Now, a new trend is emerging that takes vintage to the next level. But instead of turning back the clock a mere 100-plus years, designers are getting in their proverbial time machines a la Bill and Ted to revisit the annals of history — a time where togas were the norm and Aristotle was still on the scene: Ancient Greece.

Whatever the reason for its newfound popularity, there’s no doubt that Ancient Greece-inspired decor is destined to become one of the hottest trends of the year. According to Pinterest’s 2022 Trend Report, searches for Hellenistic motifs are on the rise. From Corinthian columns to statue art and everything in between, people have found a renewed interest in getting their Greek on.

Looking to channel your own inner ancient? It’s surprisingly easy to add a splash of B.C. boldness to your space — no columns necessary. Below are some signature pieces that will have any home up to speed with the new trend faster than the time it takes to turn a sundial.

Bust a Move

When you think of ancient Greek decor, chances are you think of the ubiquitous bust. A standard ornament in ancient times, this traditional accessory is a great way to create a Hellenistic haven of your own. Snag this one from Anthropologie for just $24.

A Mediterranean Palette

Not committed to going fully Greek? Experiment by adding a splash of color to your space that echoes that bright, sun-washed feeling of the Greek islands. Start with a stark white backdrop for an eternally classic look, then work in some cerulean accents for a look that’s marvelously Mediterranean. Try these Cerulean Blue Curtains from Society6, available for $97.30.

Architectural Accents

Columns and arches were literal cornerstones of Greek architecture — but they’re not always the best choices for modern homes. Instead, opt for accents that evoke these elements. Think column-esque design motifs and classic accessories like urns. Grab this Pottery Barn Provence Planter for just $24.50

Pattern Power

A repeating motif seen throughout ancient Greece, the key pattern was commonly seen on everything from buildings to pottery. Still recognizable today, this gloriously Greek pattern perfectly evokes ancient vibes, even in a modern world. Buy this Velvet Pillow Cover with Greek Key Pattern on Etsy for $65.60.

Classical Concepts

Symmetry ruled the classical era. Today, it’s the perfect way to add a bit of classical flair to your home. Think balance, matching pieces, and an overall feeling of ordered symmetry. Try this set of 2 Greek Key Lamps from Target for $95.99.

Ancient Greece-inspired home decor is the latest in a series of nostalgia trip design trends. Try out a few of these tips in your home and bust out the Socrates, and you’ll be chilling with the ancients before you know it.

The post Ancient Greece-Inspired Decor is the Next Big Thing in Interior Design first appeared on Dornob.

On the surface, this term (coined by House Beautiful) may seem like an oxymoron — the “jumbo shrimp” of the design world, if you will. But get ready to see it everywhere for the foreseeable future. But what exactly is it?

Think Grandma chic; nostalgic, traditional trends like chintz; and bold Victorian patterns and furniture that are cozily eclectic and fabulously floral — a revolt against the dull minimalism that’s dominated the interiors space in the last few years.

With grandmillennial decor, vintage pieces are so much more than furniture — they’re storytellers. Much like Gen X-ers finding their nostalgia in the midcentury modern design of their forebears, here, millennials are finding inspiration in more Victorian, neoclassical styles that are evergreen and easily attainable.

Want to try out the trend for yourself? Here are some must-have pieces that would make any granny proud:

Gotta Have that Chintz

Chintz is definitely the it-pattern when it comes to grandmillennial style, and the more the better. Think cozily contrasting patterns and colors that highlight that granny chic vibe.

Schumacher Betty Chintz Pillow Cover From Etsy — $30.00

Amber Lewis for Anthropologie Floral Lamp Shade — $128.00

Need that Needlepoint

Do your grandma proud with some vintage needlepoint vibes that are crafty and oh-so chic — a stylish staple for any aspiring grandmillennial.

Vintage Framed Needlepoint Wall Hanging from Etsy — $40.00

Wayfair Needlepoint Wall Hanging — $103.99

Beginner Embroidery Kits (Set of 3) from Amazon — $15.99

Floral Faves

You’ve got the chintz nailed. Now mix and match with some floral patterns for some truly cozy feels.

Tafton Floral Club Accent Chair From Target — $290.54

Frida Floral Navy Rug From Ruggable — $89.99

This stuff is just the beginning when it comes to grandmillennialism. So be sure to scour those flea markets and secondhand stores, trawl sites like Etsy, and find the best looks for transforming your space into one that nana would be proud of — doilies definitely required.

The post Get Your Granny On with the Grandmillennial Decor Trend first appeared on Dornob.

