Make no little plans

Daniel Burnham, architect and city planner, said about his master plans for Chicago and also the World's Columbian exhibition:
Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die

Burnham could just have as easily been talking about his plans for Washington DC and the National Mall, known as the McMillan Plan. Burnham was also the architect for one of my favorite buildings in DC, right off the National Mall pictured here: Union Station.On June 9th at 8:30pm, the film Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City will be shown on the National Mall at 4th street NW. Joan Allen, the film's narrator, will be attending. You may be familiar with the screen on the green series, which I love; just call this a precursor to the upcoming season!

The McMillan plan was designed by Burnham (along with a host of others including Frederick Law Olmsted, Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Charles F McKim) in 1901 , expanding upon L’Enfant’s original 1791 plans for the National Mall by designing the Lincoln Memorial, the adjacent reflecting pool and the Jefferson Memorial, seen on this plan below.

These ingenius plans turned DC into the beautiful city we enjoy today. The City Beautiful movement from that time period touched nearly every major US city, thanks the Columbian Exhibition, and remain today among the most visited sections of any city.

I hope you can visit the National Mall on June 9th to watch the film!

Los Angeles April 7 Lecture: What IS Hollywood Regency?

Tuesday, April 7, 11am
Regency Redux Lecture & Book Signing

PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER POTTERTON BOOKS
SilverScreen Theater, G291
8687 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA

RSVP - Lynda Brenner 310-360-6418

"Hollywood Regency" has become a label much used by the design industry, but few seem to know exactly what it means. Design historian Emily Evans Eerdmans will discuss the historical Regency style and how it was restyled by Hollywood's art directors in the twentieth century to create bold and glamorous settings - often on a dime.

Greetings from Duxbury, MA!

I've been a little sluggish this week in my posting. Even though I spend all my time thinking about interiors, it's good to get outside once in a while!

The top photo is our town pier, the bottom is a small town beach on our bayside. We have a barrier beach, so we have a protected bay and also an ocean side beach. As you can see - boating is very big here. You can also dig for mussels and our oyster beds are famous!

Photography by Linda Merrill ©2007

Greetings from Duxbury, MA!

I've been a little sluggish this week in my posting. Even though I spend all my time thinking about interiors, it's good to get outside once in a while!

The top photo is our town pier, the bottom is a small town beach on our bayside. We have a barrier beach, so we have a protected bay and also an ocean side beach. As you can see - boating is very big here. You can also dig for mussels and our oyster beds are famous!

Photography by Linda Merrill ©2007

2nd Annual Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Competition

Two of Boston's most exciting contemporary design showrooms - Montage and Arclinea have partnered for this 2nd Annual Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition.

Deadline is short - July 31st. Sorry I didn't hear about this and post about it sooner!

Click here for details and good luck!

2nd Annual Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Competition

Two of Boston's most exciting contemporary design showrooms - Montage and Arclinea have partnered for this 2nd Annual Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition.

Deadline is short - July 31st. Sorry I didn't hear about this and post about it sooner!

Click here for details and good luck!

Travel Tuesday - Seville and the Opera Carmen

This week, I'll be singing in a performance of Bizet's Carmen, with the South Shore Conservatory of Music's Opera by the Bay. One of my best friends, Beth MacLeod (above), is singing the title role - one she was born to play. I'm a chorus girl! Or, in this opera a cigarette girl. The entire cast is amazing - so if you're in the eastern Massachusetts area, I highly recommend it!

In honor of Carmen, the ultimate Gypsy temptress, I thought we'd take a trip to Seville, the setting for Carmen, her gypsy gang, the Toreodores, Picadors and many hot sultry nights.

Casa de Carmona

Palacio de San Benito in Cazalla de la Sierra

Palacio Marques de la Gomera Hotel

I love the use of saturated sky blues, ochre yellows and , traditional styling and tomato reds of these rooms!

Travel Tuesday - Seville and the Opera Carmen

This week, I'll be singing in a performance of Bizet's Carmen, with the South Shore Conservatory of Music's Opera by the Bay. One of my best friends, Beth MacLeod (above), is singing the title role - one she was born to play. I'm a chorus girl! Or, in this opera a cigarette girl. The entire cast is amazing - so if you're in the eastern Massachusetts area, I highly recommend it!

In honor of Carmen, the ultimate Gypsy temptress, I thought we'd take a trip to Seville, the setting for Carmen, her gypsy gang, the Toreodores, Picadors and many hot sultry nights.

Casa de Carmona

Palacio de San Benito in Cazalla de la Sierra

Palacio Marques de la Gomera Hotel

I love the use of saturated sky blues, ochre yellows and , traditional styling and tomato reds of these rooms!

Blog of the week on Decor8!

Fellow New England girl Holly Becker at the wildly popular Decor8 has selected ::Surroundings:: to be her blog of the week this week! Thanks Holly!

Blog of the week on Decor8!

Fellow New England girl Holly Becker at the wildly popular Decor8 has selected ::Surroundings:: to be her blog of the week this week! Thanks Holly!

New England Home Magazine Announces Design Hall of Fame

My friends at New England Home magazine have announced the first ever New England Design Hall of Fame Awards. The awards gala will be held on November 7 in Boston's State Room. Nominees are now being accepted for those designers and architects who's life achievements have made a significant impact on the architecture and interiors of New England. So, click on over here to cast your vote, or get on the early list for an invite to what's sure to be the event of the season in the Boston design community! (and no, this isn't a request from me to be nominated - I'm not qualified, having been in business far less than the 20 years required!).

(click the image above to read the press release)

New England Home Magazine Announces Design Hall of Fame

My friends at New England Home magazine have announced the first ever New England Design Hall of Fame Awards. The awards gala will be held on November 7 in Boston's State Room. Nominees are now being accepted for those designers and architects who's life achievements have made a significant impact on the architecture and interiors of New England. So, click on over here to cast your vote, or get on the early list for an invite to what's sure to be the event of the season in the Boston design community! (and no, this isn't a request from me to be nominated - I'm not qualified, having been in business far less than the 20 years required!).

(click the image above to read the press release)

The Scene at Arclinea Boston

I went to a very fun event today that was hosted by contemporary kitchen design studio Arclinea. In conjunction with the Boston Society of Architects and with proceeds going to the Aids Action Committee, the event was called "Meet the Press". We were treated to the inside scoop of getting into major local publications such as The Boston Globe*, magazines Design New England, New England Home, Boston Magazine' Home & Garden and, on tv, NECN's New England Dream House* and national publications such as Better Homes & Gardens, Renovation Style*, Traditional Home and Metropolitan Home. As a designer and blogger, I was sometimes not sure which hat I should have been wearing! *publications I've either appeared in or been mentioned in - 3 down, 6 to go!

Back to Arclinea - they are in the middle of expanding their showroom - apparently their electrician had to turn on the lights for the event (!) - so I didn't take photos today. But, I plan on heading back to check out their new showroom when it's finished. Meanwhile, I wanted to share with you some of their work. Arclinea Boston is the first showroom in the US for Arclinea, an industry leader in the manufacturing of luxury, contemporary kitchens, designed and coordinated by the acclaimed Italian architect Antonio Citterio. And, they are collecting awards right and left! Here are a few examples of their work. While contemporary isn't my personal design style, one can't help being attracted to these clean and sleek spaces!



Thanks to owner Philip Guarino, Founder and President of Arclinea Boston, and to Pasqualino Pannone, AIA, LEED for making this event possible and for making us all so welcome! I look forward to visiting your new showroom soon!