Finally, at long last, some of my
long-awaited supplies started arriving this week. My wall panels from
Lawbre were well-worth the wait, (as was their ceiling medallion). The ceiling medallion is made up of
stylized tobacco leaves, arranged in a classical pattern. Very appropriate to a Virginia residence! It's going to look great centered in the ceiling frame I built from stock moldings. Speaking of moldings & supplies, I've made several jaunts to the
local dollhouse shop, Little Enchantments, (Hi, Karen!) where I have become a familiar fixture.
Unfortunately, the
parquet flooring I ordered on-line turned out not to be real wood. For
fake wood, I have to admit, it is a
fabulous faux; in fact, when I unpacked it I played around with it for about ten minutes before I had the
"wait a minute!" realization! I suppose I
should have just packed it right back up and sent it back
whence it came, but I was so utterly desperate for a project to work on, I laid it out anyway. It's just glued down to a backer-board so I can always toss it as my whim dictates...
I dunno, I keep going back and forth on it...I mean on one hand it's a great reproduction. Plus my 'marble' floor in the room below is not exactly
'real' marble either so
why the double-standard?
But I had my heart set on real wood!
I'm sure there is
no compare between a
real wood floor and a
fake one (however well-done). I just am not experienced enough to have savored the difference..
.Merriman Park is, after all, my first dollhouse. I'm just afraid that if I stick to the fake flooring someday I'll be like, "oh,
hell, no! What was I
thinking?"
Pardon me while I rant: when I bought this flooring there was
no mention in the description that it wasn't real wood. It was sandwiched between real wood floors, so I'm sorry --it was rather misleading. Guess that's the risk you run from buying on-line.
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| Wall panels from Lawbre. I think I figured out how to make my own...stay tuned! |
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| My Braxton Payne mantel and mirror I made to go with my niches. |
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| It's really not so bad...or is it? |
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| Don't worry! It's all just held up with wax for now: I'll make sure everything is centered. |
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21 comments:
Hi John.
The drawing room is looking awsome. I know it's not real wood, but in the pictures the floor looks VERY realistic. How does it look when the room is furnished. As long as the illusion is convincing, the faux floor might work. Keep us up to date.
All the best,
Giac
John it looks fantastic. Stop beating yourself up about the floor, its great! I've used the very same stuff before a few times and i think the final effect is perfect (for what its worth). The room is stunning and i love the panels, I'm hoping to panel my new drawing room and this has inspired me to go ahead. Thanks for the great post.
Simon x
John it looks fantastic. Stop beating yourself up about the floor, its great! I've used the very same stuff before a few times and i think the final effect is perfect (for what its worth). The room is stunning and i love the panels, I'm hoping to panel my new drawing room and this has inspired me to go ahead. Thanks for the great post.
Simon x
If you think the quality of the floor and the look is good then use it. Real wood floors are very nice but the surface can get uneven as can stain colors and finishes. So when making a choice also consider the disadvantages of a material.
But do check and see if the surface holds up to having wax holding blobs stuck on it and things positioned and repositioned. I had a real floor material fail due to that kind of activity and would have been better off with using a substitute material.
Thanks, everyone, for talking me off the edge. I'm warming up to the floor and your encouragement really helps.
Giac, your real wood floors are so beautiful, I had hoped to go in that direction. Oh, well...
Simon, --thanks lots. Looking forward to seeing your new house! (And how did you fix your comments app)?
Karin, I seriously don't know what I would have done without your encouragement over the last couple years...Merriman Park would most likely be long ago consigned to the garage if it were not for your well-timed advice!
Pues a mi me encanta cómo ha quedado el suelo y la habitación queda perfecta con esa superlámoara es una maravilla.
The floor looks very realistic and will probably hold up better than real wood. Since the quality is such that it took you a few minutes to realize it isn't real wood I'm sure you'll be happy with it in the end.
The room is coming together nicely. I'm thinking about buying a shrinking ray so that I can move in when you're done.
Making panels is easy and after you've had a go at it you'll like making your own better because you can make them to exactly fit the measurements you need.
Deborah had a couple of blog posts on making her own not that long ago...
http://petitpunt.blogspot.com/2011/09/early-summer-i-made-open-room-box-with.html
http://petitpunt.blogspot.com/2011/10/home-improvement.html
You probably read her blog already, the links are just in case.
