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Friday, July 13, 2012

...On to the Music Room

Merriman Park was originally meant to be a Winter Project for me, but due to the unusual weather of late --a wet, positively monsoon-y spring, and an unbearably sultry, steamy summer-- I have been able to clock in a few hours here and there, all in air conditioned, climate-controlled comfort!  I had the day off today and since once again the skies opened up and poured sheets of rain off and on all the live-long day, I took advantage of the sitch and worked on the Music Room.




I made floors for all of my remaining rooms, figuring it would save time.  Live and learn! They are just regular, old plank floors which is what an American house from the Federal period would normally have.  They are all made from iron-on edge-stripping stained a dark walnut color and have several layers of shellac overall and a final coat of wax. .

I chose a Susan Bembridge wallpaper because it resembles the pattern in my 'rl' dining room. I have been thinking about repainting the front rooms, even though I really like the old colors --but sometimes you just need a change of scenery, right? But the over-sized, brocade pattern will live on forever in my dollhouse!

My 'rl' dining room.
Next, I added the wainscot.  This I made with illustration board and pre-made panels from Lawbre.  I had some panels left over from the Entrance Hall, so I only had to order a few more.  All three walls, BTW, are pieces of illustration board I cut to the exact size of the room.  It's so much easier working on the walls flat on my kitchen work table! You can just pop them in and out as you're working and all the wiring gets hidden behind. How cool is that?


Here I added the fireplace mantel from Braxton Payne and the door surround from Miniature Mansions.  All the mill-work is painted my special off-white. Nothing is glued down permanently, yet.

The base boards are black marble with a bullnose trim on top.  I think every room should have a little black in it!

I have been working on the art collection which will pretty much cover the walls completely.  The only one I didn't make is the work in the very center, which is a Jim Coates piece.  They're made utilizing Ray Whitledge's technique of over-painting Mod-Podge on top of  the print.  They look like real oil-paintings!  I had a reclining nude of Venus, the most lovely picture you ever saw, but she fell onto the floor and disappeared into the heat register.  I have the saddest life...

I have a pair of the fold-down card tables from the collection.
But I'm very excited because I get to use my Thomas Jefferson Monticello Collection furniture in the Music Room!  Most of you already know that Jefferson inspired Merriman Park's layout and I am a huge fan of him.  I bought these pieces ages ago and plan on getting a suite of six or eight of these Louis XVI-style chairs and reupholster them in the matching Susan Bembridge pattern in silk.  It might seem a bit much, but as I mentioned earlier, most of the walls will be covered with artwork, so I don't think it will get too pattern-busy in there --I hope!

Of course, you know my motto: 'it's not done, until it's overdone!'  so consider the source!  Well. that's all I have for now, have a great weekend everybody, stay cool and ciao for now!

26 comments:

Anna said...[Reply]

This is beautiful! Are you planning to include a violin somewhere, in tribute to Jefferson?

Fi.P said...[Reply]

Hi John,

Now who's the Honey badger?

Gorgeous room, I just love the wall paper, a beautiful colour and I adore your 'rl" dining room, very chic! (don't let my kids near that room)

Fire place is fab and I love the black surround, I'm looking forward to seeing the paintings on the wall.

Keep up the good work,

Fi xx

Wanda said...[Reply]

Wow John, lovely room. I found your blog through Simon's blog, and I am still reading it from the beginning. It's taking a little time, bt I absolutely love the job you are doing. Hope to see more. Thanks for sharing.

Philip said...[Reply]

John, it looks great, I don't think you can ever have enough pattern and layering. It's all about
varying the scale. I look forward to seeing the completed room.

