One important detail to any space is lighting. Whether it be outdoor or indoor, why settle for something blah when something fabulous can do the same job? San Simeon was full of interesting lamps -such as the gilded wood figure above in a bedroom suite.
The very streetlamps in Chinatown, San Francisco were works of art. I love the gilded lizard crawling up the green pole! Do those bells actually ring I wonder?
A building in the financial district of San Francisco had heavy bronze caged sconces. They're not messing around!
These poured concrete terms (not caryatids as I originally stated) surrounding the outdoor pool at San Simeon also caught my eye. A simple mold must have been made which was then used over and over again inexpensively with common concrete. Now thats a bright idea!
Many thanks to Sandra Jonas for the designation 'term' on the last lantern.