Art Deco's Clean Lines

As I have mentioned numerous times in the past, I am a huge fan of Art Nouveau. Oddly though, I am not that big of a fan of Art Deco which is, in fact, a period that slightly overlapped Art Nouveau's last few years. Where Art Nouveau was romantic and flourishing; flowing and elegant, Art Deco is hard and geometric, bold and serious. Some people like these traits in Art Deco...I am not one of them, but even if they are interesting to look at or offer elements that capture the eye, I find the style - as a whole - too septic.

That being said, I can't deny that there are occasional Art Deco items that I find interesting to look at. Take, for example, this door and it's frame. Alone, each of these elements is at most "interesting".

But what 'sells' this door for me was the combination of the door, it's frame and the gate. The doors alone have an attractive simplicity: they are made of an appealingly warm wood and they contain elegant beveled glass windows. The ample glass surface on the door partially reflects the impressive size of the gate and what happens in front of this door. The pretty baubles on the arch overhead are just the icing on the cake.

The wrought-iron gate is simple in its design and takes advantage of the technique of using a repetition of circles and squares. The overhead arched frame contains the period's copyright colours (blue and green).

Beauty

On the street called Parizska (Paris Street), there are some very chic stores and in between them, some nice doors, some ok doors and some wonderful doors. This door and it's gate are what I consider members of that last group - wonderful doors!! Just look at this beautiful wrought-iron work....so rich, so elegant, so charming...it suits my tastes perfectly because it is beautiful without being too rich or too anything but, well, to repeat myself, charming!! Notice the little cut-out hearts at the bottom? (That's my new puppy Ellwood peeking through one.)

As for the door itself, it is of a caramel-coloured wood that is rich and friendly. It's simplicity invites you in and it's rounded windows are like delicate kisses to your eyelids. On the floor of the tiny 'foyer' between the gate and the door is a delicate mosaic of polished stones while on the walls a similar pattern repeats itself as a sort of garland of warmth enveloping the welcoming space before you actually enter into the building. You can certainly guess that I like this door/gate combination. Or did I already say that?

What??

From a distance, this door and it's arch and wrought-iron gate look really impressive and they are, but come in close and see some of the details that you might have missed when looking at the big picture...

A chain to keep the gate closed?

Two door handles (one old, one new)...is this a joke or what?!

But beyond those details, I do have to say that there are some nice things about this door. The lion's head carving is nice...

...as is the wrought-iron work that makes the gate...

...and the symbolism...a baby's head!!

The door itself is also interesting, but with all that is going on in front of it, it's a bit hard to focus just on the door!! It, too has a lot of style and the windows in it are quite interesting...just imagine how all of this would look if someone took the time to clean, repair and paint all of it. Wow!!

Colourful Door Monday AND my 100th Door!!

OK, so today is Monday, but even though it is the beginning of the week (and not the end) it is a good day because today marks a special day: the 100th post of 'The Door Hunter'!! Wooo-hooo!! In honour of this special day, I am giving you a very special (AND Colourful Monday) door.

I came across this door near the Jewish Synagogue and before I actually saw it, I felt it...as if it was calling to me...really! Yes, you're thinking: "Sure, this is a fabulous gate, but where's the colour?" Well, just wait. Enjoy this part first because it is so worth enjoying. (By the way, this is NOT an 'Emily door' even though it may look small it really isn't!)

I envy the people who live in the apartment building that this door belongs to because they get to come into and go out of these doors everyday. What better way to start and end your day than to go through such inspiring doors. As you can see there is a date of 1911 in the wrought-iron door which puts it in the period of Art Deco. I look at this door and just can't seem to find enough words to describe the way it makes me feel so I will let you find your own to describe your own reactions to it.

AND NOW, for our Monday dose of COLOUR: BLUE!! Isn't this a gorgeous shade of blue? When I saw it, I think my heart skipped a beat and I sucked in a big breath of air all at once!!

A NOTE REGARDING MY 100TH POST: I started this blog because I love doors...this, you know. I hoped by showing these doors that I could not only interest other people who love doors to look at it, but maybe to also lure people to this wonderful city. I didn't start this blog to collect 'followers' (which is a good thing, because even after showing 100 doors, I still only have 13 followers!!), but to just give anyone and everyone something nice to look at each day. As I mentioned before, I enjoy your comments and I hope that you will continue to enjoy my posts. If you want to suggest this blog to friends that also like doors, please do. The more of us, the merrier. I do know that it is addictive to look at and for doors; since starting this blog, I have the nearly annoying habit of checking out every door that I pass on the street or that I see from the car or bus or tramway!! It definitely has become second nature for me...but maybe you know about this. If you do, write to me, I would love to hear door hunting stories from other 'door addicts'. Thank you for reading my blog and for your wonderful comments. Have an excellent day and week! Cat

A Few of My Favourite Things...

OK, I know this is not the most exciting of doors, but it does look good, have a certain charm and deserves to be shared with you. I have a whole list of things that make me turn my head when it comes to doors...the top of the list is any Art Nouveau door, followed by natural wood doors, but then the list goes on without any specific order and can even get confusing when favourite features criss-cross each other (e.g. an Art Nouveau door with a fabulous arch).

Well, another favourite feature somewhere on that list is a door with a rounded or unusual shape. But even as I write that, I must admit that I have a certain love of the clean lines of a squared door...hmm..maybe I'm just too spoiled and want to have them all!! For you this is a cause for rejoicing because it means that if I have them all, then you have them all...or will, eventually!!

As you can see, today's door has a rounded shape...voila a criteria that it fulfilled to be shared with you...oh! and it is of a clear wood! I like the stone work around it as well (notice the way it was carved/etched). The wrought-iron work isn't terribly romantic or creative or old (nope, it is new), but since it doesn't take away from the door or it's frame, I won't complain.