Famous Roman Buildings Curved Roof Ceiling

36 hours in Washington, DC

It was as close as we were going to get.

We have nothing against the Capitol, the White House — or any of the monuments that attract millions of visitors each year. But our stay in Washington was going to be short. That meant lines were to be avoided at all costs, especially when they rival those at a Disney theme park. It wasn't much to give up considering we both had visited most of the major spots before.

GETTING THERE

The Bolt Bus is one of the most economical ways to travel to Washington. It costs about $20 each way if you book a few weeks in advance. Compare that with an Amtrak ticket that costs more than $100 each way. Several buses leave each day between New York and Washington; boltbus.com.

GETTING AROUND

Washington's extensive Metro is a fast and easy way to get around. Tickets range from $1.60 to $5, depending on the length and time of trip; wmata.com/index.cfm

Taxis are plentiful in most parts of downtown. We didn't pay more than $10 for a trip across the district.

MUSEUMS

DINING and ENTERTAINMENT

Articles 20VN | Interior Decorating Styles - Part Three - The 18th ...

Knowing your preferred decorating style is the best way to approach a decorating project from a point of knowledge. The information will help you to tackle your own decorating project or to speak confidently to a decorator or designer when communicating your vision for your space. In part three we will look at a few of the decorative styles contributed by the 18th Century and begin the Mid 19th Century. This five part series on interior decorating styles will give you an overview of contributions offered to the decorating industry.

In the 18th century two styles of architecture and decoration dominated the first half of the century. The first style was Palladianism . Palladianism was derived from the writings and engravings of the 16th century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio. This particular style was characterized by bold, austere, and large architectural elements such as Venetian windows. Venetian windows were used a great deal by Palladio. This particular window is arched with two lower rectangular openings on each side.

During the 18th century, floors were often bare with sisal matting or oriental carpets. The ceilings were coffered with plaster moldings. A coffered ceiling is a ceiling that consists of recessed panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon and is usually trimmed with ornamental motifs. This type of ceiling actually dates back as far as the 6th century as both a decorative element and as a means of lightening the load of a heavy marble or stone ceiling. Back then you would only see a coffered ceiling in the homes of the very rich, but today, coffered ceilings are available to everyone and can even be purchased in kits. It is a popular look in libraries. The walls were paneled and painted with a flat paint usually in grey or green or hand painted wall papers. The walls were meant to be the backdrop for paintings, prints, or engravings. The Palladianism style featured furniture made of solid or veneered walnut. Veneered furniture is actually very well made. The thin wood overlay is fragile in its natural state or by itself; because it's generally only 1/64 inch thick, but when it's properly glued to another surface it becomes part of that surface and has considerable strength. Special care must be taken when sanding because it is so thin you can sand right through it. But, the good news is that it doesn't take much sanding to smooth it, because it is sliced with an extremely sharp knife. Palladianism style furniture typically consists of tripod tables, bureau bookcases, and upholstered chairs usually in a fabric that coordinates with the window treatment.

Roof framing

The Roman revolution

Roof construction and loft conversion

The decline and fall of the Roman empire

The Roman Empire