A little progress from me too

[plasticpigeon]

We have 1 room in the house decorated!! It's a bit of a lash up, and I'd like to do it again really, to improve the brickwork over the window, but kitchen and heating are more important. I think the colour is a bit pale, but my girlfriend usually gets her way when it comes to decor. I'm pleased with the window and fireplace though.

 

[LadyArowana]

Well done, must be nice to have one area of sanity, good luck for the rest of the project.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Well done! Isn't it great to stand back and look at something neat and clean and finished. And what a pretty window!

 

[Moo]

Those pictures give me hope!
By the way, where did you get the light switch from?

 

[plasticpigeon]

Hello Moo, the light switch is a reproduction made by Clipsal. I think it is Australian!!! It is the same as the one in the link, although I got mine from a seller on Ebay who sells them for £20. The pattress I had made by a chap in Yorkshire who does them for £4 each which I thought was very good. If you are interested I have a number of genuine old black ceramic light switches that I have collected but have chosen not to use. They are probably nicer than the reproductions but in the end I didn't use them because if the brass tops are spun off, the contacts are exposed and also I think it would be prudent to earth them, which would take a little more effort. They are also only 1 way. The reproductions are plastic inside and the wiring totally hidden so it is safe if someone spins the cover off.

http://www.periodpattresses.com/epages/es108574.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es108574_es120039009115/Products/PBBC/SubProducts/PBBC-0001

Joce and Chris, I'm always having a bit of a battle with my girlfiend about decor, as I like patterned wallpaper and quite strong dark colours. For example, at the moment I really want to paint a dado in the hallway (no rail though) but she is adamant it will be white. How can I encourage her to embrace using colour like you have???

 

[mavesyn]

Very nice, lovely looking window.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Plant a seed, let it slowly grow - it takes a long time. It took me years to get the Print Room and the idea of the tent room approved by Chris, and was really only achieved by dragging him round the Soane, Belvoir Castle, the chateaux of the Loire etc. And having John Fowler permanently on the coffee table, and other design books, and just not giving in. Now he has completely got the bug and wants to paint ashlar blocks and trompe l'oeil niches all along the passageway ( he can draw well), and I think we should just do a simple ochre! He's also saying the drawing room must be Wedgwood blue whereas I think it should be dark peach with gold and green accents, so I appreciate how difficult these artistic decisions are!

I think the blue above could take a lot of antique brass finish and gold - she might like that? And a richer added note for you to enjoy.

Hallways can be moody and statement y, you're just passing through - they don't need to be light and bright. I personally need sitting rooms to be warm, light-ish and cozy ( hence not Wedgwood blue), whilst dining rooms ought to look sumptuous in rich colours by candlelight reflected in mirrors, with lots of gold and silver and velvet! Bedrooms again can be just as light or dark as you prefer, both have their appeal.

I think one mistake that's often made is to try to make a dark room light by use of white, whereas it's better to embrace the darkness of it in my opinion and go to town with mood lighting.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Yes, definitely antique brass for the curtain rail, in fact I have just ordered brass brackets and finials, which I will add to a pole from the metal stockholders. My girlfriend hated brass until i told that a very old curtain rail in our house that she really likes is brass but had tarnished to brown, and now she embraces it. I think it is the brass effect over base metal, and the faux antique brass she hates. She also hated anything mahogany, until she realised that it was mahogany stained pine that she hated, and real mahogany she likes, in fact we have just bought a very beautiful mahogany chest of drawers that was her choice!!!Hopefully she might be a bit more adventurous with colour with time as you say. I think reinstating dark oak woodgrain effect woodwork in the middle room will never happen though!!!!

 

[JoceAndChris]

How lovely to be young and just developing your taste. Sounds like you're doing a really good job of showing her what's what, and she needs lots of outings and presents!

Brass curtain pole would look lovely, as would gilt wood with mahogany. The false brass finishes are horrid I agree.

Mahogany and blue make a beautiful combination.

 

[Moo]

Thanks so much for that link, PP. I think it's solved the problem of the switches in our sitting room!

 

[Zebra]

Well done plasticpigeon!