Peter Lyden

Today, a brilliant yellow room in order to bring a spot of cheer during the holiday season. This splendid drawing room at Hambleden Manor was devised in 1955 for Lady Hambleden by the legendary team of John Fowler and Nancy Lancaster of Colefax and Fowler, and it has remained a favorite of mine for many years. It is said that Lady Hambleden was initially distrustful of the deep yellow color, only to be told by John Fowler to be patient as it faded to become the perfect shade. Well, fade it did, and in my view the advice was correct!

@classicist_org’s educational programming is increasingly widespread, reaching every corner of the country (and even around the world, thanks to our virtual programs, films, and tours!), and I was absolutely thrilled to see this brilliant video produced by the @icaanocal firm @kirleyarchitects, who share the ICAA’s commitment to education, hands-on sketching and drawing, and passing on the traditional techniques of architecture and design. It is so inspiring to see these principles shared by so many, particularly across the ICAA’s 15 chapters throughout the country, and the many universities we collaborate with!

During this holiday season I am gratified to reflect on the continuing success of the ICAA’s educational programs. At @classicist_org, education is at the heart of our mission, and it is wonderful to see us reach more and more students with each passing year across the country, including introductory programs for middle schoolers, university workshops, architectural intensives, drawing tours, the Summer Studio in Classical Architecture, and so much more. Your support for the ICAA helps us continue these one-of-a-kind programs and provide much-needed scholarships. Learn more by following the link in my bio!

After an incredible week, including the celebration of wonderful contemporary works of architecture, art, and design at @classicist_org’s McKim, Mead & White Awards, it is a great pleasure, as always, to return to the pleasures of the countryside, where the holiday spirit is in full bloom. The temperature has dropped, and I am ready for a tranquil and relaxing weekend by the fire!

Perfectly complementing the beautiful image of Sturehovs Slott from the other day, this extraordinary black and white photograph of Henbury Hall in Cheshire, UK transports me upon each viewing. Taken by the supremely talented photographer William Curtis Rolf, the dramatic image captures the fine detail of the country house, which was designed by Julian Bicknell and clearly inspired by Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotonda. All the more surprising is that this house is a contemporary work, completed in the mid 1980s!

In the spirit of the season, this stunning photograph of Sturehovs Slott (taken by @viggo_lundberg) brings to mind a cozy evening next to a roaring fire, happy and warm, and surrounded by the stunning—and frigid!—winter landscape. I absolutely adored my journey to this remarkable place and thoroughly enjoyed the lovely fireplaces, as well as the house’s thoughtful relationship to the surrounding gardens. How exciting it is that @classicist_org will be hosting a return trip to this place next spring, as part of the travel program, “18th Century Sweden: The Golden Age of Gustavian Style.”

Four favorites, starting with the perfect example of an American Greek Revival clapboard house, perfectly proportioned and sporting two delightful ionic columns, followed by the stunning Sturehovs Slott, located just outside of Stockholm, Sweden, the sublime Gibside Chapel in England, designed by architect James Paine, and the stately Blue Room in the White House. Sights like these never fail to inspire!

All is well in the countryside and Thanksgiving is nearly upon us! I hope that everyone is able to enjoy the coming days alongside friends and family, sharing delicious food, sparkling conversation, and memorable experiences. Tally ho! (Photos: @csansburycountry)

Ahead of the coming holiday, I’m simply enjoying a moment of escape into the beautiful world of @anniechateau1604, who has done a marvelous job of painstakingly restoring a 17th century chateau (along with its stunning gardens), and whose photographs are always transporting! Among other things, it’s wonderful to witness this beautiful property throughout the changing seasons as it continues to evolve.

I’m simply thrilled that the latest edition of @classicist_org’s annual publication, the Classicist, is now published and available to purchase! The Classicist no. 21, which focuses on the extraordinary architectural legacy of Northern California, contains page after page of beautiful photography, fascinating articles, and a stunning portfolio of new professional and student work. I’m so pleased to be in San Francisco to celebrate the release with @icaanocal, and I extend my deepest congratulations to the ICAA’s Classicist Committee for their dedication and vision. Follow the link in my bio to purchase this latest edition!

I find myself missing Charleston, forever one of the most spectacular cities in America for all lovers of architecture, art, and design. Each visit adds new and distinctive delights, offering the chance to meet new people, to step behind more of those distinctive doors and into gorgeous and gracious homes, and to meander through the meticulously conceived and executed gardens. If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit, make the time to do so and you won’t regret it!

Ahead of this evening’s much-anticipated lecture by the inimitable @benpentreath, I’m happy to revisit one of his firm’s most inspired projects: the completely new extension to a listed Oxfordshire rectory. The proportions, materials, and ornamentation are all exquisite, and the new structure perfectly complements the old. The firm’s design director @rupertcunningham and interiors director, @tamarahales, surely outdid themselves with this impressive bit of work!