Ray Whitledge-Burgess said...[Reply]

Hello John!
Well, another beautiful start here! This Music Room is on it's way to gorgeous. I can see how well the color works with the Dining Room below. I agree with using the matching fabric for the chairs. I love the look of lots of the same pattern. Actually doing that myself in a space yet to show. Your RL Dining Room is also GEORGEOUS! I remember it and your other RL rooms from way back as well, all beautiful.
I love the "chair" in the picture. Is that one of the "Monticello" collection you showed in an earlier post? Favor please? Tell me how tall the seat is from the floor :-)
Can't wait to see this room furnished and hear the music play!
The best from Ray

Ray Whitledge-Burgess said...[Reply]

Hi John,
Me again.........well duh, I read further and there it was.....Monticello Collection. My alzheimer's is well and truly in control today! I too have a terrible life........
Hope you and Glenn can "dry out" this weekend. We have had heat and drought for weeks!
The best to you again from Ray

elvira said...[Reply]

Wow! Miniature da sogno! Bellissime!
Piacere di conoscere il tuo blog!
Ti seguo con piacere!
Vieni a trovarmi!
Un bacio dall Italia!
Elvira

Xandra Dekker said...[Reply]

Wat een prachtig behang heb je gevonden..Ik ben er helemaal verliefd op. Je hebt ook een prachtige schilderij collectie.

Groeten,

Xandra

Maria Ireland said...[Reply]

Wow fantastic room I love the wallpaper. All the pictures are gorgeous.
Hugs Maria

Simon said...[Reply]

LOVES IT!!!
Great job Buddy, the blue is a perfect colour and one Im about to use too oddly enough. And the chairs will be perfect, I remember when you were considering them for the Hal way. I agree with Ray about not having too much pattern in a room. Im going to use some black marble in my French sallon too, I think it looks so classy.

As for the pics, I love 'em all!
I think you have a just case for re-writing the saying:
"The more, the Merriman Park"!
x

Troy said...[Reply]

John, I like that wallpaper and what you have done so far. While I am familiar with Monticello, I am not familiar with the Monticello Collection? I will have to look into it. Your art collection is nothing short of great too! Looking forward to seeing your progress. Keep up the good work.

John said...[Reply]

Wish I could reply individually to your comments. I tried to reset my blog in order to do so, but I screwed it up! I now have the 'reply' prompt, but if I try to use it an error page pops up --technology-- sheesh! But I wanted to thank everyone for the lovely comments. You have no idea how much they mean to me! I also wanted to answer the few questions that came up.

Yes, Anna, I am planning on having a violin as well as a harp and a spinet or maybe a harpsichord.

Hi, Ray! The chair is about 1 3/4" from floor to top of cushion, which is odd because there is a matching square-backed chair in the same collection that is considerably lower. I am actually thinking about cutting 1/16" off the legs to lower it a tad and I don't think it would hurt the design any.

Troy, I believe it was JBM who did the Monticello Collection, originally in 1/2" scale and later in 1" scale. It's widely available (through hbsminiatures.com, etc).

Hope that helps! Enjoy the rest of your weekends, everyone, and thanks again for commenting!

Josje said...[Reply]

Hi John, summer is not very good to us here either, loads of rain! Fortunately we don't have the heat you're having so I don't need climate control, just a roof over my head ;-)
Your rl dining room is gorgeous! Wow! Your whole house must be pretty spectacular judging by that shot of the dining room.
I love the miniature dining room as well. Great colours, I think the matching fabric on the chairs will be OK, you've got plenty of plain surfaces to balance it out.

Your photos made me laugh, I'm doing a similar thing in my front reception room. Plain board floors, blue walls, off white panelling and loads of art on the walls. I have my art collection laid out in my work room just as yours in the photo!
At first I thought we were using the same wallpaper (mine is also Susan Bembridge), but it is a different pattern. Beautiful paper though, and how great that the pattern is the same as in your rl dining room!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Josje

Irene said...[Reply]

You're storming ahead with this room and it looks lovely. That wallpaper is such a nice colour and I laughed out loud at your poor Venus disappearing down into the heat register!

What a beautiful dining room you have in your RL house. I'm envious of your pillars. They're VERY grand.

Iris March said...[Reply]

Hi John,

Well, I can certainly commiserate about the weather. It seems we have the same weather here in Connecticut! When it is not raining, it is so hot and humid, I think I am still summering in tidewater Virginia-- including the mosquitoes!

Well, it is good weather for hiding in the basement and working on dollhouses, although I haven’t done much of that lately, either.

I love the Music room –and your rl dining room! It’s interesting that the chairs from the collection are different heights—but I guess that is what ol’ TJ wanted. I think it is alright to cut the legs a tad. It is a lovely collection.

I like the idea of using illustration board and working as much “flat” and out of the dollhouse as possible, and I love the wainscoting. Thanks for mentioning Lawbre and Miniature Mansions, I will check out their items. The ones you are using are great!

