Resource Links for Renovating and Decorating

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For our references I collected resource links which can be helpful and inspring when renovating and decorating, including some local sources:





BATHROOM
You might be interested in bathroom related posts on Palazzo Pizzo



KITCHEN

You might also like all kitchen related posts on Palazzo Pizzo



ITALIAN FURNITURE

You also might like Palazzo Pizzo's furniture posts.



INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER FURNITURE


FOR OUTDOOR - TERRACE, GARDEN, BALCONY



HOME FURNISHING BARGAINS


FLOORING

You might be interested in all posts about flooring and tiles on Palazzo Pizzo



LIGHTING

You might like lighting related posts on Palazzo Pizzo



ART



Please note: this is my personal resource link list that I compiled during our project (I have not received any money from any company for any text link above, and there is no affiliate link in that list).

(updated September 2013)

Small Update

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The new old lamp is installed

Two months ago I posted the last post - and it was about this lamp. It is now installed and Angelo sent me the picture recently, since nothing was happening on my blog ...

I know, the post "summer with friends (part II)" is still missing! And now it's almost Christmas. Maybe when the post is ready I will upload it quietly with an older date - to make it fit to the season?

If you are a frequent or subscribed reader, you will know that our family has moved to Bangkok, Thailand last year. So you might also have heard about the flood in Thailand and around Bangkok. That is what kept me "busy" - at least mentally - for a couple of weeks.

We were lucky, since we live in the flood spared dry heart of the city. But nobody knew that we will stay dry. Everybody was prepared for 1m high flood allover Bangkok. We stocked up drinking water and ready to eat food, we bought candles and water filters, we had sandbags allover the place, sometimes 2m high - everyone in houses had moved furniture upstairs, and some have bought a boat, just in case. Everything was just in case and we were living from day to day, not sure if we were still able to move around the next day. But the flood kept invisible. And Bangkok people - who did not evacuate to home countries or to beach resorts - started "suffering" from invisible stress. Some started to call it "flood-burn-out".

Of course this is a joke - nothing in comparison of what all the other poor people around the dry heart of Bangkok have been suffering. The media has moved on to other subjects long ago. But there are still people flooded in Bangkok! Of course now, all the help can concentrate to dry out the last districts (before year end is target from the government).

So, I have been more on my new Bangkok blog to write about this subject that was in everybodies' heads for more than a month - the FLOOD. If you are interested come over for a visit - maybe for a dry Christmas Walk through Bangkok.


Since the holidays are approaching fast, I want to wish all my readers and supporters
 Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for the New Year 2012 !
Hope to see you here again next year!

decorating our Xmas tree in Bangkok
(32 degree Celsius in afternoon sun)

A new old lamp

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old wrought iron gas lamp

My Italian family likes to stroll antique markets and browse antique shops. Variety and prices are more attractive in Italy than in Germany. The latest find of my mother-in-law in Northern Italy is this old wrought iron chandelier that used to have a gas supply in the center of the lamp.

modified by adding new lamp shades and electrical wire

My father in law modified the gas lamp into an electric lamp by adding adding electric cables. Also the three small lamp shades of red glas are newly added. If I want, he said, I can have it for my bed room. Of course, I want! It would go along well with the red in the floor tiles.

original cement tiles with red swastika, an over 3,000 year old symbol for good luck

we had an expert restoring the old flooring 

I am looking forward to see a picture of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling in our bed room. The pictures above were taken in my parents-in-law home in Calabria and in our house in Pizzo.

A Fish from Seminara

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Once upon a time, there was a big big fish from Seminara, he was green and blue. He looked ugly and was too big. The fish was a ceramic art work. He was created as a jar but now, on top he had large lamp shade. First, I did not bother what my mother-in-law had standing on her window sill. You can't argue about taste. But when I heard that it belongs to my husband, I started to not like him - the fish ...

a fish from Seminara

Apparently, CC went to Seminara once I wasn't in Calabria. Seminara, a little village around 7 km from Palmi, is known to "insiders" for its pottery and ceramic art work. When you google the site, you do not find much. Maybe something about a battle in 1495 on wikipedia. If you search further, you might find something more interesting about Seminara's golden age during Renaissance here.

Nowadays, Seminara is known in Calabria for it's interesting unusual and sometimes bizarre pottery. The fish above seems just harmless among some grotesque faces and babbuino masked objects. The scary faces originally were supposed to protect from evil. Similar like it is found in some Turkish and Greek art work. Due to trading around the Mediterranean sea the styles influenced each other. Therefor, you find egg. in Seminara and Sicily these ceramic heads, influenced by Arabic Moors. And I guess, that's why it's possible that Seminara craft men might have influenced Picasso (France) and Dali (Spain).

Calabrian jar from 19th century with bubbuino mask via Christie's  (!)

Interesting are also the jars that are imitating by the look of sea urchins (ricci) and artichokes (carciofi).

Seminara jars via flickr

artist Paolo Candurso in his shop via flickr - in the back ceramic heads, even more popular in Sicily

market day in Seminara with its typical ceramics

Seminara jars and vases in form of artichokes, urchins - and more fishes

When we finally moved into our house, I realised that the lamp - the one with the big ugly fish from Seminara - would actually look not bad on the chest of drawers in the living room. The next day it was delivered... and - surprise - the fish was not too big anymore in our big living room! It looks even rather small! And with the sea under the windows, the fish suits very well. It even does not look ugly anymore. It is a piece of art!

Seminara fish jar modified into lamp stand

The not so big and not so ugly fish found its place into a house at the sea.
A perfect match.


Another more detailed source about ceramics from Seminara is cultura italia in italian language.

From what I know, two of the most successful artists in Seminara are Paolo Candurso and Domenico Ditto.

If you have more information about Seminara's pottery and its artist, please leave a comment.

Stunning entrance room with Chandelier

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Bohemian crystal chandelier and another blue ceiling

Angelo surprised us with an impression of the entrance room.
LC, my son, and I were speechless starring at the screen of the computer when the picture opened up. Not only the chandelier, that is a gift from my mother-in-law, who found the chandelier one day on the street (!) slightly dammaged and with missing parts and had it restored, but also the choice of blue that Angelo painted on the ceiling - both together looks so stunning! Angelo said he mixed colours we did not use in the living room (see colour testing in the living area) and tried out different shades until he was happy with the result. I am very happy too!

Stuning surprise again, GRAZIE !
Looking forward to the master bathroom surprise coming tonight via email...