New House, Old Stones

Architecture
May 21, 2013

Virginia House, featured in yesterday’s post as the scene of McKinnon and Harris’ catalog photo shoot. Completed in 1929 by Virginia and Alexander Weddell, and was deeded to the Virginia Historical Society, with the Weddell’s retaining a lifetime tenancy. Today it is the HQ of the VA Historical Society, and is open to visitors. The interesting part about this house is that although it is old by today’s standards, pieces of the house were built with the stones from a 16th century building. So while the visitor must recognize the 20th century history of Virginia House, it is important not to ignore the history of the earlier building.

The main part of the house was constructed from the materials of the 16th Century Warwick Priory in Warwick, England. The Weddells purchased the pieces of the Priory in a demolition sale and had them put on a ship and brought to Richmond. When the pieces arrived, many of them were covered in sea water, and had to be washed and dried out prior to rebuilding. Virginia House is not an exact replica of the Warwick Priory. The Weddells hired architect Henry Grant Morse, who scoured the English countryside looking for inspiration for his clients.

The loggia at the back of the property was completed much later, when Virginia Weddell hired architect William Lawrence Bottomley, and had antique columns imported from Spain. The loggia features a painted ceiling that was imported from a 16th century house in England, that once stood on the site where Knole, a National Trust property, now stands.

The porch, seen in the background of this McKinnon and Harris catalog photo, came off of Mrs. Weddell’s bedroom. The couple would spend time there during the heat of the summer, and would often take their breakfast there. A house like this is the perfect setting for a photo shoot, such as the one done by McKinnon and Harris, and also the perfect place to visit. As mentioned before, the house is open to visitors year round – next time I’m in Richmond, I’ll be there.

Photos courtesy of McKinnon & Harris, and Virginia Historical Society

Love of the Outdoors

Architecture
May 20, 2013

mckinnon and harris 3 — duVal-Alexander Collection

McKinnon and Harris, outdoor furniture craftsmen based out of Richmond, VA. A Southern brand, which interestingly I found an advertisement for while perusing my latest issue of World of Interiors. I very rarely come across outdoor furniture that I absolutely love, so this was definitely an exception. It is important to note, however, that McKinnon and Harris do not refer to themselves as purveyors of outdoor furniture, but rather estate, garden, and yacht furniture.

Made of high performance aluminum, and manufactured in the historic Scott’s Addition neighborhood of Richmond, McKinnon and Harris furniture is meant to remain outside all year long and to withstand the elements for years to come. Each piece of McKinnon and Harris furniture is guaranteed for life.

Each piece of furniture is crafted by hand, and in a nod to the company’s craftspeople, each piece is signed by its maker. The lines of each piece of furniture are so perfectly executed, and the scale of each piece is truly wonderful.

These photos above were all shot at Virginia House in Richmond, VA. Built by Alexander and Virgina Weddell, and completed just before the crash of 1929, Virginia House was constructed with material from a 16th century English manor house, which the Weddells bought at a demolition sale in the UK. (Look for more information on Virginia House later this week!)

These two photos above and below, were taken at Milford Plantation here in South Carolina. A part of the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust founded by Richard Jenrette, the homes in this collection will be protected forever.

I am not sure whether it is the McKinnon and Harris sectional, the Spanish Moss, or the knowledge that this is on the lawn at Milford Plantation that makes me want to lounge in this space all day, sweet tea or Planters Punch in hand. Southern companies like these, committed to their craftsmanship, are one of the reasons that I am proud to live in the South.

Photos courtesy of McKinnon and Harris, for more information visit www.mckinnonharris.com

Kasbah Courtyard Chic

Architecture
May 17, 2013

So as promised, I did a little more research on Philippe Xerri. Twelve years ago, Xerri, who worked in the fashion industry in Paris, went to Tunisia for a quick visit to source fabrics for a client. He fell in love with Tunisia while he was there, and never left. He became very helpful to Tunisian craftsmen in helping them get their wares to France to be sold, and two years ago started a line of furniture called “Rock the Kasbah,” which features handmade local furniture upholstered in antique kilms. These pictures are of one of two homes that Xerri owns in Tunisia, this one being in Tunis, the capital, near the city’s largest souk.

This home is quite typical of a Tunisian courtyard house, which although common in most Muslim regions, is most prevalent in North African countries, such as Tunisia, Algieria, and Morocco. The central courtyard, called wast ed dar or center of the house, was used for a variety of different things such as the preparation of food, outdoor living space, and laundry. At Xerri’s house, it seems that not much has changed!

The courtyard is surrounded by long and narrow rectangular rooms called byats. These rooms were also considered multipurpose, and each room had its own entrance into the courtyard.

Most of these courtyard houses date to the 19th century, and most are still lived in by some of the poorer families within the cities. However, looking at the restoration that Xerri performed here, it is obvious that these houses are still very adaptable to modern living, and quite chic!

In the photo above, you can see two table lamps from the “Rock the Kasbah” collection. This beautifully restored courtyard house in Tunis can also be rented! See https://www.airbnb.fr/rooms/717507 for details. For more information on Philippe Xerri, please visit pxrtk.com, and for more information on courtyard housing, I suggest Courtyard Housing: Past, Present, and Future available on Amazon.

Photos courtesy of Deco Mag UK & information courtesy of Courtyard Housing: Past Present and Future