Federal Dining Room

The Dining Room is starting to come together!  Would you care to take a little tour and have a look-y?

Of all the rooms in Merriman Park, so far this one is decorated the most 'modern,' in the early nineteenth-century Federal Style.  The American Federal period corresponds to the British Regency and the French Empire styles.

My inspiration for this setting came from 'real-life' rooms in Washington D.C, Virginia and New Orleans (!)

I started this room way back on Christmas Eve, when I drew up these rough sketches on the back of some holiday wrapping paper.  Obviously, I had no idea of the scale of the wallpaper pattern because I drew it pretty large!

Planning a space is half the fun for me.  Sometimes I make fairly elaborate plans and other times a quick, cursory sketch is all that is needed.  Other times, I just have a vague 'feeling' of what I want to do and start with no written plan at all.  I'm the master of the 'No Plan' Plan!  

Paneled wainscoting was falling out of fashion by the early part of the nineteenth century, and fanciful wallpapers were being used from floor to cornice.  Because of this, I choose a 'beefy' skirting board, almost an inch high!

All the moldings and pilasters are from Lawbre Miniatures.  You cannot beat their fine quality. Their web catalog is a little shall we say in need of an update but I bought a hard copy back when Merriman Park was merely in the planning stages.  It has been an endless source of inspiring ideas.

I have already gone on and on about Braxton Payne's gorgeous fireplace mantels --this one in his 'Greek-Revival mode.

The chandelier and sconces were purchased from Luminations by Mr. K.  I had thought about installing a 'shoo-fly' over the dining table.  This was a large fan that hung over the table and was operated by pulling cords by servants.  But the shoo-fly lost out when I spied this Swarovsky crystal-bedazzled beauty!

It was my very first time with the Pretty Pleater --and you always remember your first time, right?  I used gold rings from the bead store on a brass rod, an idea I shamelessly stole from one of my inspiration rooms.  Except for stitching the rings to the top of the panels, these curtains were a no-sew breeze to whip up!  (Thanks, Ray)!  Ray Whitledge did a fab tutorial on the wonderful world of the Pretty Pleater on his blog and I followed his instructions to a T --except I used spray starch instead of hairspray. (Oh. My. God. I haven't used hairspray since, like, the '80's)! Speaking of the 80's and hairspray, let's have a look from the archives of The Hair-Do Hall of Fame, shall we?

Being pretty isn't easy.

"I'd just like a little off the sides, please."

Does this ponytail distract from my alluring eyes?

But I digress.

Anyway, wasn't it nice that the folks over at Master's Miniatures, where most of my dining room furnishings came from, supplied me with some extra gold gimp so the drapes match the rug I mean the chairs?  I think so!

Hopefully, the photos that my 'photographer friend' snaps will turn out better than mine!  Perhaps by then I will have amassed a few more accessories to round out my Dining Room!

And that concludes the tour... y'all have been the best tour, ever, and I really do mean that!  Buh-bye!