Completely Floored

      I have been searching around for a way to make a realistic stone floor that really looks its age (405 years!)  I used real stone flooring in the dining room, but the slabs are a little too straight and perfect for my stonework, especially for an entrance hall that has seen a lot of history! 

       I make all of the stonework for Daviot House, doorways, lintels, steps and windows from DAS clay, textured with an old toothbrush and coloured with watercolours.  It is a good way to make sure that all the stonework matches through out the house, as it does in a real old house.

     I used my usual method of rolling out a large sheet of clay and cutting it into slabs, texturing with a toothbrush.  When the clay was totally dry, I used layers and layers of watercolour to get the perfect colour of well worn sandstone.  I finished the slabs with a coat of satin varnish to seal them.

I laid them out in the hall to make sure of the fit.  Then I reglued the slabs on to another piece of card to be grouted.

I used ordinary fine grouting, which is a fraction of the cost of 'special' grout sold by dolls house suppliers.  It is in fact exactly the same thing!

The grout is quite dark when wet, but soon dries into a lovely light grey, which goes well with the stone colour.

To create a barrelled effect, I curved some stiff card over the ceiling.

  I think it adds a little more architectural interest in a room that would otherwise be just a long tunnel.

A few items of decoration for the walls...

A Victorian print representing the Clan MacGillivray

And two more infamous characters, Mary Stuart and William Wallace...

A lovely Master's Miniatures table with a couple of pewter items from Tony Knott and a bust of Charles I... but just his head!  I have also pinched a selection of toy weaponry from my sons until I can collect or make enough miniatures.

A later addition of a hall table for post and keys... I imagine there will be a few Christmas parcels on the table soon!

The chair is from Ashwood Designs, and lends an air of ancient gravitas.  I am undecided about the lighting for the moment, and until I do, a small chandelier from Phoenix does the job.

I also have to research/find a yett for the back doorway.  

 

                                  

A yett is an old iron gate that was used to stop intruders entering the building if they had been fortunate enough to break down the thick wooden door.  This example is at Drumlanrig Castle.  Yetts were cheaper and easier to install than a portcullis, but you still needed a Royal Warrant to have one, just in case you decided to rebel against the King.

And of course, I still need to make the staircase!

                        All in good time,

                                Jonquil