text: Salon, view two. A long room like this was probably hard to design, but the space is separated and defined by the round table in the middle.
  I am away for Thanksgiving, and have very limited access to the internet this week, so the best I can do is pick a lovely picture from Martha's website and wish all of you a happy and wonderful Thankgiving!
  I will be back next week, and look forward to catching up with everyone's blogs. Thank you for the inspiration, education, and support from all of you reading this blog! I can't believe that this time last year, I did not even know about the world of blogs.
  Quite often, when I see a house that I love, it has a Palladian window. Palladian windows are named for Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), the Italian Renaissance architect who invented them in the sixteenth century. They are identified by the arch on top and the narrow panels on both sides of the central window. The Palladian window is one of Palladio's most popular and widely imitated design motifs. So appealing and influential was the design of Palladio that his work continues to inspire architects to this day.
  Palladianism became popular in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, and experienced a surge of popularity in North America later in the late 18th century. Most notably, Thomas Jefferson promoted Palladianism in many of his architectural designs. Jefferson's Monticello and the University of Virginia have many architectural features characteristic of Palladian style. In fact, Jefferson referred to Palladio's "I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura" as his 'bible'.
  So pervasive was the Palladian influence, that features of Palladian style can be found in Beaux Arts Classicism, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Federal, Georgian Revival, Neoclassicism, Shingle, Queen Anne styles. However, with time, the term Palladianism has become largely misused to describe anything with classical motifs.
  Architects usually put Palladian windows in front of staircases or atriums, in order to provide a lot of light to large halls. Historically, Palladian windows most often appear in public buildings and the homes of the wealthy because glass was expensive int he eighteenth century and Palladian windows require more glass than regular windows.
  I have a strange little talent. I seem to have a photographic memory for furniture! If I see a piece of furniture (and to a lesser extent, fabric) once, then I can usually remember what it is, who makes it, and where you can find it. Because of this, I often recognize the furniture I see in magazines or on the blogs. However, when I see something I really like, and can't source it, something in me won't rest until I find it (same thing happens when I lose something...I search for hours until I find it).
  I have not been able to identify two things recently, and was wondering whether any of my readers could help me figure out where they come from:
  Interior design by Katie Ridder. I love the fabric on the pillows on the settee in front of the window. Does anyone recognize it?
  Drake Design Associates. I love these garden stools, with their interwoven circle motif. Any idea where they come from?
  I have a tradition in November. When the weather gets cold (which happens in Atlanta, believe it or not) I pull out my Narada Christmas CD and start listening to Christmas music. Today was the day that I chose to pull out the CD (the temperature was 29 degrees this morning), and it was a wonderful experience. Most of the songs on this CD are fairly new age/instrumental, and not really that Christmassy, but they are a good way for me to get into the holiday frame of mind. After all, if the stores can start decorating for Christmas in October, why can't I start listening to Christmas music in November? My favorite track is the first on the CD, 'Il Est Ne' by Michael Gettel. It is not necessarily the best on the CD, but it is always the first one that I hear, and I get that 'the holidays are just around the corner' happy feeling. Yes, it was a good day.
  Another wonderful holiday tradition is lighting my Slatkin Holiday candle. I must admit, I started quite early this year...mid October! I discovered this amazing candle a few years ago in August (there is a store in Atlanta that stocks it year round), so holding out until October is not so bad. There is something about the scent of this candle that really appeals to me. The website says that it is infused with the scent of mandarin orange, cinnamon, cloves, pine and eucalyptus. It definitely has more of a fall/winter scent to it, as it is rich and warm.
  The Slatkin Holiday candle can be purchased in Neiman Marcus, or online through a variety of outlets. I love the little velvet box that holds the candle.
  Speaking of Slatkin candles, the beach cottage of the founder of the company, Harry Slatkin, was just in the October issue of House and Garden. You have probably seen Harry Slatkin all over the place recently, as he is featured in Zippo lighter ads.