Confusion

OK, some of you may like this door and others of you may find it too much. I have to say that I like the door and I like the arch....BUT!! I don't know that I really like the door AND the arch together! I mean hey, look at the arch...it screams an entirely different style than the door....neogothic... renaissance..., but the door is talking art nouveau with a bit of art deco. What??? I call this architectural schizophrenia.

Let's first look at the arch, and the door's frame...carved stone, arches, figures, repetitive carved floral frame with a very gothic/neogothic feel to it.

The door? Well, it is wooden, green (?), has large brass handles on it, geometric-shaped windows, stylised flowers, stained-glass windows (behind a regular plate glass window) containing shapes typical to the art nouveau period and finally, the decorative metal (reinforcement?) plates that adorn certain parts of the door. I have a strong impression that the black metal stylised plates were an afterthought. Why do I think this? Well, I have come across many art nouveau and art deco period doors, but so far I have never seen one from either period that had metal plates on them like this one does.

In light of this, I return to my point of departure. Some people like this door and others don't. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure where I stand...I do like many of this door's and arch's elements, but I think having them mixed all together gives me a bit of a nauseous feeling. What about you? How does this combination of styles make you feel?

A Gentle, Happy Door

On a gray day when the weather is cold and dreary, if you walk by this door, I'm sure you will smile. At first glance, it's beauty is subtle, but if you take a moment and let your eyes wander around this door, you will find that it is happy and seems to have the function not only of a door, but of making people smile. It's dainty flowers at the top of a simple trellis are always in bloom even if the sun is far, far away and snow is on the ground. It's soft green color caresses you eyes...giving them a chance to take a rest in a world that seems to be constantly in motion and often out of focus. I have to say that when I look at this door, I feel peaceful.

Colourful Door Monday

Again, a door that has seen happier days, but I still find it a happy door...just look at the decorative elements...flowers!! Flowers always make me happy! And this is a nice green colour, too. So, consider this a happy door to start off a happy week!

Colourful Door Monday

Green!! Like Summer! Like grass and leaves! Green is good!

I think this is a happy, pleasant door and I especially like it's unusual shape (not squared) and the interesting windows above it. Ok, so otherwise it is rather simple, but the green sure gives it extra value and I imagine that originally the glass in the windows was more interesting...stained glass? or beveled? or frosted/decorated? Who knows. I just regret that the handle is so unoriginal!

Colourful Door Monday

I wouldn't necessarily put this shade of green in the 'colorful' category, but it is nice and I have to say that the lighting the day I took this picture didn't do justice to the door so be disappointed with me and not the door, please!! I like the unusual shape of the windows and the design in the wood below the windows. I don't quite understand from where the window shapes were influenced given the arches overhead. The geometric window shapes don't really go with the rounded arches, but the oddity is not too blatant so I guess it could pass. My only real gripe with this door is the less the unusual handle, but hey, I guess it can't have it all!!

Colourful Door Monday

And today's lucky colour is GREEN! I like this little door (we could call it an 'Emily door'!)...notice how high the handle seems to be...so high that it looks like the picture is upside down, but it's not...this is confirmed by the cobblestones at the bottom of the picture! The handle isn't bad either!

...and behind Door Number 32 We Have...

OK, before you get up on your high horse and tell me that this is not a door, but only a frame, let me explain. (Oh! I'm a poet!) Several people have mentioned that they would like to know what is BEHIND some of the doors I photograph...now I can at least show you what is behind THIS door!!

Yes, there IS a door in this picture... look closely to the right side, you can see a green wood door which looks like a lot of other doors of this shape and size. And the door is a great camouflage for what is behind it which is typically a courtyard or maybe a store (see yesterday's post). We can see that the owner(s) of this building decided to use the passageway for something entirely different - to open up access to underground parking! Parking under an old building like this in the middle of Prague? Rare!! The bad news about that is that they had to sacrifice the old cellars under the building so they could make the parking area. If you know Prague at all, you have certainly visited at least one restaurant in a cellar...there are tons of restaurants in cellars in the centre of town because (nearly) every building has a cellar and nearly all of them have, or have the potential to have, immense charm.

We can see that the owners have opened up the view from the street to the courtyard by glassing in the space around what is left of the passageway resulting in giving the impression that the viewer is looking directly into the courtyard... Cool!!

Finally, so that you don't think I have forgotten the theme of this blog, I have a quick comment about this door's arch: it is simple and attractive, made of a warm stone and engraved with a floral motif and, best of all, it is inviting. This door would have found its way into my blog even if the door had been closed...I swear!