Nicholas Engert | Inspiration

Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House: a modernist icon where elegance meets detachment and beauty challenges the idea of home.

All things age and over time they can morph into a new, sometimes subtle, sometimes surprising, form of beauty.

The early postage stamps of Queen Elizabeth II capture a nation in transition — graceful, confident, and beautifully made. A meditation on design, dignity, and the quiet power of miniature art.

Many years ago I arrived early one morning in St Mark’s Square, Venice, before the crowds had started to gather. The air was fresh and cool and the sky a clear blue.

It may be mid September but there has been a distinct chill in the early morning air and dusk arrives earlier with every passing day.

Blankets or duvet? At the end of the day, however, it is my bed and I must lie in it!

I have always been fascinated by reflections in both the natural world and the built environment. Reflections are an opportunity to see things differently albeit distorted, rippled or exaggerated.

Back in May the hawthorn was prolific. I do not remember a time when it was so abundant and it was a magnificent sight along the Kennet & Avon canal.

The front door - that which stands between our inner, private world and the outside world. The front door alone is a statement - it, perhaps more than any other element, declares the status of the building and in many cases the status of the occupants.