We werent allowed to take photos inside, which I never understand, because if flash really does damage the artifacts, they should just let us take non-flash pictures. Ill include some images from the website to try to show why we were so cracked on seeing Shangri La.
Although the decor in most of the rooms of the house sticks to one country of origin, the foyer is the one room that combines many different styles, including components from Morocco (ceiling, stained glass clerestory windows, balustrade, screen, doors, and stucco arch), Turkey (wall tiles), Iran (basins), Egypt and Syria (lamps).
© Tim Street-Porter
I love how the stained glass clerestory windows glow!
© Tim Street-Porter
© Tim Street-Porter
The Shangri La Historical Archives have a surprising number of vintage photographs documenting the work, including this one that shows the ceiling when it was still in Morocco.
© Shangri La Historical Archives, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai'i
And the ceiling today...
© Tim Street-Porter
Our first stop was the Damascus Room, an entire Syrian interior that was reconstructed at Shangri La. It only became open to the public in July of 2012, and they use it to display photos, letters and other ephemera from Shangri Las historical archives.
© David Franzen
© David Franzen
Check out the amazingly detailed woodwork close-up!
© Philipp Scholz Rittemann
The next stop on the tour would probably have been the Mughal Suite, but it was closed for those roof repairs you saw earlier. Heres the exterior portion of the private hall leading to the suite, which Patrick shot while we were in the Mughal Garden.
Heres what the interior hall looks like, courtesy of
http://www.shangrilahawaii.org/.
© David Franzen
Duke commissioned and had the Mughal Suite built in India. It was originally going to go into another home, but when she and Cromwell decided to put it in Shangri La, it inspired the Islamic theme throughout the rest of the building.
© David Franzen
© Tim Street-Porter
From there we backtracked to the Central Courtyard and learned a little more abotu Dukes participation in the construction and decorating of Shangri La. Apparently she was very hands-on and, fortunately, had great taste! The only trouble with this part of the tour is that you can glimpse the ocean through one of the doorways, and all you want to do the whole time is run out and see it!
© Tim Street-Porter
That doorway on the far left is the one youll be craning your neck to see out of...
© David Franzen
From there, we were lead into the living room, and the first thing you see is this AMAZING view of Diamond Head, the pool and the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows (which, of course, retract into the ground for better communing with nature!). I tried to find a photo online that captures what we saw, and this is the closest:
© Tim Street-Porter
Here you can see the windows with the carved screens drawn in front of them (goodness knows why youd ever block that view!)
© Tim Street-Porter
Even though wed seen tons of original artifacts, for some reason I was really struck by the fact that these are the original couches. Like, Doris Dukes buns were HERE!
© David Franzen
Were big fans of Hearst Castle, so it was interesting to learn that Duke bought this fireplace off William Randolph Hearst.
© David Franzen
At the other end of the room is a focal point nearly as captivating as the Pacific Ocean, a prayer wall known as a
mihrab that dates from 13th Century Iran. Apparently its one of the largest and best remaining examples, and Duke had to outbid a museum to get it.
© David Franzen
© Tim Street-Porter
© Tim Street-Porter
I liked this room cuz we got to sit down!
© David Franzen