If you love old houses:

If you are in Central New York on Friday evening (June 8th) and love old houses, I will be lecturing about the interior design work of J. L. Silsbee and his relationship with the city of Syracuse.  I've never spoken to folks in Syrcause about my Silsbee obsession and I am guessing that most folks are clueless about his work and how indelible the marks he made on that city are.  The lecture is at the historic Barnes-Hiscock Mansion.  It is a one of a kind home with spectacular interiors and a very rich history.  The reception starts at 6 and the presentation at 7.

There's more to Arts & Crafts than quarter-sawn oak

“Global Influences: Women in the Arts & Crafts Movement”

Series begins Feb. 18 at Oak Park Public Library

The important women in the Arts & Crafts movement in Chicago and around the world, including architecture, decorative arts, interior design, and social influences will be the focus of a free lecture series hosted by Pleasant Home Foundation with the Oak Park Public Library.

“Global Influences: Women in the Arts & Crafts Movement” will be held on Thursday evenings, beginning Feb. 18, at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street. The lectures, which begin at 7 p.m., will continue Feb. 26, March 4 and March 11.

If you are into Arts & Crafts furniture as much as I am

Next Friday, Pleasant Home Foundation is hosting a great event. Mike Danial, the historian from the Stickley company, will be in town to talk about the history of the company, and to provide valuation of your Arts & Crafts items. I am not sure how much like Antiques Road Show this will be but it should be a good time. The event starts at 6:30 on May 16th and admission is $10 with proceeds helping restoration efforts at Pleasant Home. There will also be a reception following the lecture.
I looked round the Tiny Bungalow to see if there are any pieces worth bringing down. Unfortunately, we have nothing that exciting around here and I doubt the price has escalated on the Stickley pieces we've bought from Toms-Price over the last 10 years. While thinking about this, I did some browsing on the Stickley website. If you haven't been there, you should check it out. They now have a room planning device that lets you realize that your Stickley dream furniture doesn't fit into an 800 square foot bungalow.


Seriously though, it is fun and if you're like me and have nothing better to do with your time (sarcasm), it is a good way to kill an hour or so. I laid out my existing furniture and then furnished the rest of the place completely with Stickley. You can print out the plans and a shopping list so you know what to tell the salesperson at the furniture store. It's fun to dream, right? The only tool they don't have is a pricing option so you can see how much your furnished dream rooms will cost - or better, a financing program to show you how many years it might take to pay off a purchase like that.