Night's projects

Hello everyone,

I have tried to take better pictures of the room including the chandelier (for Elizabeth :))

My camera ( my phone) is not good enough to take close-shots but I tried to take pictures from 3 different angles.

For the chandelier I used Zvaroski crystals but it was a bit difficult to hold the 6 branches together. I'll have to find out a way to weld the branches together.

At night, the room has got a very special atmosphere and I must say I just enjoyed sitting in front of it and looking at it. It's not perfect at all, but I can see my technique is improving and I have found out tricks that help to work accurately. I definitely want to get an air brush, a small one. I'll have to find the right shop in Bangkok.

The golden frame is just the right size. I first wanted something bigger like one of these heavy sculpted golden frame you can fing here but, if you look carefully, everything in the room is simple, lines are straight ot slightly curved. That simple golden moulding looks enough...

I have another project in mind. The chateau de Villandry also has a very tasteful (for me, I mean) dining room, the style is Louis XV provencal (from Provence) I think. I read it somewhere. The colour of the walls is amazing and when you get into that room, there's a very good feeling. I think I may try and recreate it. it will be a big challenge as there are a lot of things that I have never done like sculptures and ornaments.....

This is the original room

On the left side is a fountain, for the summer I guess and on the opposite wall is a kind of ceramic stove, shaped like a pillar.

Isn't it an inviting room. What is that colour? Artists, can you help me?

How to make it? Is that orange?

 This is just a project, but as you probably know, when I see something I really like, I can't help trying to recreate it in my way like a painter does on canvas.

The furniture is simple but grand and I am sure I'll find some beautiful silk here to upholster the chairs. The only problem will be the cost for 6 + 2 Bespaq chairs! Any suggestions? Can be they be home made?

Bye for now. It's late now. My thoughts can't help going to the families of people who were on that flight today which has disappeared between Malaysia and China.

The frame

Two posts in one day! But I can't wait to show you a (bad) picture of the frame, green ( a similar tone to the walls's tone, but a little bit more..."soutenu", I can't find the word in English... and a pale gold layer on the moulding, after one layer of Gesso.
Sorry the picture is a bit blurred. I used spray paint, "machine green" and a "cloud" of flat white.
I'll take pictures of the chandelier tomorrow.
Thanks for today's comments.
By the way, I like the room with a minimum of furniture. What about you?

I

Finitions!

Bonjour!
 Here are the last improvements in the Moat's bedroom.

First, I made two sconces for each side of the bed, They are both equipped with 12 volts candles and Swarovski crystals. I made a chandelier too for the centre with the same crystals, but no electricity there, it's a bit too tricky for me but I promised myself I'll try later.

I am waiting for new mouldings to do the double doors again. Practice makes perfect, right?

I haven't recieved the fabric from France yet but I hope I'll get it this week and I'll start doing the curtains.

I have added miniature LEDs to the ceiling. It had a contemporay touch which doesn't bother me and the room was really too dark with the sconces only. They can only be seen if you look under the frame
They are supplied with 2 3Volts battery. Very easy to used and the light is warm. A great buy.

The frame is temporary. It will be pale green with a golden frame on the edge.

I hope the whole thing will look like a 3D picture. I need to find door handles now and some other little things.

Next step, the curtains.
Thanks for all your comments. They really cheer me up!
Have a great day
Patrick

Le tapis

Pour Muriellisa et vous tous aussi bien sur, les photos des deux tapis

Je n'ai pas reussi a trouver du tissu qui passerait ds l'imprimante alors j'ai fait un transfert au fer a repasser mais le resultat est bien moins bon.

The first phase is coming to an end....

Things have improved quite well and as the end of the semester is approaching, I have more time to spend on the room.

As I wanted to get an idea for the parquet, I have temporarily used printed parquet with the same design. It was too light so I sprayed it with a cloud of black and got some old dark oak. I know now what I have to do in the future.
First, find the wood, draw a precise sketch and start...
This temporary parquet will be easily replaced with the wooden one.

For the hall, the slides measure  1.7cm each. I used white plexi and sprayed black paint after having removed one square out of two of the protection paper. Am I clear, hmmmmmmmm? When I removed the remaining protection paper I got a chess effect. I sprayed one layer of white to attenuate the contrast. I also finished the inside of the fireplace and made a fireplace plaque out of Japanese clay that air dries

I need to find or make a fire screen and andirons (des chenets en Francais)

I found the frames on ebay, painted them gold and weathered them a lot. The Aubusson rug is a try. I used transfer paper with my printer. The result is fine but I am sure Catherine  will manage to do something much better for the bedroom.

I added beams to the ceiling and a little rosace. I sometimes find plaster rosaces in miniature projects too big or too thick compared with the reality

I also printed a tapestry we call "Verdure" in French. They were made in Aubusson too and were hung on the walls. The green of the foliage often turn blue with years. It hangs in the hall on the left.

With pictures I can see flaws and here I can see that some chair seats need some glue on the edge.....

I have prepared all the beads to make a new chandelier. This one I made a while ago is too small and I'd like to make a pair of matching sconces to put on each side of the bed. 

The fabric for the curtains hasn't arrived yet...

Would you like to meet the owners of Villandry?

Here they are...

Joachim Carvallo a doctor and his wife Ann Coleman spent years of devotion, and a lot of money too I guess, to restore the Chateau de Villandry and its wonderful gardens.

