Design Dictionary
Posted on 23. Nov, 2011 by Josephine Butler in Design Dictionary
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and we can’t stop thinking about some of our favorite things that start with the letter “P”: pumpkin pie, potatoes and a little pigskin (the Packers, anyone?). Speaking of the letter “P,” we’d like to introduce the two newest additions to our Design Dictionary series: Palladio and Parrot.
Palladio
Andrea Palladio, a famous Venetian architect of the 16th century, is widely known for his series of villas and urban palaces in Vincenza. He is also widely known for what we’ve come to describe as the Palladian arch. Though the arch was not invented by Palladio himself, he made it famous when he employed this characteristic in his design of the basilica in Vincenza.
Today, the Palladian arch is still around. Featuring a semi-circular top flanked with two flat-top openings, it’s featured in the designs of everything from architecture to furniture. The Mirror of Enlightenment, from our Philosophies collection, is a great example of this timeless element of classical design.
Parrot
While we can’t stop dreaming of a delicious turkey this Thanksgiving, we’ve got another bird on our minds for this next Design Dictionary term: the parrot (or parrot splat, to be exact). This bird-like feature is usually found on Queen Anne-style chairs (like our Queen Anne Side Chair) and is characterized by the rounded head and beak shape visible in the open space between the chair splat and backpost. Can you find the two “parrots” in this chair?