Friday 10 April 2020

Some progress - at last!

I was quite taken aback, when I looked at this blog, to see that my last post was June last year.    That was a bit of a shock, I can tell you!    I've been working away on this in between playing with another property so it seems as if I should have more to show you all.

Work started on a Bathroom in the roof space.    Not really historically correct for the time - 1850 - but I do like having a bathroom in my properties and as there are three spaces in the roof to be dealt with, why not?

This is what there is to work with in the roof space.    The Bathroom is on the left, Upper Hall in the centre and something else on the right - no idea what yet. 

 

Work started in the bathroom by adding a false wall at the back to take a cabinet and leave a recess for the loo.    Annoyingly, I didn't take any pictures at the start.    The cabinet was a barewood piece that has been painted and varnished, shelves lined and trimmed and lace added to the inner door.   The loo was a piece I already had.


Lots of bathroom accessories to be added


The wallpaper is a Susan Bembridge design and the panelling was created from self-adhesive flooring


The fancy washstand is a little table kit from Alison Davies which has been painted, varnished, gold detail and a "marble" top added


The Victorian towel rail was a kit purchased from Arjen Spinhoven




Maddeningly, I got as far as working on the door when it dawned on me I couldn't get any further with the Bathroom until the Hall had been completed, purely by the order of jobs to be done so that was left aside and wall panelling was ordered.   I had also completely forgotten that I wouldn't be able to route the wiring through the back because my false wall was already fixed in place so it had to go out via the Hall before the toilet was installed.


I've called it the Upper Hall (purely because I couldn't think of anything else) and it's quite a sparse little space.     The Hall chairs and candle holders are again kits by Arjen Spinhoven.




I hope you are all keeping well and we don't have to remain housebound for too long.    Stay safe everyone and happy mini-ing!






Monday 17 June 2019

Beds and Brains

Hello followers!   I know it's been some time since I last posted an updated on this property and Miniatura and the York Fair have come and gone but I was able to attend both fairs and managed to collect quite a few accessories for all three properties on the go at the moment.

I can at last show you the completed Bedroom.    (Some photos have to be taken with the flash as the room is situated behind a pull-out section and that blocks any natural light).

With flash -



Without flash -











The lady of the house has her slippers by the side of the bed and at the end of the four poster is a kist (Scottish chest) which will, hopefully in time, be filled with items as yet to be thought of!








The photo below shows the decorated fourth wall with the door leading into The Study (the Snuggery)



On closer inspection, you can see a furry friend making it's way in.......



and finally, the sleeping cap shown below was made for me by Jonquil    I've had this sitting in my stash for quite some time and was just waiting on the exact spot for it.    I just hope you didn't think I'd forgotten about it Jonquil!    It's such a lovely and unusual piece - I'm very pleased to have it in my collection.




"Phrenology" - (according to Wikipedia)  

was a faculty psychology, theory of brain and science of character reading, what the nineteenth century phrenologists called "the only true science of mind".   Phrenology was derived from the theories of the idiosyncratic Viennese physician Franz Joseph Gall (1758 - 1828).


For some time now I've been searching for a Phrenology head.   I decided that the Master of Marsh Hall, being an educated Victorian individual, was keen on the study of Phrenology so of course he had to have a head.   This proved really tricky but I eventually got one made (in fact the maker gave me two - adult and baby), tracked down some images and added the relevant lines so I can now place them in the Snuggery along with the poster I already had.



These are the images I used as reference - the baby looks a bit scary!




At last, I can finally say that The Snuggery is complete.





Saturday 23 March 2019

At last, the Parlour Sofa

Thank you for your lovely comments regarding my last post.   The Bedroom hasn't moved forward at all since then and now, with only a week to go, I'm holding off buying anything or doing anything to it until after my trip to Miniatura next weekend where I'm hoping to find lots of lovely minis and accessories.

So, until then, I thought I'd better do something with my very swanky sofa in the Parlour.   This sofa has been sitting there in it's naked state since I last posted about that particular room.    It's a John Hodgson piece (in the raw) and I was so chuffed at having found it.   It's signed on the bottom and everything!





