A Predilection for Clocks

I’ve run across several interesting clocks lately and chose to heed  the nudge and pick them up.  Perhaps with another Birthday in the rearview mirror I’ve got time on my mind.  Now I have to find them a home…

In my foyer there is a a piece of furniture I fondly refer to as the “Holiday altar”.  I usually decorate it for the season.  It’s in need of an update.  Magazines are my usual source of inspiration at these moments.  One of my fav’s is House Beautiful .  This months issue is the Big Advice Issue and it’s wonderful.  Look what I found:

This is the bedroom of a designer out of L.A., Dan Marty.   Of particular interest is the long table.  The “gathered over time and travels” look is very appealing to me.  He calls it “British Colonial with a West Indies flavor and Napoleon III thrown in”.  Who knew I was so sophisticated?! 

Marty likes collections but says they need order.  “Here are some general rules.  You need harmony and balance, contrast, the right combination of elements and scale.  Symmetry and asymmetry.  Light and dark.  Group your collections - they look more important that way.  Like things with like things.  And don’t line objects up like they’re on a march.  Vary heights.  One more thing I do is stack a few antique books and put an object on top.”

I like him.  A lot.  So here’s the altar:

Using Marty’s pointers, I gathered up some stuff.

I think this looks pretty good. But it needs just a little something else…

A few extra details completes my foyer update!  Do you think Marty would approve?  Can you find the four “clocks”?

Here, again, is my inspiration picture and the completed foyer:

“Thanks” to my older sister for the lovely, English, turquoise tin to add to my collection.  It mirrored the shape of the wicker,teapot basket and added balance and color. 

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