the Value of Beauty

Still Life by William Nicholson c. 1900

So what is beauty?  Every civilization has a different standard or ideal of what beauty is.  It is based on our history and our collective cultural experience.  Moreover, within each culture, our tastes, likes and dislikes are unique to who we are.  What I find beautiful, my wife or son may not.

As a designer, I find that one of the greatest challenges is to create beautiful objects, be they buildings, furnishings or graphic patterns that have a broad appeal and aesthetic longevity.   After all, isn't one of the greenest approaches to design and manufacturing to create things of enduring relevance?

I think it's important that we all pause to take stock of what we find beautiful.  Look around your home.  What objects have you cherished for more than a few years?  Is there a consistency to those things.  What about your community?  What are the structures that are preserved, restored or well maintained?

Detail of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling
by Michelangelo c. 1510

While beautiful things do not guarantee happiness, they add a texture of palpable vitality to our lives.  And yet as Alain de Botton notes in his book, The Architecture of Happiness, “To care deeply about a field that achieves so little, and yet consumes so many of our resources, forces us to admit to a disturbing, even degrading lack of aspiration.”  Yet given the seemingly folly character of aesthetics, we are driven to continuously appreciate, and even rival the beauty that nature surrounds us with. 

I’m not sure what constantly drives me to want to make beautiful things.  All I know is that I am driven.  I hope that the work I create is met with eyes that appreciate my personal interpretation of beauty, and derive pleasure in doing so..

Back to Nature

In this crazy fast-tracked life where we live, there is a strong movement from high-tech to soft-touch.  While the i-phone has become the de rigueur accessory for the average American, we yearn for the feel of natural materials with a palpable sense of life. 

Designers in all disciplines are tapping into more natural pallets to soften the edge of life.  My 15 year-old son recently purchased a “skin” for his i-phone that is made of bamboo veneer.  I own a pair of eye glasses with teak temples.  And I recently received a Fathers’ Day gift of a Wee Wood watch that my thoughtful wife found on Pinterest!

Natural materials are being rethought in the home as well.  Exquisite tiles are cut from hardwoods.  Vessel sinks are honed from solid blocks of stone.  

We at Ramsay Gourd Architects recently completed a restaurant design that acknowledges the region's rich history of quarrying marble.  There we back-lit locally sourced marble in order to highlight the materials natural characteristics.  

My New Venture

I am thrilled to announce my new business!  Ramsay Gourd Home is a collection of fabrics, furniture and wall coverings that grew from years of design observations and musings.  The collection reflects my appreciation for classical design, infused with an energy that befits our modern lifestyles.

I have designed each fabric line with a number of patterns and color ways,
 making them easy to coordinate.  Illustrative designs, strong geometries, and subtle patterns come together to offer a wide range of visual emotion.  Many of the patterns are available as wall coverings as well. Contact us if you have a special application.  I love to explore new possibilities and have great flexibility with short turn-around times!


My bench-made furniture line is individually crafted in the U.S. by hand-selected artisans.  The finest materials and workmanship go into every piece.  Each design is fully customizable and may be tailored to meet your specific needs.   New pieces will continue to be added to the collection and I offer a bespoke design service, collaborating with designers and owners.

As an architect and designer, I am thrilled to offer my work to a much larger audience.  I am excited to see how the patterns and forms I have developed provide inspiration to your next project!

I invite you to explore the web site at ramsaygourd.com and see what I've been up to.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or observations.  One of the beautiful things about a small young business is its ability to nimbly respond to market demands, and with our bespoke service offerings, we know that Ramsay Gourd Home can find a place in your home!

RAMSAY  GOURD  HOME

Fresh Classics for Modern LivingTM

Garden Structure

I woke this morning to a fresh dusting of snow.  It blanketed the lawn and garden with a downy quilt, tufted by the undulating greenery that is our simple border garden.  At the end of the row stands a moss-covered stone cherub.  In his snow cap and cloak, he stands sentinel as some form of punctuation, pausing the eye before it explores further into the woods.

My little friend reminded me this morning of the power and importance of structure and hierarchy in the garden.  When abstracted to its simplest form, as ours was in its snow-covered essence, a garden should have a clear, legible concept.  Because we split time between Martha’s Vineyard and our Vermont home, I have not had a real garden since our days as innkeepers.  But the principals of good design are pertinent on all levels, from formal parterres to simple flower beds.

When planning a garden, I like to think not only of the context of the environment (Solar orientation, nearby structures, approach and point of view), but also of the experience and story it wants to tell.  And so, I look at the layout as the story outline that will be in-filled with colorful words and phrases.  However, it is the permanent forms which add punctuation and structure that outlive the panoply of seasonal greenery. 

Whether intended as passage or pause, the offerings of garden elements are unlimited.  Garden gates and paving materials speak of movement and regulating the gate at which you pass through the experience.  And while benches and shelters are often literal destinations for pause and reflection, garden sculpture acts as visual respite, and a place to stop, observe and mentally regroup.  

Sentinel Lions from Barbara Israel Garden Antiques

There are many different styles and aesthetics of garden elements.  If looking to add a sense of history to your landscape, one of the East Coast’s greatest sources is Barbara Israel GardenAntiques in New York.  Her inventory of both period pieces with significant provenance and impeccable reproductions is unparalleled. 

A Pair of Muder Skiles Benches by John Danzer

For a fresh approach to garden furnishings, check out John Danzer’s hand crafted designs at Munder Skiles.  His updated pieces add elegance in their abstraction and grace of form. 

One of my benches photographed in an historic garden setting

I like to bring color to the garden that doesn’t rely on what is in bloom.  Painted pieces that compliment your pallet can add an exciting pop of color like a Cardinal in a snowy woodlot.