 Its famous Renaissance gardens include a water garden, ornamental flower gardens, and vegetable gardens. The gardens are laid out in formal patterns created with low box hedges. A real must if you ever visit the Loire Valley, it's only about 30 km. from Tours.

My project represents Mme Carvallo's bedroom I guess. It's called the moat's bedroom as it overlooks the moat.

The style is I think countryside Louis XVI... What do you think? 

Thanks for reading my humble posts and I am very grateful to all of you who take a little time to comment my work. I am sure we can call each other friends, right?

To finish, you know I have 4 cats at home. Here is Mimine, she can spend hours looking at me working and sometimes checking if the work is well done!

While JJ observes from the roof of the Chinese pharmacy.

The Moat's bedroom

I have now finished the three walls, the 3 double doors, the window and the panelling. 
I tend to think that this project will be a draft for another project. I need to improve my work to get a better quality. But for such a room, a draft will be very useful. 
The further I go, the more I appreciate the style of this room, is that Louis XVI? Every part is harmonious. 

The next step will be to apply gesso to the plastic I use so that the paint will hold. And then the 1st layer of green...

I have a sample of wallpaper so I can imagine what the alcove will look like. I have ordered the fabric from Catherine Ferouelle . I can't wait to receive it from France.I'll do the curtains and the screen with that fabric. I have also made a day bed to put in the alcove. I may do another one later but I needed something to fill this space.

It's nice to work in the garden, in the shade of the palm trees. We haven't had rain for months now and the temperature in the daytime is about 32 degrees Celsius.

The next step is to paint the fireplace, grey marble then paint the inside panels in a lighter shade of green. That can be a success or a disaster,I know...

Another view of the room. I couldn't wait to hang some paintings I had prepared before. The frames are cheap but I weathered them a little bit with paint and they look good, I think. As you can think the grey marble is done but I will work on it later when the first layers are dry to add some veins. I have also painted the floor of the hall behind as the doors will be opened

The illusion starts to operate. I have re-upholstered 3 chairs and made one couch with a fabric I had with the same pattern, the birds. I like the light of the sunset through the window.

For once, I have used spray paint because I didn't like the effect I got with brushes, too thick, maybe. 

But that colour didn't exist in a can so I used three colours, "machine green" ( I loved it but it was too dark), a quick spray of yellow,  a light spray of blue and I sprayed white all over the walls to attenuate the colour. 

I hope you like it. I do. For the panelling, I covered all the other parts with tapes and sprayed more white on some areas to get a lighter tone.

 I like to paint with spray paints and I have decided I'll buy an air spray gun compressor as soon as I can afford it. Should I buy a small one for painter or a normal one? I don't know yet. What do you think?

The next step will be the floor and the ceiling, then the chandelier and the sconces. 

The floor, First, I wanted to use real wood. Brodnax Prints make a beautiful wood parquet. If I decide to do this project again, I'd love to have this parquet but the price is too high for now. Each 48 square inch costs $16 

but it's beautiful...

but I need about 10 sets.... so I will go for good quality printed pictures from Spain. They are affordable and from a distance, the parquet will look OK, I hope.

Though I'd like the challenge to do my own parquet.... I hope I'll be able to show you more pictures before the weekend ends but today is Saturday and here, on Saturday at the university, teachers work till ....4!

The Moat's bedroom

Hello and thanks for all your comments about my last post. I really enjoy hearing from you all.

Today I want to share with you a new project , the Moat's bedroom. I have never seen the room itself but I know the Chateau de Villandry and its magnificent gardens. It's near my hometown, Tours.

So, let's start with some sketches, that was yesterday evening.

I have a picture of the room on my computer's screen in front of me but no measures. I have to estimate...

The second step today was to draw the blue print on the white plastic board, it's 3 mm thick, so I can cut it with a cutter ( not easy but possible)

Now I start cutting the double doors, there are 3 in the room.

Now  let's have a look at the room, back wall and left wall. There is a window on the left.

I can't do the mouldings for the doors, so I just use the Dremel to smooth the edge of the inside panel of the doors. ( Sorry I don't know how to explain in English) These doors are temporary. I really want to do something better)

Now, I have divided in 2 mouldings I found at the Thai DIY called TOA here. They are the smallest I can find here and there are shops selling miniature mouldings in Bangkok.

I sometimes order supplies from Internet but shipping from the US really cost too much. So I will use my mouldings for the panels, even if they are a bit too thick. 

I use my (homemade) table saw and I am happy to say that tonight I still have my 10 fingers!)

Then each moulding is cut and fit in the wall panels

glued in place with UHU glue (because of the plastic, the other glues I use don't work)

And I do it again, and again, and again

Then I glue hinges on the door and install it.

The next step,  I spray grey primer on the wall because otherwise the acrylic won't adhere on the plastic I use, and then the wood mouldings..disturb me to get an idea of the project.

It looks OK... Let's try with a chair...

It works...

Well, that was one day's work in Thailand ( I mean a day off, I didn't have class today because of midterm exams)

Now, the next step will be to fill the gap between the mouldings and the sides. I'll inject latex glue with a syringe. It works really well for me and I am not good at using filler...

Then I will paint the panels, two colours as in the real room

Then I will do the alcove and the two side walls but not tomorrow, because tomorrow... I am working, LOL

Have a great evening. 

Feel free to leave a comment, whether it's negative or positive of course!