The Waiting Game

A new level for Daviot House has given me two new rooms to play with. I wanted a library/ study and a sitting room on the second floor, to balance the more formal rooms on the first floor.

With all the recent renovations, I think a plan of the layout would be good to show how things have evolved.

I was never truly happy with the original parlour. For some reason, if never seemed to work, the layout was strange  it was next to the bedroom, the colours didn't quite seem to go together well... so why not start with  a clean slate?

I drew the features that I wanted on paper first, to see the dimensions of the panelling and fireplace.  It is a small room with a low ceiling, and I needed to maximise the space.

I generally have to buy my building supplies online, and then....wait.  This means that I often have a number of projects on the go at the same time  as each is waiting for that vital piece before I can move on to the next step.

 For obvious reasons, recently the wait has been extra long... so I've tried to make do where possible. The panelling and door are made from trusty cereal packets..

I wanted two flat columns either side of the fire.  I found some perfect ones from Sue Cook, but until I can order them I have put in card versions.

The floor boards I luckily had in my stash, just the right amount and no more, phew!  These boards are the iron- on type that I use throughout Daviot House for continuity.  They are easy to apply and don't break the bank.  You can find them at Sussex Crafts.

I love both Sue Cook and Malcolm Hall fireplaces, but neither had exactly what I was going for, which was a simpler design of a fireplace at Traquair House.  So offcuts of wood moulding and cereal packets will have to do for now!

The floorboards ironed on to card, then coated with boiled linseed oil, left to dry and then waxed

A touch of fake marbling...

Not so bad... but you can see where I am waiting for cornice and skirting...all in good time.

I like the soft yellow walls against the mid and ice blues of the upholstery, but I thought there was something missing in the overall scheme.

The original parlour, which this room replaced, had a slight chinoiserie theme.  I decided that it was a very definite style that didn't harmonise with rest of Daviot House.  I didn't want to completely jettison the idea, so I searched around for some inspiration.

At Abbotsford,  Walter Scott's famous home in the borders of Scotland, the parlour is hung with exquisite hand painted chinoiserie wallpaper, chosen by his wife.  I think it was Scott's cousin, working in the Far East at the time who sent it to them.  I took a few photos last year...

It is bold and stunning paper, but really needs a big room to carry it off successfully.  So I thought I'd make a small screen, inspired by the design.

I cut three pieces of walnut sheet, sanded them and gave them a coat of gesso on one side.  Then I used acrylic paints for the design.

I muted the back ground colour, but kept the same beautiful sea green.  The original paper is incredibly detailed, but I chose to use the same type of flower and only three birds on my screen, so it wouldn't look too overwhelming.

I am waiting for some brass hinges in the post, so I used strips of ribbon to hold the screen together.

The colour of the screen just stops the colours from being a bit too bland.  

And as a lovely coincidence, Walter Scott's wife was a French lady, Charlotte Charpentier, who was born in....Lyon, where I live!

That's as far as I can go with the parlour until I receive a few things in the post, so this room will start the waiting game again...

And whatever happened to the original parlour?  Well, it all started with this beautiful bed.  I needed a master bedroom of a decent size, so the original parlour is no more!

I have started dressing this bed, and used one of my son's old shirts to make pillows and a mattress.

The scale of the stripes is just perfect, and as it was for a two year old, the cotton is lovely and soft.

In one afternoon, with an old shirt, needle and thread and some risotto rice, the bed went from this...

...to this.

A few pillows and a bolster to complete the bedding;

And now the waiting game begins again as I launch into renovating the new master bedroom!

Jonquil