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?

Spring All Year Long

Isn't this just the happiest door? Wouldn't you love to come home to this every day...especially on those dark, cold, nasty days of Winter? What better door to see than one with such cheerful flowers! (I almost expect to hear a bee drifting around among the flowers!!) I love this door! It is so refreshing and warm and friendly. I would love for it to be my front door!!

I'm not sure of the era of this door... I don't believe that it is over 100 years old as its design suggests...but I could be wrong! It was certainly inspired by both the Art Deco and Art Nouveau periods, but those periods are often used for inspiration even today. I wish I could give you some precise information about this door, but at this time, I have nothing to tell you, however, I promise to update this post if I learn something. OK?

Colourful Monday

Last week I titled Monday's post 'Blue Monday' (even though the door was turquoise, 'blue' just sounded better in the title). Since blue is not the only colour used for painting a door, I've decided that Monday should instead be called 'Colourful Monday'!!

Since this door is neither blue nor turquoise nor green; I would say it's 'teal'. Whether teal was its original colour, I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that it very probably was painted some colour and was not left unpainted wood. Why? Because the clean-lined stained-glass work in and above the door as well as the sober wrought-iron work covering the windows on the door easily place it in the period of Art Deco...a time when it was common to have painted doors.

One thing bothers me about this door: the combination of the pale blue glass with the teal (dark and light) on the door...I don't think these colours would have been put together when this door was originally designed so either that blue glass was put there more recently (e.g. if the window was repaired), or the original colour of the door harmonised better with the stained glass work.

(Note: I'm sorry I don't have a better photograph of this door for you...though doors are not moving objects, they can be rather elusive as they have the annoying habit of hiding behind cars and sign posts!)