The quirky architecture is fascinating! The designs were well thought out and I am awed by that curve door. I had thought the picture may have been taken with a wide-angle lens and distorted, but then read what you wrote - how cool is that! In keeping with the curvature of the build!
There was talk in some historical article that I read that their cousin, who was an architect may have designed it, but, even if that were so, it doesn't detract from the house!
Tradition says that Jane Parminter designed the house herself, though this may be an embellishment, as it seems that a mysterious 'Mr Lowder' may have had a hand (possibly Commander John Lowder, a distant relative, or his son, also named John). The younger John Lowder went on to be a successful architect in Bath, where he designed a 32-sided school with classrooms in a wedge pattern. There is no proof that this later unusual design is the work of the same architect responsible for A La Ronde, but it does seem plausible.
It is the small details that really get my attention, the libraries in between rooms! (I actually have a house like that with rooms in between rooms. It is an 1869 Rustic Victorian.) I do so love the center of the house, giving you the view above and access to anywhere in the house- all sixteen sides of it. How does one dream that idea?
I have never seen anything like the feather frieze before! In Turkey, there were paintings in a church, the Church of St. John the Baptist, in a small village that reminded me of that, but, it was painted and the circles were not feathers but flowers. But, still. :) It touches a memory for me.
I loved the house! This was so much fun!
Wow! Your house sounds so interesting Denise. I'm led to believe that most properties in the States are pretty new (by English standards 😉) so an 1869 one is very old!
The feather frieze is a first for me as well, I can imagine they had plenty of time on their hands, but it's still fascinating how they did so much of it around the house. However, I believe their love was in shells, they have a massive collection in the house, the most famous being the Shell Gallery up in the attic. I had a peep from the bottom of the stairs and it was amazing. Sadly it's not open to the public anymore as it's so fragile, but they're trying to work out how visitors can see it from the centre of the house on the ground floor.