Yasmine started with 16 assembled blocks of stone measuring 16.5 inches on each side, making a single continuous cut into each one to produce two objects, one the negative shape of the other. That means no material was lost in the process of carving the stone into its final form, a dual-purpose table/stool. As you can imagine, that’s not easy to pull off. Less skilled creators might make a far simpler cut to ensure that the two objects were perfectly intact at the end, but Yasmine’s vision is a little more ambitious.

“Flowing Fragments” is inspired by the remnants of Greco-Roman civilization as we view them today, thousands of years later. Once, these architectural fragments were whole and nearly perfect. Now, most of the arches and columns have cracked and fallen so we only see them as parts of each other. But the fragmenting hasn’t necessarily interrupted the beauty of these objects. We can still sense the harmony and rhythm in their proportions and outlines.

With these sculptural objects, Yasmine hopes to remind us all of the importance of our global cultural heritage. “It’s an awareness to save remaining forgotten fragments of previous civilizations in addition to help protect abandoned sites while highlighting on the antiquities trafficking [and] the destruction of authentic and deserted landmarks nowadays when heritage is threatened by urban development,” he says.

Classic shapes and graphic motifs commonly find their way into Yasmine’s work. Another collection, “After Ego,” takes references from Postmodernism, Memphis Design, and Art Deco but distills them to their simplest forms. Each piece was created by drawing layered arches and then rotating and flipping them so they intersect and interact in new ways. “After Ego” is a tribute to Yasmine’s home city of Beirut in the aftermath of the blast that occurred on August 4th, 2020, and the complex mixture of emotions that arose from the tragedy. Made of foam, lightweight concrete plaster, acrylic, and clay, the series represents Yasmine’s quest to communicate these emotions through the use of simple lines.

“As a person filled with imagination, I use my imaginary world as a simulation to try out new ideas and create new objects, and that’s how it all starts,” Yasmine said in an interview with The Artling. “My inspiration comes from everyday life, objects, and emotions. From the human body, its physiology, and its needs. But also from an internal chaos combined with a certain innate sensitivity, sometimes extreme and provocative and not even expected by others but still minimal. I always practice my imagination to create new objects. I never tend to identify the difference between reality and imagination, this is what helps me create intriguing and controversial design objects that are complicated in their production process. However, this is also distinctive in my personality.”

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Washington and his Secretary of State at the time, Thomas Jefferson, held a competition to design the White House and Capitol. Though all proposals for the Capitol building were rejected, they selected a preliminary drawing for the White House that was ultimately built, crafted by Irish architect James Hoban. The design was based on Hoban’s own Charleston County Courthouse in Charleston, South Carolina, which Washington had admired during his “Southern Tour” the year before. Among the other submissions were taller, grander, and in some cases, simpler designs, including one secretly submitted by Jefferson himself.

Thomas Jefferson’s White House

An architect in his own right, Jefferson was a fan of classical European design, and out of all the entries, his anonymous proposal is perhaps the most strikingly different from the White House we know. It features an enormous dome and a Mansard roof. When he became President in 1801, Jefferson enlarged the White House, adding colonnades and other features that contributed to its memorable appearance. His drawing was mistakenly attributed for many years to fellow designer Abraham Faws due to a clerical error.

Philip Hart’s White House

Professional builder and amateur architect Philip Hart envisioned a White House with an extra story and many closely-spaced windows in faux Italian Renaissance style. Unfortunately, the design failed to meet Washington’s criteria for a building that would “in size, form, and elegance… look beyond the present day.”

Andrew Mayfield Carshore’s White House

Similar to Philip Hart’s vision is this one by linguist and former British soldier/teacher Andrew Mayfield Carshore, thought to be his one and only architectural design. Featuring a taller French-style Mansard roof topped by twin cupolas, this concept hews to the style of pre-Revolutionary War architecture seen in American’s colonial period. The judges reportedly thought it “lacked a vital spark.”

Jacob Small’s White House

If this design looks familiar to you, that might be because it closely resembles George Washington’s historic home, Mount Vernon, which is located 13 miles south of Washington D.C., as well as the Maryland State House in Annapolis. One of four designs submitted by Jacob Small, this rendering lacks a grand entrance on the north facade, and what it doesn’t show here is a floor plan the judges thought was too convoluted.

James Diamond’s White House

Hoban’s fellow Irish architect James Diamond imagined a White House set around a central rectangular court that was open to the outdoors, flooding the interior with light. He also suggested that it could also be enclosed with a roof and lit from above “which would have a grand effect.” Alas, its dramatic dual staircases are thought to be too intricate to have suited Washington’s more refined and practical tastes.

