingwushu PhotoStream