Anyone fancy a £3 BILLION restoration project?

[Penners]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Feltwell]

Not guilty. It was, however, typed very soon after the cataract operation that I've just had.



Phew - I think I got away with that one.

Well, from the size of the comment above, the cataract operation clearly worked!

 

[xanthe]

plasticpigeon - did you enjoy your tea? Or the wallpaper?

 

[plasticpigeon]

Thanks for asking Xanthe. The building is spectacular isn't it! Crazy red flock wallpaper in the room I was in, and an incredible painted ceiling with a Tudor rose painted in each panel. There was a picture of Chequers at one end and one of another large house at the other and nice views of the Thames. Other wallpaper I saw had a portcullis pattern on, but the most amazing part was the gold mosaic ceiling of the lobby. I also got to walk through the great Hall which was pretty amazing. The tea was probably the best I have ever had. I'll put up a few photos later.

 

[xanthe]

Glad you enjoyed the visit - and yes, the wallpaper is quite something!

I always hope whoever I'm meeting there is late so I get to oggle the ceiling in the lobby for a good amount of time. I also love all the encaustic tiles on the floors. Did you manage to sneak any photos?

Westminster Hall - although the drabbest room in the palace, is the one I find the most imposing and awe-inspiring. Incredible thinking of all the great moments in history that took place under its (very lovely) roof.

My husband got to go to a jolly at Buckingham Palace a couple of weeks ago with the DofE. He's a fairly staunch republican, but came back saying that he had never felt so intimidated by a building or with such a sense of what 'Empire' must have once meant. I've never been, but I believe they have erred on the generous side with the gilding!

 

[Flyfisher]

Crazy red flock wallpaper in the room I was in . . . .

We have flock wallpaper in one of our rooms. Well, I say 'have' but it was painted over long before our time and although the pattern is still clearly visible the paint has converted the flock material into something akin to coarse sandpaper. Not too bad visually but not very kind to the skin if you brush past the wall with bare arms!

 

[Penners]

There's a story (probably apocryphal) that Oscar Wilde lay on his deathbed in a room with gaudy "Monarch of the Glen" wallpaper. His final dying words (so the story goes) came when he looked at the wallpaper and provlaimed, "One of us has got to go!"

I do hope it's true!

 

[Feltwell]

All this talk of flock wallpaper, I have a sudden craving to go out for a curry........