Using Crafter's Acrylic paint I gave the body of the sofa three coats of green and the wooden framework received two coats of mahogany.   A touch of gold on the castors and it was job done.

Ta da!


I also gave the whole piece a coat of matt sealant.






Sunday 23 December 2018

Bedroom Update

I've just done a very silly thing - prepared this post, added photos and posted it all to the wrong blog!  That's what happens when I don't pay attention.    All sorted out now and I can go ahead and show you the stage I'm at with the Bedroom.   I'll give more detail on where I bought what once all the accessories are in place.


Below is the "fourth wall" with the door leading into the Laird's study (the extending section on this property)


The screen below is from Art of Mini.   I replaced the decorative paper panels provided  with very thin leather.


Unusual for a Laird and his lady wife to share a room in 1850 but this is the Scottish Highlands and it can be very cold!


As you can see below, there is a decorative ceiling rose.    I decided that something had to be added to that space but there isn't enough room to include the drop of a light fitting.   It wouldn't be unusual to have no form of lighting there and I like to think it has given the room some atmosphere.


The little accessories that bring the room to life have all still to be added so until then, I'd like to wish all my followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sunday 23 September 2018

The Bedroom 1

Work is progressing on the Marsh Hall bedroom and to date (and to let you know I haven't forgotten about this property) I have just completed dressing a four poster bed.

    The bed was purchased quite some time ago from Ashwood Designs*

1/12th Scale Tester Bed  

*Picture courtesy of Ashwood Designs' website.

I had bought it for another property but unfortunately, given the size of the room I was working on at the time, it was too wide so I replaced it with a single bed of the same design leaving me with this one which worked out really well as I think it's ideal for Marsh Hall.

In my head, Marsh Hall is a baronial property situated in the Highlands of Scotland round about 1850.   High fashion didn't reach the Highlands for quite some time so what may have been cutting edge design in 1850 London (or even Edinburgh) wasn't seen for a while (if at all, even for low gentry) unless of course there was plenty money to hand or you were Queen Victoria and living at Balmoral. 

The style it has been dressed in is pretty plain with no unnecessary cushions or frills.   That wasn't the Scottish way (although it was tempting to add a couple of cushions - I remained firm!)

So, and while I carry on decorating the main room, here is my Baronial bed.







Wednesday 25 July 2018

The Oak Gallery

I know it's been a little while since I last posted here but I have been busy - mini busy.    The only task left to do in the Parlour of Marsh Hall is to paint the sofa and I'll let you see that when it's done.

I've been working on The Oak Gallery.    A small space measuring 5.5" (13.91 cms) wide by 16" (40.64 cms) deep by 9" (22.86 cms) high.   Firstly, a colour scheme had to be chosen:- 


Paint and fabric to the right were selected and work got started.   As I had already taken the decision to remove all staircases from this build, the impression had to be given that there was some form of access to the upper floors and so a door at the end of the Hall was installed, with very worn stone steps.


Next, lighting -


and a baronial looking screen -


after that came the cornice and panelling -


a couple of ornate Halberds - 


some suitable artwork -





and finally, the whole Gallery.


Next, The Bedroom.






Tuesday 10 April 2018

Parlour progress


I don't know why but I have a real struggle finding suitable rugs.   There are loads out there but I never seem to come across the right one when I'm looking for it so the search continues for something that will do the job in The Parlour.

Quite a lot has happened in this room since my last photo and I feel the room is now starting to take shape.    Still lots to add - the dresser needs filling as does the what-not and there are still other little items to find for the desk.

I'm not sure if I like the circular table and was thinking of changing it to a square one but I'll think about that.   The sofa to the left needs painting.    It's a John Hodgson piece and I was thrilled to find it at a York Fair some time ago.    I almost snatched it off their table!

The door isn't fixed in place yet as I can't do that until I've added the wall covering to the hallway on the other side and there's an pediment to go in place once that happens.    More stuff has to be added to the mantel as well.


The gateau, servings and cups of tea were purchased from Amanda Speakman.   



The desk is a Mini Mundus kit which I measured very carefully before ordering and it fits that space perfectly.   All the drawers have been lined with green felt and it's my intention to fill every one!