The "Antiquaire"

Hello and sorry for not posting much recently but I have had a bad sinusitis that kept me away from the computer...

But I have something to share with you...

I had my first order for a roombox. It is based on the same principle as the other ones, a box within a box. The aim is to display a collection of silver items that have been patiently waiting for a display.

As usual, I started with a quick blue print on my board and I started cutting the areas for the display units. There'll be a niche betwen two display units.

Then you can see on the next picture different steps. I used LEDs connected to a 12V. battery. The shelves are made of acrylic.

I printed nice antique panels to add above the display units. Display units are 1 inch deep. The layout is the same as the dining room I did before. I chose grey because I think silver will look good with that background and I wanted to give the feeling of an Antique shop that could be somewhere in Paris.

 I suggested the person who commissioned this work to look for modern and design furniture to add to the shop. We can also imagine some paintings on easels and some beautiful pieces of china there as well.

The doors at the back are modern.  It's a contemporary boutique.

In the niche will be an important silver piece made by Peter Acquisto. 

Now the floor. I have chosen white and black tiles, 1 inch X 1 inch. I painted them on acrylic board. I also made two columns to add on each side of the double display units at the back. It looked a bit empty. My marble technique is a bit pale but often in miniatures, marble looks too "veined" (?,  what's the word in English?)

The miniature bronze on the shelves are mine. I  find them at flea markets here, they are amulets.

 Now the floor is ready...

Tomorrow I plan to build the right side of the shop.

As the shop has the same measurements than the dining room, it's easy to change the walls in the box and get a new scene... That could be an idea; to create different "decors" that would all fit into the same box. These panels are quite thin and easy to store without being damaged. Then, people could have a scene for a while and then change for another one.

And before I finish this post, a few pictures of the dining room which is almost finished... The black box on the left is a mini 12 V battery charger. No need to connect to the main supply and it's enough to lit the room for about a month.

Remember, nothing is finished, we are half way through. I think I'll need another 50 hrs to complete this project. Does 100 hrs seem a lot for you?

Special picture for Jean Marc: the Ultimate Easy Cutter that I use to cut mouldings  at different angles, to be found on Ebay. Hope that helps...

 (et c'est super pratique!)

 Since it's Sunday... Have a great week!

The curtains

Bonjour! Happy Easter!
I finally received the fabric from Catherine ( have a look at her shop on Etsy). She has made it especially for me and offered it to me. So nice from her. Thank you, Catherine!
I made the curtains with the pleater from Anne Ruff. I only pleated the head of the curtains and did the rest by hand.

You know how difficult it is to get the right curtains. It often drives me nuts as I am never happy with the result, just because real curtains "fall" well because of their weight but small pieces of fabric weigh nothing and this fabric can't be humidified. It was tricky but the result looks okay  think. I will improve it, I know. I must give these curtains a break and check later, LOL

Tea's ready by the fireplace...

There's a peaceful atmosphere in this room. I don't think I will add more furniture or objects

With the other piece of fabric Catherine printed for me, I made a screen. Maybe to hide the bath tub as baths were taken in the bedroom itself.

I have also worked on the dining room. I found some paintings on Internet. I printed them and added them above the doors. I will finish the 3 other doors this week and hopefully will receive the plaster decorations too.

( I know, I need to paint the ceiling with mate white but I am still waiting for the mouldings  and the ceiling shines terribly on the pictures)

There is still a lot to do in this room but it's going well.

the table has been laid for two..

Ready for "un dîner en tête à tête''?

If you like the paintings above the door, here they are....

and the second one....

Aren't they beautiful? I printed them on beige paper and glued them above the door.

I have just added new miniature bronzes in my Etsy shop. They're amazing come and have a look! 

That's all for today. I hope you have enjoyed following my work. Have a busy and creative week.

La salle a manger

Remember I was thinking of doing the dining room after the bedroom? well, it is on its way......

First, I started with a few sketches to get an idea of the size, as I wanted the two rooms to be the same size as I am now limited by space to display all my projects. There are now 7 buildings to display....

Then I started cutting the different walls, windows and doors and prepared the mouldings. There were so many in that room!

Then I painted all the elements, primer first, then orange, then white, then aged the different walls with acrylic.

Then the building process started. At this step, I only use adhesive tape to put the walls together so it's easy to separate the walls if needed.

Then I made the floor on white acrylic, using my old technique of the stencil.

Then I assembled everything

and added some furniture to get an idea. My favourite moment, lol.

I have ordered decorations for the walls and the ceiling but it will take 2 or 3 weeks before I get them.

Now some pictures to give you an idea of what the room looks like. Actually, the colour of the wall is lighter but my camera doesn't give the right tone.....

... I made a chandelier as the ones you can buy are too expensive for me, LOL

Now a view of "la salle a manger"

The table has been laid for two,

and there are some flowers in the empty niche.

The room is lit by a stripe of LED warm white, (don't buy "cold" white, the light is blue!) hidden by the frame.

I need to fing a 12W dimmer the reduce the brightness.

I know I am not very good at explaining how I do, but if you have any questions, please, let me know and I'll try to explain how I work. My tools are a cutter, a special scissor to cut mouldings at different degrees, UHU glue because I use plastic, paints in spray and acrylic for ageing, that's about all I use.

Have a great weekend and keep in touch...

Patrick

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.