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"conservatory pleated blinds"
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One of the most famous of the Regency-era conservatories was built at Carlton House, the Prince of Wales' London residence, demolished in 1826-27, which had been redesigned for him by Henry Holland (1745-1806) in 1787. Over the years, the Prince worked hard, decorating and redecorating, to make it the most magnificent residence in Europe, and by some standards he succeeded, only to have it demolished when its position was judged obstructive to the grand design he and architect John Nash worked out to redesign large sections of London, which later were named Regent Street and Regent Park. The famous conservatory was added in 1807 of the newest construction techniques in cast iron columns and a fan vaulted ceiling supporting large glass spaces. The architect was Thomas Hopper (1776-1856) whose work was considered a tour de force. The conservatory opened into the gardens at one end. If one looked in the opposite direction, there was a clear view of the entire lower ground-floor range of rooms, at the mall level, opening into one another in this sequence from west to east: conservatory, ionic dining room, gothic dining room. As an aside, architect Hopper's subsequent commissions included the main dwellings at Gosford Castle, Northern Ireland, and Penrhyn Castle, Wales, among many others. He was particularly admired for his Normal Revival style. The Carlton House conservatory was intentionally theatrical, as some writers observed, over the top and bringing the term "elaborate" to a new level. The Prince Regency planned a great fete for 2,000 people on June 19, 1811,to celebrate his Regency. The supper table was 200 feet long, the entire length of the Ionic Dining Room and the Gothic conservatory. Men were dressed, according to J. B. Priestly in his The Prince of Pleasure and His Regency (1969), in their court dress or uniforms. Down the middle of the entire length of the table ran a curving stream of water from a silver fountain in front of the Prince. Its path was lined with flowers, mossy banks and crossed by miniature bridges. Goldfish swam up and down this tiny stream. Here is the account by John Ashton in Social England Under the Regency (1895) of the Prince Regent's conservatory and the party: "...the architecture of it is of the most delicate Gothic. The upper end was a kind of circular buffet surmounted by a Medallion, with the initials G.P.R. lined by festoons and antique draperies of pink and silver, and partly filled by mirrors, before which, on ornamented shelves, stood a variety of vases, candlesticks, &c. of the most gorgeous gold plate...In the front of the Regent's seat there was a circular basin of water, with an enriched Temple in the centre of it, from whence there was a meandering stream to the bottom of the table, bordered with green banks. Three or four fantastic bridges were thrown over it, one of them with a small tower upon it, which gave the little stream a picturesque appearance. It contained also a number of gold and silver fish. The excellence of design, and exquisiteness of workmanship could not be exceeded; it exhibited a grandeur beyond description; while the many and various purposes for which gold and silver materials were used were equally beautiful and superb in all their minute detail. The regency era, whether one confines the definition strictly to 1811-1820 or, more broadly, to the French Revolution to Victoria period 1789-1837, was truly a time of transition in enhanced plant cultivation indoors. When it began, traditional orangeries were popular and when it ended, rooms built of delicate iron ribs holding curvilinear walls and roofs of glass had captured the fancy of all society. In her book Regency Gardens, Mavis Batey writes, "There was a new connection between house and garden through conservatories and flower corridors; interior decoration and trellised verandahs complemented each other; fluted curtains, flowerstands and flouncing shrubberies matching the elegance of Regency costume." (p.5) Since the first purposeful cultivation of plants, humankind has struggled to improve growing conditions by altering the environment. For the plant to thrive, is it too cold? Too dark? Too rainy? Too arid? Too windy? How can the plant's living arrangements be improved to give it maximum light, water, air circulation and fertility? How can we improve on Mother Nature? ESTABLISHED IN 1910, the Mount Royal College Conservatory has provided instruction to people of all ages and levels of development over much of the past century. The Conservatory is committed to providing quality instruction that sets the standard for similar programs throughout Canada. To this end it has built an outstanding group of instructors, established an extensive visiting artist program, and developed an international presence. The St. Petersburg Conservatory is a music school in St. Petersburg, Russia. Its current full name is the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory (SPbGK); formerly it has also been known as the Petrograd Conservatory and the Leningrad Conservatory. It was founded in 1862 by the Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein. It later became a centre of the New Russian school of composition, led by Rimsky-Korsakov. In 2004, it had around 275 members of staff and 1400 students. Comparing Types Of Conservatory Blinds: The cost of furnishing a conservatory can catch many people out, in fact it can often cost more than the conservatory itself. Conservatory Blinds can be very expensive so it is important to know what the choices are and what value a particular blind will bring. There are three types - Pleated Blinds, Pinoleum Blinds and Roller Blinds. As a general rule it is always a good idea to learn from other people's experience and so tap into friends and family who have already gone through this process. In addition talk to some experts and get some no obligation quotes, but make sure you know what is being quoted for. Batey attributes to Sir Humphrey Repton (1752-1818) the "modern improvement, borrowed from the French, of folding glass doors opening into a garden, by which the effect in a room is like that of a tent or marquee, and in summer delightful." The real beauty of a conservatory is that it is a room, which is part home and part garden bringing the delicious scents that abound in the garden, indoors. It also affords a cosy and comfortable haven in which to enjoy the outdoors even when the wind and rain is lashing all around. Once built many people find that this beautiful room becomes a focal point and is used much more than was originally anticipated. The high glass content of a conservatory can be an ideal room for growing a variety of houseplants. However care must be taken when selecting plants to ensure they will enjoy the conditions afforded by the aspect of the room and whether it is heated or not.
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