Question:
When you over paint-with Mod Podge: do you actually make little individual brushstrokes or just broad strokes?

I can hear the music playing already.
Cheers,
Iris

Anneke said...[Reply]

Haven't commented on your blog for quite a while, but you've been very busy I see! I love the colors for the music room, very tranquil! The dining room in your previous posts also looks great, very chique! The colors all go so well together, I always have a little trouble finding the right color contrast or match to make it look classic and 'wauw' at the same time, so your colorcombinations are inspiring to me! I would never have come up with the color of curtains in the dining room, but it is SO spot on!

It's dreadfull weather here too, but that is good for minimaking right? ;)

oh and please, never show such horrible 80's pictures anymore! It burns on the eyes XD

jeffry said...[Reply]

Hi John,
I really like the white&blue colors here! The fireplace is fab!! I think the chandelier is wonderfull as well unfortunatly it's on so it hard to tell..but a great job allready.
Looking forward to see more.
Thanks,
Jeffry.

Daydreamer said...[Reply]

Wow, John! I LOVE your art collection!!!! And it showcases Beautifully against the blue wallpaper... what is it about Blue that is SO DIVINE??? This room is going to be absolutely Breathtaking when done...I can't wait to see all the rest of the furnishings... I am sure I won't be disappointed!!!

Wanda said...[Reply]

John, it's taken me several days but I have read your blog from beginning to end. It took so long because I also had to read every fabulous comment you had as well. I learned so much, and found even more blogs to read from the comments. I am so impressed and so jealous, I don't believe this is your first miniature. Your attention to detail is outstanding. You've also been so fortunate to get assistance from all your fellow bloggers through their comments. Isn't this mini world wonderful? Thanks for sharing and I am anxiously awaiting more posts in the future. Now on to reading all the other new blogs I discovered through your blog.

Wanda

John said...[Reply]

Wanda, I can't believe you read the whole thing! You're right, though --it is an amazing community of exceptionally talented people, I would NEVER had been able to get as far along as I have without the outpouring of advice I've received.

Iris, --hi, hon! Use a tiny brush and go over the print as if you were actually 'painting' it for the best look. So simple but so effective!

Thanks to all for your comments!!!

El caballero Metabólico said...[Reply]

Nuevamente has conseguido un salón magnífico, John. El empapelado es muy elegante y los cuadros quedarán magníficos sobre él. El parquet me encanta, además ese acabado envejecido es de lo más real. ¡Mi más sincera enhorabuena! ¡Un abrazo enorme!

Giac said...[Reply]

Hello John,
Once again your color combinations are gorgeous. The paper is beautiful, the black is a great touch, and I have to say you've mastered the flooring terchnique beautifully. The rooma llready looks incredibly cozy and inviting.
I can't wait to see the room finished...and happy the weather is so crazy bewcause I get to see more of your artwork!
Big hug to you and Glenn,
Giac

MiniLover said...[Reply]

I love that particular Bembridge paper like Ray, I don't think there will be too much pattern when you reupholster the chairs, especially with the artwork on the walls. The black baseboards are something I have not thought of, and they look wonderful. Maybe I will steal your idea for the Salon of my French house...possibly marbling them?

Great work!

Sophia

PS I don't think our weather could get much worse--hot, hot, hot!

Marisa said...[Reply]

OMFG, that's your rl dining room???
I'm shocked and jealous!! I love the plank floors and agree it's keeping within the period.


I want your dining room in my house

Love
Marisa :)

Andy said...[Reply]

Hello John, better late than never in posting a comment, I am way behind on my blogs!!

This room has come together very quickly, using the board on a flat surface is a good tip. And being able to hide the wiring is good too!

The colour and pattern are both lovely, very restful, no too busy at all. The furniture you have chosen looks nice, and the chairs will look great when you've reupholstered them to match the walls. I like the door surround and fireplace too.

great collection of art work, they will really fill the walls! I agree with Betsy when she says on her own blog more is more, more, more!!!

Look forward to a progress report soon!

Hugs
Andy xxxx

Evelyne Martin said...[Reply]

You have a beautiful RL dining room, and now also a great miniature DR. Loving it!