I think the floor looks great and all the paneling is fantastic, love your niches!!!!
HEy John
I have no idea what I've been doing wrong all this time but it's fixed now, Hooray!
I am a big fan of Debora's and the open room box you mentioned is inspirational, I hope I do the panelling justice when I come to "copy" it LOL
We've got snow on the way yippee...
Hello John - The room is looking lovely and I agree with the others regarding the floor. It looks perfectly acceptable AND if you still hanker after a real wooden one, there are other rooms you can use it in. Personally I'm a real fan of the iron on flooring. It works for me every time!
Simon - We've got the snow yesterday!
Hi John,
your room looks very good indeed! Like the walls/panels from Lawbre.
(have to order some myself). The floor looks fine...and indeed like someone else mentioned...see what it looks like with the furniture and maybe a carpet on it. And you can always put a glossy varnish on top of it. Okay...first take out the furniture and carpet then! The only "problem" I have is the ceiling...the frame I would have used it in the same angles that the walls have..so not square.
Hope you don't mind me saying that.
Thanks for shareing
John your room is stunning, and that's before you've finished it and given it your final flourish. I like the floor, it looks good, but don't stick it down until you're absolutely sure.
If you really wanted to make a job for yourself, you could follow the instructions given in Mulvany and Roger's book, using quarter inch bass wood, but that would take FOREVER! and this is your FIRST house, as you say, so there's always future projects to try out what you don't get to do with Merriman Park. If you can't tell the difference, and are happy with the flooring you have, go with it!
I LOVE the wall panels and the fireplace and overmantle are devine! I'd love to see a fire glowing in the grate and a tree in the corner of the room by Christmas, if that isn't a little too Whoville for you!!! ;)
Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. I have put some furniture in the room and it does look nice against the floor.
Andy, I looked over M&R's 'tutorial' and I would like to try it, someday, though the pattern they provided in their book needs to be blown up to the correct size, which might be difficult to accomplish in itself. If it's even a little off, they warn the whole floor will be ruined! (Why they didn't just have an actual-size pattern is a good question...
Jeffry, on the contrary, I do appreciate your honesty. Now go @#$% yourself. Just kidding, LOL! Perhaps you're right. If I just outlined the room, I wouldn't be able to do the 'returns' at the corners. (Which I like) But I suppose I could save that treatment for a different room, right?
Irene, I am going to try the iron-on floor treatment! Maybe room #3? Enjoy your snow! (We just got 4" --just a dusting in these parts)!
Hi, iseecerulean! Thank you for bringing Deborah's posts back to my attention. I remember now seeing them earlier but I must have really put them on the back burner because I totally forgot about them! But yeah, that's sort of what I had in mind...I guess I got caught up in thinking the panels had to be cast in resin, (like the ones I purchased) but why would they? Duh!
Sionchi, Gracias por sus amables palabras. Estoy muy contenta de que como la sala, hasta el momento.
Hi John,
Well I'm so impressed with all you've done!!! The room is looking fabulous, if you had told me you had done the floors your self i would have believed you!!
I think if you where fooled at first then in real life they must look good!!
The room looks sensational....not sure what your worried about!!
Fi xx
I think the floor looks fantastic, John! But I completely know what you mean when you say you want to use the "real" stuff! I have just started to get used to trying paper bricks! But they don't call it "fool the eye" for nothing! If it looks like the real thing.....and acts like the real thing.... then go for it!
Hi, Betsy! I'm pleased to report that I've totally gotten over my former prejudice with faux parquet!
Your trees are gorgeous!
John! We have new pictures in Sue Cook's Gallery - Chek them out x
COOL! I am so excited!!!
I find the precious soil, it does not show off to be an imitation, in fact if it was not for that you comment on it, he would think that it is a real wood. As well you say, at any time you can replace it with one really. An enormous embrace!!
Hola Pedrete! Acabo de ver una habitación en galería de Sue Cook que tiene el suelo mismo, así que me he cambiado de opinión - Me gusta, también!
The floor sure photographs well. I say keep it! I have just recently discovered your blog and am your latest follower. Keep up the great work.
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