Sunday, April 19, 2020

Wainscoting and Wallpaper

I hope everyone is doing well!  Still enduring this quarantine with as much grace as we possibly can.  My 'wallpaper' arrived and while it looks a bit lighter than I was hoping I love the pattern so I decided to go with it.


An odd view really. I don't know what I was thinking with the camera.

And I managed to figure out the wainscoting for around the windows and side walls.  They look good together.  A nice contrast, the dark wood and the lighter walls.  I'm covering the windows up with the drapes and sheers so I'm not adding a ton of trim around them.



I had to let the glue dry and so I started to work on my sconces for the fireplace columns.

I started with these:


And because they were so beautiful and bright and shiny... You know I couldn't leave them like that.  I primed them and added black and then a dull gold before I added them to the fireplace columns.


I also glued my floor into place.  That was a little tricky and I had to reposition a bit more before the glue dried but I got it done. Yay.


I glued the doorknobs onto the door and I also added the door knocker but I'll have to show you that another time.

The left wall is the one with the fake window so it's missing it's middle panel.

I also got to work on my desk and the bust of 'Pallas'.  The desk I stained with the Dark Walnut but I also used Ebony stain and Sharpie marker to give it darker streaks.


Oh, and since I wanted a lamp on the desk I got this one:



 and gave it the same treatment as the sconces.  I think it looks good on the desk.


I got the 'bust of Pallas' from FiguresTop a shop on Etsy.  It doesn't come with a stand so I found one of my little wood caps and sanded it so it would act as a stand.  I was very careful about waiting for the glue to dry before I touched it.



It starts out as plastic so I primed it and then gave it the same stone treatment as the fireplace. The stand is 'stone' as well so I used a screw in the bottom to hold it with while I painted it.  That's why it's sitting on the ribbon spool. The screw goes down the middle so the paint doesn't rub off.


I had to make a pedestal so I got the leftover dowel from the stairs of the WQRC and cut it down.  I used some matboard to make a some trim at the bottom and some woodsies at the top.  Then I painted it with browns and some black to give it a wood look.


I added semi-gloss poly to the bust and high gloss to the column then once they dried glued them together.


It's slender but its not obtrusive.  And it's the right height for the raven to sit on top of it and tap at the door.

Then I started to work on my 'embers'.  I got some of my black beads and a plastic rectangle bubble from the doorknobs and coated it with glue then dumped the beads on top.


Once they dried I added some of the coal I'd gotten a couple years ago.  The idea is to have the fire effect bulbs under the plastic and give that glow of dying embers through the coal.


The glue will dry and then I'll make sure the fire can be seen through the coal.  I did get a small brass fireplace guard and that will hide some of the less pretty coal.


I'm pretty pleased with my progress so far.  I'm going to go through my books and get some added to the shelves.  I really want to have a dome with a heart on display under it... I'll probably borrow a black cat from the WQRC.  My husband printed out the 'paintings' of Poe and his wife so I'll try to get them onto the fireplace soon.

I'm making a list of things the chamber should have.  A cask of Amontillado, a black cat, a purloined letter.  Any suggestions?  I need things from Poe's stories or poems.  So I'll be doing a lot of reading for research.  Big hardship since I love reading.

Have a great week.  I really am grateful for all of you making me feel connected to the world and hope you're all staying safe and healthy.

Rather than try to fill the shelves after I've glued them in I'm waiting to glue them in until after I've added the books and curiosities.



8 comments:

  1. Has hecho grandes progresos! se ve muy bien el suelo,el techo es muy bonito y esos apliques de la chimenea y la lámpara del escritorio,con el tratamiento que les has hecho quedan geniales! el fuego de la chimenea se ve muy realista!
    Besos.

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  2. You are doing a great job, I love the idea and the execution. Keep safe and take care.

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  3. Sheila, your speed in working at your projects is truly astonishing to me ;)! (Yes, I know I now said it once again, but I really think it's amazing!)
    The wainscoting and the floor add so much to this dark room, you did a terrific job. They fit perfectly to the windows and the wall paper.
    The sconces and the lamp dor the desk have got a fantastic make-over after you painted them over. They fit so well to the dark wood and the period of time of this scene.
    The bust of Pallas on the pedestal also got a fantastic treatment, after this was done it definetely IS stone!!
    The embers for making the fire is a great find, I can imagine the fire glowing in the brass fireplace. The whole will make it all atmospherical.
    I'm glad to read that you and your husband are well, take care. Thank you for being in our mini cuimmunity, we need each other now in these torubled times. It's nice to be able to 'dream for awhile', away from hard reality, while we are working at our projects, isn't it?
    Hugs, Ilona

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  4. That's a lot of things done here! Great job. I love all the lights - the change was necessary, they look much better now. :)

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  5. Un gran trabajo Sheila, me encanta el tono que has dado a la madera, oscuro pero a la vez viéndose la veta de la madera; el envejecimiento de los aplique de luz fantástico , como el fuego, bravo me admira el progreso de tu trabajo, buen día y cuídate:-)

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  6. So much accomplished in such a short time. A fantastic, successful progress. I love the makeover of the lovely lamps, your way of making the embers, the bust....Great work!!
    Stay safe!
    Hugs, Drora

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  7. The angle might be strange but it's a great shot of that pretty ceiling! And I really like the wallpaper, too! The light fixture makeovers are all great improvements and really complement the stain on the desk and fireplace breast. The stone effect is lovely on the fireplace and the statue, as well. You've really made great progress and at this pace you won't even have to worry about the contest deadline!

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  8. Hi Sheila! You are making great progress! The wall-paper might be lighter than you had hoped, but it provides a more dramatic contrast that way... and any "aging" you might try would certainly show well. I am really looking forward to seeing all these "artifacts" you are gathering... and the books too! The fireplace is looking wonderfully gothic... and your treatment of the lamps is perfect! I look forward to seeing the glowing embers! (I should try making my fires... not just buying them!) The bust of Pallas is truly unique, and will be sure to capture attention, especially if the Raven is perched upon it! This is really a fun project to watch! Keep up the great work, and stay well! :):)

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