the thrice painted cloakroom !

So carrying on from the last post, this is the smallest room, and possibly a tiny bit smaller because I have painted it so often !

(sorry, it's a photo from a photo)

First time around, I just painted it in colours I had left over from the rest of the house. The red was much closer to the blind than in the picture, then there were two blues (used in the bunting in the boys room) and a gold (which I also used in the master suite and en suite, and living room).
The original client had chosen 7 silks (the two blues, deep red, gold, a very old gold, sage green and mushroom) from this company and we based the house on those. Although we added pink for the daughter's bedroom and the basecoats and woodwork were all cream.

My new client wanted it updated and we went back and forth with ideas.
Because my client is quite quirky, he took me up on the idea of scrabble letters. This came to me because of the light switches - they are flat metal plates with uneven edges and painted with a dry brush effect.

I know it looks like I'VE done them, but they can actually be bought like this, as well as a number of other finishes.

So, we chose some fun words, in different languages and I did a deep background to match the blind, so that the 'scrabble letters' would pop. I also graduated the colour slightly, painting a darker shade at the bottom and lighter at the top.

You can see the light switch just above the 'F' of Foo (for the Foo Fighters). There is also OCD Rules, because he is seriously obsessive and compulsive about tidiness and cleanliness (not a bad thing in a man, I hear you say).

I don't think my client ever really loved this room. Personally I wanted to do scrabble words everywhere -  mirror, wash basin, hand-towel, taps and tiles all in different languages. I think it would have been more fun.

So, I did the scrabble cloakroom last summer and last week I went back and below is the third incarnation.

All the hardware, light switches and curtain poles are from the Jim Lawrence, the same place that the original silk colours came from.

Better ? I guess it's nice and bright and fresh, and it suits my client much more.
He has quite a few 'delicate' pieces in his home, that I thought his daughter may have chosen, but the choices were all his !

Sometime I may go back to change more things or do touch-ups. Luckily I'm able to leave some of my paints there, in the old bread oven. If air-tight, they last for years.

Hopefully, my client won't be inclined to take up bread-making.

the metamorphosis of a house

I have worked on this house three times now for two owners.

It's in the countryside near a pretty little village called Hurstpierpoint.

The original house is a tiny cottage built in 1789 and hidden behind the section on the right - you can just see the stepping stones that go to the front door.

I originally decorated the house from top to bottom about 10 years ago ( just the glory bit, not the base coats and woodwork etc.). 

About 18 months ago those clients sold the house and last summer I was asked by the new owner to change a few things.

Harry's old bedroom was to become a guest room, so I needed to paint out the bunting I had done. Luckily I managed to touch up the colourwash without having to paint the whole room again before doing a freehand design.

The before -

And after -

The bedroom as Harry had it - I didn't paint the furniture.

Before

The new seating area for guests (the throw and the cushion belongs on the bed. I need to tell you this because I know my client wouldn't like the idea that I photographed this room with something out of place !).

After

This is the only other part of the room, that I put decoration on.

The room is in the original part of the house from 1789 - hence the beams.

Before

The new bed is here now and the owner decided to keep 'Harry' written on the wall above the bed.

After

It's just such a lovely room.

I also needed to take out this very individual coat of arms in the living room and replace it with something completely different.

I actually learnt Latin at school, but it was my worst subject - I just didn't get it at all. I made up the words with help from the internet, but have no idea if it really makes sense or not .

Painting over this was hard - I stood with the brush in my hand for what seemed like ages because I just felt bad covering it up !

But of course I did and this is the result.

I based my design on the damask type sofas.

The whole point of this post was to tell you that I was asked back this week to change this piece AGAIN.

My client didn't like the central shape and wanted it extended over the arches a bit more.

In the picture below the Persian type symmetrical shape has gone.

And  the new extended ends !

It does work better like this, but I didn't like admitting it to the client !

He told me men are always right !

Not only was I asked to change this, but I was also asked to change the downstairs cloakroom completely (which will be it's third metamorphosis).

I told my client that he just feels sorry for me and wants to give me stuff to do - he denied it !!

However, I'm sure you've had enough and I'm all posted out, so I'll show you that next time - I'll leave you with a few more pictures of his home.

Enjoy your week - Fiona xx

unfinished projects !

I have finally returned from my job in Hertfordshire and I'm afraid I have no after shots.

I left about 8.15pm on Friday and didn't take any photos. Having said that, I will have to go back in a couple of weeks and hopefully by then, the after shots will be better. The protective covering will have been taken off the corian worksurface, and the marble effect tiled floor. Hopefully the oven will be in place and all the handles will be on.

So this is my first unfinished project - the before.

I also haven't finished this, my second ASCP project. It's actually gone wrong twice. First I drew something on the top and painted it but it looked awful, so I tried something else, and that doesn't look much better !



Unfinished project No. 2

I also bought this a few weeks ago, because I need a deeper box frame than the ones I can buy locally. So far I have managed to dismantle it and that's all. All the partitions are glued to the back piece (really well) and as I don't want them, it's going to be a little bit more work than I thought.


Unfinished project No. 3

I have been wanting to do some decoupage for sometime and have been printing off some great graphics for yet another project. My test piece below ( from The Graphics Fairy) went really well, but the actual project - not so.

Unfinished Project No. 4



And because I haven't finished project nos. 2, 3 and 4, I don't feel I should proceed any further with project no. 5 !

Unfinished Project No. 5

I love things with feet - it's a cute brass cache pot, but it'll have to wait.

And so will everything else I'm afraid as I've just started another job !

better late than never !

I did this mantle before I went away to work, hoping to do a few posts, but I felt too tired, so better late than never !

My oldest friend Pandy gave me the egg tree, and it came with all the little decorations.

The white chicken, the cute orange felt bag, the wreath and the other decorations came from Spain.

I don't normally decorate for Easter, but I was with Pandy and her mother in Spain and found it hard to resist these things that were only a few Euros. It's easy to get caught up in the 'frenzy' when you are with a couple of shopaholics  !!

I shopped my house (I love that expression) for the rest of the things and the only money I spent was on the mini eggs.

I bought the normal Cadbury's ones, but they looked a bit small, so unfortunately I was forced to eat them !

I found some more in perfect colours. The green ones are marzipan and the white and yellow ones are praline.

My mantle is a bit gnarly, so I just put things where they will stand straight.

When I got home, after having been away for six days - not one of the eggs had been eaten.

Maybe because I had neglected to say there was something edible on the mantle !

I hope you have all enjoyed your Easter break.

Fiona

xx



not at home

I'm in Hertfordshire, painting a kitchen.

My clients are staying in their glorifed games room, which is actually a whole OTHER house next door with a kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms and lounge the size of a small ballroom.

I am having a surreal exsistence in an almost empty house.
I have a bed, a table and a lamp.
I have the use of a brand new bathroom, and a kettle.
I have been working from 7.30 am every day to 9 pm, because I would rather be at home.

The internet access is erratic and I am shattered.

SO, forgive me friends if I don't pay you a visit
or comment
or reply.

I had a few posts planned while I was away, but I'm much too tired...........................

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........................................................................