Finger Plates

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The finger plate is "a plate that is fixed to a door near the handle or keyhole. It can be made of metal, plastic, ceramic or glass. It purpose is to prevent people's fingers from smudging the door." (Wikipedia)

But its artistic value is so much more than just its practical application.

Art Nouveau fingerplate

Gothic fingerplate

From Flickr...a period example.

Figural plate

Thistle plate

The finger plate in context

Voysey inspired Arts & Crafts plate

Domythic Doors - Ornate Hinges

I believe it was Leigh in the Domythic Bliss Facebook group who suggested a while back that a series of posts on different parts of a house would be enjoyable...for instance, and what I am starting with, ways to Domythic up a door! We're going to go through this in great detail. How great of detail? One step at a time we're going to talk about your front door...first we'll give a few suggestions for hinges.

If you have a plain door, a wood panel door, or any kind of door that will accommodate ornate hinges, *add them.* There's hardly a thing you can do to make a door instantly more magical.

Astrology-themed door hinges. Wow.


What's more Domythic than a tree shaped hinge??


Or tree branches? Wow.

Oak leaf gate hinges from Etsy. LOVE.

Source

Source

From Amazon

From House of Antique Hardware


From House of Antique Hardware

Gorgeous door



Wow

Shabby Chic

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Today's traditional decorating style that can blend well with Domythic touches is ...

Shabby Chic

Personally, I'm not a fan of a lot of aspects of Shabby Chic. I like deep jewel-tone colours, and it's all just too pale, too pink, and just not quite my cuppa. But I have to admit that this is a style that can result in some very fantasy-friendly interiors.

Image Source

Image Source
Image Source

Of course the ultimate example of a Domythic Shabby Chic location is the tiny mini-home from My Shabby Streamside Studio. Even though I said the style isn't really my preference, there's no denying this space is just phenomenal.

French Provincial

Time for another mini-series of posts! I thought it would be fun to share a few traditional decorating styles that lend themselves especially easily to being...Domythed? Domythicked? Domythized? ...Made more mythic. There we go. Unlike the contemporary and futuristic styles I mentioned on April Fool's Day, these styles seem to effortlessly blend with Domythic details to enhance the magic in your life. Are there other traditional decorating styles that also work? Of course! And of course it's also possible to make even the most contemporary of rooms Domythic.

We'll start with French Provincial decor. We've actually already featured a gorgeous example of a Domythic home inspired by this design style. But here's some general information about it.

Thanks to this blog post for info on the style:

The French provincial decorating style is a manifestation of the décor used in France’s provinces during the 17th and 18th century. Typically, people living in the provinces belonged to the lower classes and did not have too much money to spend on decorating their homes. So, they came up with a distinct style of their own which proved to be cost effective. The French provincial decorating style is based on the imperial designs used in courts and homes of the rich and wealthy. The only difference is that it doesn’t cost as much. Exempting expensive textiles, embroidery, costly furniture and a collection of gold items, the French provincial style does not lack in charm or appeal in any way. Here are the basics of this beautiful decoration style.

Furniture

Armoires are a staple of French provincial decoration. Back in the day, closets encompassed whole rooms and the tax laws stated that each household shall be taxed according to the number of rooms. Those who couldn’t afford to have closets chose wardrobes or armoires, as they are known. Armoires are carved cabinets used for storing things. With high quality metal work, armoires are flexible and can be used in every room in the house. Without armoires, a French provincial theme will be incomplete.

Wall Adornments

Like armoires for furnishing, the wall adornments used are also inexpensive. Generally, mirrors are hung on walls. Mirrors reflecting the light around the room are a trademark of French provincial decoration. You can get ornate and carved mirrors that have beautiful art work done on the frame. They will enhance the look and feel of your room substantially. You can choose between large and small mirrors but larger mirrors are preferable. Also, photographs in ornamental frames can add to the grandeur and feel.

Fabrics

Embroidery is widespread in French provincial decoration. Embroidery was a skill taught to each and every female during that time, which is why they were able to weave beautiful and intricate patterns. To reflect a poignant French provincial theme, you have to go for fabrics with heavy embroidery. All the pillows, curtains, drapes, bed sheets and linens you use should be embroidered. Along with embroidery, you can use fabrics with lace work, which were also common during the 17th and 18th century.

Colors

The colors used in French provincial decoration are inspired by the French countryside. Since the provincials didn’t have much money to buy colorful items from across the continent, they adapted what they could see around them. There are a variety of colors that you can use in your interior décor, such as cornflower blue, brick red, deep brown and sage green. Also, the colors of the French national flag, red, white and blue are found abundantly in French provincial decoration.

These are some of the basics of French provincial decorating. There is room for improvisation and improvement in this décor style and you can change it according to your preference. Make sure you keep the basics in mind while selecting all the elements of a great French provincial theme.

Resource for all the above images

Although the description mentions a wide variety of colours, I find that French style usually is full of pale shades of colors and whites and creams.

A few photos I took of a magazine article:

Domythic Africa

What a diverse and fascinating continent full of so many different cultures and rich heritages! While it is next to impossible in a single blog post to summarize the wide variety of myth and folklore in such a wide plethora of African countries and cultures, there are a few overall observations I wanted to make.

-Fabric, and the patterns on fabric, are a big part of the mythic story of many African cultures. In particular, Kente Cloth, originating with the Akan people of Ghana, is a sacred cloth of kings, and the woven patterns can tell different stories. Wikipedia has a wonderful summary of what the different colors in Kente cloth symbolize.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Also originating with the Akan of Ghana, Adinkra, usually used on fabric and pottery items, are a series of symbols, not unlike hieroglyphics and other languages of symbols

Image from Wikipedia.

Image from this excellent post by Art in the Studio

Unfortunately, African countries are known for such colorful and beautiful fabrics, they are sometimes "forged" for use in popular cultural items. Like so many details when decorating Domythically, it is important for this reason to get the full story on the fabrics you use in your home.

-I recently read an excellent compilation of African folk tales called The Girl Who Married a Lion. In this book, I discovered many delightful details of folklore in various African countries. I highly recommend it. One thing I noticed in the book is the character of the "trickster hare" that seems to reoccur in different stories. Indeed, it is through the transmission of these tales to America that the character of "Br'er Rabbit" began.

Hooked rug pattern from Etsy seller FullyWoolyPrimitives.

Original art by Suzanne'sGallery.

More information on hares and rabbits in mythology and folklore can be found in this article by Terri Windling.

Two more ideas for decorating in this style, from the book Ethnic Interiors.

If entomology is your hobby, you could display specimens (humanely and/or naturally obtained) from the African continent:


Or if you prefer living plants, choose indoor specimens that mimic those found in African lands, or types that are actually found there:



A final recommended book, for further inspiration in decorating in an African style, is the book African Style: Down to the Details, the source for the rest of these images.