Throughout the centuries interior castle walls in Japan were adorned with gold leaf. Some of these walls were stationary while others were movable screens. A screen performed many functions. Because these screens could be moved, they not only divided a space but also made the space seem more intimate and kept cold air at bay in winter. Reflective gilding multiplies the amount of light.
Hoitsu Sakai, 6 Panel Wall screens Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Autumnal Grasses under the Moon, Tawaraya Sotatsu Even though the silver moon has tarnished with age it enhances the overall beauty of the screen by virtue of it’s placement above as it oversees the plant world.
I had the opportunity to do gold leafing while studying textile design in Japan. It is extremely delicate work. The leaf is so thin, you have to hold your breath when applying it – and forget about sneezing!
Avram Rusu, an furniture designer making beautiful contemporary gold leaf screens and generously sharing the process on her website.
DIANE DORRANS SAEKS's writes the most engaging blog on design, fashion and travel, The Style Saloniste. Her post, Beauty Restored Glorious New Salon Dore features the restoration of a stately Parisian home using what else, but gold leaf.
Read all about it!
For a Brooklyn townhouse Miles Redd’s covered the walls of a master bedroom with Roger Arlington’s Chinese Pewter paper (House Beautiful) “What I love about it is that it changes color all day long,” says Redd. “Sometimes it’s gold, sometimes it’s lavender and sometimes it’s silver.”
Roger Arlington's Chinese pewter paper
In the courts of Europe or Japan they all understood the importance of gold leaf, crystals and mirrors to reflect back and amplify light. If today we had to rely on windows as our main source of light during the day and fire at night, we too would crave more illumination. For the first time in history we can simply flip a switch and instantly be supplied with an unlimited amounts of heat and light.
Versailles by today’s standards exemplifies over-the-top décor. Yet at the time the French were augmenting whatever scant illumination they had with gold, candles, crystals and mirrors - long before the world knew the word electricity.
Columbus Circle, NYC
public spaces
A traditional outdoor monument of Christopher Columbus at the foot of Central Park's entrance reflects the setting sun. It's a reminded of why gold has always been such a hot commodity.