The post 5 Wildly Different White House Designs That Could Have Been first appeared on Dornob.

“This exquisite indoor pool in neoclassical interior designing style perfectly blends with home interiors,” say the architects. “The interior designer resorts to glass mosaic and stone decking for the in-ground pool under a lofty skylight, which not only helps with ventilation but also adds glamor aesthetically as it turns the interior into an enchanting oasis, especially [under] the dramatic night sky.”

It’s definitely dreamy. The walls and pool surround appear to be made of marble, and the rounded shape of the pool itself is even more pleasing. It looks like there’s a built-in hot tub on one end, too, so whether you prefer a hot soak or a cool float, you’ll be able to gaze up at that dramatic tray ceiling and oversized skylight to find some truly spellbinding skies just beyond.

As you might imagine, this palatial indoor pool that “perfectly blends with home interiors” is only going to perfectly blend with IONS’ other designs — but there’s certainly no shortage of those to choose from. If you want to stick with the theme, IONS’ “Palace Architecture in Neoclassic Style” is a perfect match.

The firm describes it as “an enchanting scene from one of our luxurious residential palace exterior and interior designing projects. It opens to an extravagant landscape, with a mesmerizing lake beneath a Palladian-inspired stone bridge as the center of affection. The decorating ideas of gleaming water features, graceful swimming creatures, gentle outdoor lighting, and lush greeneries are a perfect combination for a mesmerizing attraction certain to captures everyone’s heart. This scenic wonder at the home’s entry way echoes harmony, tranquility, and pleasure – a charming welcome to a magnificent home design.”

There’s also an entrance hall taking inspiration from Roman architecture with an elaborate ceiling, ornate walls and geometric flooring patterns, a dome skylight for a “private palace grand lounge” complete with a crystal chandelier, a bedroom fit for royalty, and plenty of alternative mega-mansion concepts in keeping with the rest of these visuals. It’s all very European in flavor, with renderings including impeccably landscaped grounds and cascading fountains.

Here’s another concept, this one simply entitled “Enchanting Architectural Design”:

“Showcasing a concept of luxurious villa design in International style – an architectural design relatively inclined to modernism with an interesting twist of creative touch from IONS Design to kindle an elegant, classy, and timeless spirit. The modern French home design is defined by the enticing volumes matched with artistic exploration of glass, steel, and concrete material, combined altogether in simplified form thus creating a clean and appealing aesthetic with harmonious forms and function. Its landscape of enchanting character is equally as charming [as the home’s] fashion-forward interior designing style.”

So, who actually commissions stuff like this? People in Dubai, the land of obscene wealth and outrageous ideas. The United Arab Emirates is considered the richest place in the world, with a massive, vibrant, diversified economy. Dubai alone is home to around 26,000 millionaires and at least 7 billionaires out of its total 3.33 million inhabitants.

The post Neoclassical Pool by IONS Design Perfect for Palatial Luxury Homes first appeared on Dornob.

It took an entire year to gut the five levels of the original 1930s brick and wood villa and complete the design for Hellas House. The construction took another five years. Chatzigiannis even laughed as he noted: “I spent the better part of my youth on it.”

Hellas is what Greeks call their homeland, which is why it was formerly known as the Hellenic Republic in English. Kontomichalos’ challenged Chatzigiannis to renovate the 5,380-square-foot villa so it would “scream Greek” without any brash or tasteless touches that often plague such projects. Chatzigiannis explains: “There is a stereotypical ‘Grecian’ style for this kind of project, one that can’t seem to escape the blue-and-white thing or laurel-wreath crowns or chitons. It can go over the top very easily.” He gladly welcomed his client’s refreshing challenge.

Kontomichalos wanted his main business ventures centered in Hellas House, including an import company dedicated to bringing the finest honey, wine, and olive oil from his homeland into Shanghai, a travel agency dedicated to unique and personalized adventures, and a store offering locals the best of imported Greek produce. His vision also included a space dedicated to showcasing social and corporate events, as well as other floors and rooms that would bring the best of Greece to the other few hundred Greek natives who call Shanghai home. Simply stated, Kontomichalos wanted Hellas House to represent, “the best Greece has to offer: history, culture, natural products, hospitality, and healthy lifestyle.”

The culmination of Chatzigiannis’ five-year project delivered exactly what Kontomichalos wanted. The travel agency, produce store, and import company were the easiest factions to create. The basement of Hellas House became a wine cellar for Greek wines. An open-air kitchen now occupies the ground floor, flanked by a gallery of artifact replicas representing the various eras of Greek culture. The adjacent lounge gives way to a garden, pool, and dining veranda, while a multi-purpose exhibition space occupies the mezzanine. Formal dining is offered on the second floor, which also includes a luxurious living room and terrace. An attic retreat is slipped in beneath the pitched roof and displays ceiling beams salvaged from the original structure.

