In celebration of the Home Is... series, here's the start of Richard Tillinghast's great poem "Big Doors":
Big Doors
I have seen with my own eyes doors
so massive
that two men would have been required
to push open just one of them.
Bronze, grating over stone sills, or made of wood
from trees now nearly extinct.
Many things never to be seen again!
The fury of cavalry attacking at full gallop.
Little clouds of steam rising
from horse droppings
on most of the world's streets once.
full poem here via Poetry Daily, first published in Agni
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Comments (11)
What an opportune time to ask this question:
I'm painting a wall in my apt. today. The front door is on this wall. Should I paint the front door or leave it the white (or should I say "dirty white") that it is? The paint is an eggshell finish. Would that work on a metal door? Um, probably not. Thoughts?
Strangle. I was under the impression (apparently, erroneous) that *anne is a professional interior designer...my bad.
Anne
Put some extra elbow grease and 0000 sandpaper (or car-buffing compound) ... to it then put on super gloss paint. Sand in-between coats and you'll have a super-glam, super-durable vertical welcome mat.
Oh Tat - one can actually be a professional designer and NOT a professional painter. I HIRE painters for my projects. I don't do the painting myself. But I guess you must be both. Sorry to disappoint you.
No I don't do both. But my professional duties include knowledge of technology of finish applications, just so that contractor will not have a laughing fit reading my specs. At the very least I'm obligated to know that different substrates require different primers, due to the bonding issues, and that trim (doors and doorframes included)is customarily given 1+ sheen finish (matte/flat being at the bottom of the sheen scale and high gloss at the top).
Also, from my student days at FIT I remember Nick Politis's mantra in the Color TRheory 101 class: "Designers do not put "dirty" or "mauve" in the color description; decorators do."
I do not hire contractors; that would be conflict of interests. My client does, and I produce specs and provide inspections of contractors' work, to serve my client.
Well, we all have our own ways of working. I respect your methods, Tat however they are not my methods and I will not disregard my degree at NYSID and many years of work in all aspects of design because I had to ask a question about painting a metal door. But please feel free to regale us even more about your expertise in design. I'm sure all of us can learn from you and your genius.
Scott, thanks for the help. I just got finished painting my apt. and am exhausted. I will keep your advice and may give it a try. Right now I want a drink !
tat--
It also seems that designers (interior, graphic, landscape) can often have a hard time making decisions for themselves that would normally come easily to them when working for other people.
And don't get all caught up in the distinction between designers and decorators because anne said "dirty" in her description of her current door. Pretty sure she was just implying (in a self-deprecating kinda way) that perhaps the door hadn't been painted in a while! Jeez.
If "designers" take themselves so deathly serious, and "decorators" seem to have a sense of humor, then I want to be a decorator when I grow up.
tat,
get off the internet before you hurt somebody
Ptoo (if you don't mind...), actually, I find it much more fun working for myself: I don't have to compromise and/or I use my own space as a lab for design ideas (my own and found one). Based, of course, on built-up trade knowledge.
You can call yourself anything you like if you quialify for the job; in place of general public I'd hire you on the spot and don't ask for your resume - you have proven yourself to me, just by reading AT threads for about 2 weeks.
*anne, however, seems to be an altogether different person: she started by making a snarky reply about quote-on-quote being "impressed" with my qualifications to my very first comment on AT, having never met me or seeing any of my work etc. So I concluded she must be an outstanding professional herself, one I can learn from.
Now I'm not so sure.
Jonathan, I live in NY and use subway - which means I don't tolerate people stepping on my toes.
Oh, I must've stepped into the wrong party. If you'll excuse me...
my yes, a freaky secret cauldron
Tat,
I think perhaps you are unaccustomed to the general goodwill of this site -- I think Anne actually meant her original comment to you and was not being snarky.
I remember the exchange.
Now she actually sounds pissed, but then . . nope.