Flat-Weave - The Classically Casual Rug

Flat-weave rugs have become the de-rigueur selection for floor covering of the millennium.  They have a simplicity that denotes a casual, laid-back lifestyle. That having been said, the offerings run the gamut.  From synthetic weather-resistant outdoor carpets to hand woven bath-mats, there is something for just about everyone and every budget.

Stripes are a staple of the flat-weave market.  This effect is simple to achieve by varying the color of the warp threads in a pleasing pattern.  However, world-over, there are historic examples of wonderful geometric flat-woven designs.  From Navajo blankets to Indian Dhurries, tribal traditions have infused meaning into the patterns that represent their cultures.

 

Today Dash and Albert offers panoply of outdoor rugs.  Woven from spun polypropylene, these carpets hold their color, resist mildew and are tough as nails!  We have one of these work-horses in our mudroom and it holds up to all that Vermont can dish out (including Mud Season!).

There are a number of retailers who have tapped the resources of mills in Asia to offer exceptional values in either cotton or course wool.  I recommend doing some research into the social responsibility of these manufacturers, as many of these sources endorse exploitive work practices.

For a truly special application, you might want to consider a custom woven rug.  Select colors from a wide range of pom-poms.  Develop a design or select a pattern from the weavers’ portfolio.  And roll out your truly custom creation.  These rugs make for great stair runners when woven in all wool.  Working with a skilled installer, fine details like mitered corners and hemmed edges bring a level of sophistication to this simple material.

Re-use, Replace or Reupholster

When working with clients on interior projects, one of my first tasks is to inventory their existing furnishings and artwork.  I am often asked by my clients the benefits of reupholstering versus buying new furniture.  Here there are a number of questions I ask to establish the viability of recycling a piece of upholstery. 

A well loved family sofa re-invented as a fun focal point

Does the piece have sentimental value?  Was this your father’s chair that was reserved solely for him when you were a child?  Does it evoke visceral memories of pipe smoke, single malts and newspapers? 

Is it beautiful?  Ignore the thread-bear arms that are held together with duct tape.  Does it have sensual lines or unusual massing.  Think about it as if it were a person.  Would you be interested in knowing it’s story if you met it on the street?

Is it exceptionally comfortable?  Does it have the perfect seat depth for your extra-long legs or the ideal angle of repose for napping?

If you cannot answer one of these questions with a resounding “yes”, it may be time to reassess your relationship with this house-mate of yours.  And while jettisoning an old couch and finding a fresh new shape might be OK in the world of furnishings, I don’t recommend taking this approach with spouses prior to serious soul-searching and intense counseling! 

The truth of the matter is that, depending on the condition of your frame and internal support system, it may be cost effective to buy a new piece altogether.  Some things to look for in an older piece might include:

A well made antique wing chair
midway through restoration

Solid hardwood frame construction with mortised and pegged connections

Hand-carved details (And not those that are “hand-carved” by women and children on a production linein  an emerging country)

Horse-hair stuffing and edge-roll

Down filled cushions

Hand-tied springs

One of my closest friends, Isaiah McCauliffe, is an exceptional upholsterer.  And I am often intrigued by seeing his patients lined up in the waiting room, ready to go under the knife of this skilled cosmetic surgeon.  Each has a story.  Some are nostalgic, like sofa that was laden with presents every Christmas morning for as long as memory serves.  While others are tragic, like the chair with three broken legs that was the collateral damage from a dormitory brawl, or the couch who’s back panel was chewed by a teething puppy.

This chair is NOT too far gone
and worth the investment of
reupholstery!

My friend, Isaiah, was quick to remind me not to give up hope when you think a piece is too far gone.  Even with internal organs trailing across your living room floor, that beloved ottoman may be salvageable.  “It’s what I do!” said Isaiah, referring to the reconstructive surgery of his trade.

If, once you have weighed the pros and cons of the decision of rehabilitating versus replacing a piece of furniture, you still cannot decide, flip a coin.  If you’re not happy with the outcome of the coin toss, you had already made up your mind!

Closure: The final chapter of a series on the design process

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip to New Jersey to photograph a project about which I've been writing occasionally.  Unlike previous visits to the site, this was purely for my own benefit.  The house is complete, furnishings placed, and the owners have moved in for their beach-side holidays.  I packed my bags and camera and booked into my home-away-from-home inn.


It has been a long process.  But the builder, Gary Hedrick, along with his incredible crew, made the journey as painless and pleasant as possible. This was my time to see where we've arrived.  However, in order to understand the impact, I think it's important to see a little of where we've come from.

The Original Home

An Early Character Sketch

The Finished Home

Whenever I have the opportunity to return to a project, it is like visiting a child whom you've watched grow and mature.  There is a connection to the built form that is hard to explain.  While I work hard to capture the essence of who my clients are, a part of me gets knitted into the project's fabric.

Entry Hall

Given the scope of the project, combined with the restraints of the prescriptive building envelope, I am very pleased with the spaces we were able to create.  There is a true variety of scale, mood and texture in the house.  However, each of these spaces is held together by a common thread of detail and proportion much like contrasting yet coordinated beads on a string.  

The Library

I am greatly indebted to the craftsmen who took as much pride in the project as I.  Only through a team with a consistent commitment to quality can such a project come together smoothly.  From precise framing to artisan woodworking and finishing, each layer of workmanship relies on the foundation of the one set before it.  Not only is this a beautiful home to look at, but one can also feel the integrity of the workmanship that is systemically incorporated throughout.

The Great Room

Designed as a gathering place for extended family, this is the kind of home that one can easily see passing on through many generations and serving as the backdrop for some of life's greatest memories.