To ensure Grecian authenticity all throughout Hellas House, Chatzigiannis chose to work with resources and color schemes from ancient times to complete the project. Bronze, marble, and wood are abundant in almost every room, as are basic hues of black, white, and gold. He also imported massive slabs of raw marble to Xiamen from the Aegean islands of Naxos and Thassos to construct the floors, walls, and columns.

Every era of ancient Greek history is represented throughout Hellas House. For example, the entrance hall represents the Bronze Age, with a life-size plaster cast replica of a female circa 2800–2300 BCE. Chatzigiannis complements the statue’s minimalist style with equally restrained custom elements: a graphic metal console in matte black, a simple geometric brass stair rail with a matte-gold finish, and a subtle white-on-white plaid-pattern floor of polished marble.

In addition, the chaises, stools, and chairs found throughout Hellas House are replicas of T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, a renowned 20th-century designer celebrated for incorporating ancient Greek furniture standards into modern creations. Chatzigiannis painstakingly found the small number of elderly Athenian craftsmen who still create Robsjohn-Gibbings’ signature curved-wood furniture to ensure he could bring it into the home.

The journey to completing Hellas House was long and tedious, but both Chatzigiannis and Kontomichalos happily agree that it was a big success.

Photos courtesy of InteriorDesign.com

The post Ancient Greek Architecture Graces Shanghai’s New Hellas House first appeared on Dornob.

Romanian artist Darius Hulea’s chosen material is wire made from copper, brass, and stainless steel, all of which he shapes into portraits of well-known philosophers, artists, poets, and other icons from the past.

Hulea’s Inspiration

Like many artists, Hulea had muses in his childhood that significantly influenced his artistic trajectory. For starters, both his grandmother and great grandmother were weavers, creating brilliantly colored fabrics in conventional, intricate geometric patterns in Romania all throughout his youth. His grandfather, a wood craftsman who worked with a wide range of agricultural tools, was also a role model from whom Hulea gained insight and stimulation. Observing the magic of creation using one’s hands and imagination was a major factor in his rise to prominence as a world-class sculptor.

Classic Meets Contemporary

Many pen and pencil drawings of renowned sculptors’ in-progess works have gone on to become as famous as the sculptures themselves. They reveal the painstaking process the artists go through to perfect every angle before they begin molding clay, metal, or stone — procedures they frequently repeat many times before the pieces are completed.

Although Hulea’s work is labeled contemporary because he uses wire in his creations, his sculptures are ingrained in the fundamentals of classical drawing. His labyrinths of both wide and narrow metal strands closely resemble the pen and pencil strokes found in sketchpad images by history’s great sculpting masters. Many of Hulea’s creations also appear unfinished, giving observers the freedom to truly interpret their meaning all on their own.

The Aesthetic Allure of Wire

Hulea claims that working with different types and sizes of metal wire gives him endless options for creativity. After all, wire can be distorted, restyled, and turned in a myriad of ways to fashion all kinds of shapes and forms. He explains: “I hope that people will understand that I do nothing but draw in a new way, in a durable material of the past. I can then explore and research, as an artist, mythical, Renaissance, and modern thinking by finding three-dimensional examples that describe us now in a history of the past.”

Artistic Freedom

Many conventional artists are limited by their materials, which is why Hulea embraces working in metal so passionately. He uses wire as thin as fiber optic materials to produce the exact shades he desires. When he’s ready to generate dauntless curves and shapes, thicker wires come into play. He sees this freedom as a great asset in creating works that bring the past to the present, noting: “I discovered during my second year of college that the great artists of modern history used the principle of drawing in space or drawing the space through different metallic structures…For me, this type of drawing is what we find in the sketches of the great artists of the Renaissance like Michelangelo and Da Vinci — serious and realistic compositions that anyone can understand.”

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Outside of some mass-produced exceptions at stores like Restoration Hardware, new designers are rarely bold enough these days to reprise styles associated with ancient Rome and Greece.

Postmodernism did so with reckless abandon, but Elizabeth Coffey tempers her own use Neo-Classical (as well as Arts and Crafts and other) sources with a kind of minimalist Deconstructivism – slicing columns in neat sections and separating them with sleek black shelves.

The results are neither wildly self-conscious nor derivative, and surprising in their structural soundness and functional aspirations.

The post Deconstructing Greek Revival: Strange Mixed-Style Shelving first appeared on Dornob.