Dollhouse Blogs

Saturday 3 December 2011

Library

Hello all!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend. After a long, hard week at work, I finally was able to finish the library.

Last post I had just finished the bookcases. When they were dry, I realized right away that the color would not work. I think I used too much liquin in my oil paint top coat. The finish was mat and boring and way too light. I mixed up new batches of black and Burnt Umber paint and re-did them. The flash on the camera makes the color look more brown then it is. The second time around I was happy!

Sorry, again I can't get it right side up.
I also painted the baseboards, doorframe and mantel pieces.
The next step was making the windows. I already posted about window making, so I won't go into the details again. Basically they are all made from basewood to look like double hung windows and faux painted.
The Mahogany faux paint technique I use is to apply a coat of delta ceramcoat Red Oxide paint. When dry, I go over with Black and Burnt Umber oil paints thinned with Medium. When dry, I added window handles and locks on the bottom sash.

 Next, I had to glue down the carpet. I had glued my piece of red velvet onto an illustration board subfloor with spray adhesive. When I took it out to attach it to the structure, the velvet came loose. Why I used spray adhesive I just don't know. I HATE the stuff because it never works for me the way it should. After 5 minutes of swearing, cursing and pacing the room. I calmed down and tried to attach the velvet back with double sided carpet tape...I ran out just before I was finished. I took out my glue stick because it is not liquid and would not go through the velvet...Folks, it went through the velvet! In the end, it looked like a well worn carpet and the area the glue came through was going to be hidden by a Turkish Rug, so I glued it down to the structure.
About 25 minutes later, I was pouring myself a cup of coffee when I froze solid...I haden't put the electrical wires in the channels under the carpet before I glued it down.
I ran down and ripped the carpet out. ..half of the cardboard stayed stuck to the floor. Thankfully the glue hadn't set so I was able to rub it off.
I put the wires in, bought more illustration board and double sided tape...thank God I had another piece of velvet just big enough for the floor...steamed the wrinkles out, and started all over. The double sided tape worked well to attach the velvet to the subfloor. I then glued it to the structure with the Ultimate Glue. This experience is why there will be no more wall to wall carpet in Dewell Manor.



I had painted the fireplace, overmantel and columns for the nook months ago. The color was great, but the details didn't stick out. I found some gold colored oil based paint with a bit of a metallic sheen and just went over some of the details so they would stand out. The painting over the fireplace is a postcard I got in Europe 
Finally, everything got done. In a past post I had mentionned I wasent sure about the red carpet. Some friends pointed out it might be too bright. However, I changed my mind when I put the painted bookcases in the room. I think the room needed an intense, bright floor color because the walls, ceiling and woodwork and furniture were so dark.
I will now work on the 3 ladders for the bookcases.


That's my update for this week. Welcome to all my new followers and once again, thank you all for your interest and for taking time to comment. I appreciate it very much.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week,
All the best,
Giac

26 comments:

  1. Bravissimo mi piacciono tanto le tue creazioni!!!
    Ciao
    Francesca

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  2. It's a lovely room Giac and well done on creating all those beautiful windows.

    The red carpet sits very well with the furniture in the room given that the furniture has a reddish tint to it and it all works very well. No need to worry about the carpet being too bright.

    I also like the final picture a lot. It's nice to see the empty room before the furniture is added.

    Great work and inspirational too.

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  3. Fantastic job!!! Love the windows.
    Mona

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  4. I'm glad you were able to get the carpet back up...whew!

    The room looks great, I appreciate your fine craftsmanship.

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  5. Hey Giac
    I think I've finally managed to fix my comment thingy!
    The Library looks fantastic, the red carpet really pulls the room together and gives it a rich feel. I feel for you and your trouble with laying the carpet prior to fixing the electrics, what a nightmare! Still, you've overcome it and the result is amazing.
    Well done
    Si

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  6. The library is wonderful. I love the red carpet its perfect in the room.Glad were able to sort it out. I love to visit your blog its always so beautiful. Thank you very much for visiting my blog and the lovely comments you leave. Have a great week.
    Hugs Maria

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  7. Hi Giac, another outstanding room! what a great craftsman you are! Good job you remembered the wiring before the glue had set, what a nightmare! There's no sign of any upheaval in the room itself, it's just perfect! I love the fireplace too!

    regards
    Andy

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  8. I regularly come on your blog and I really want to say that I find it really quite nice what you all builds.
    The ceiling, the walls, it all looks so real.
    Greetings, Alexandra.

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  9. Giac, Your house will be so stunning when it is completed! I love how the library has turned out!!!

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  10. The library is amazing! Very luxurious and colors that you used were fantastic. ;)

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  11. Pese a las dificultades que has tenido con el terciopelo me alegro que hayas podido colocarlo. No puedo imaginarme otro tipo de suelo para esta estancia, ha sido muy acertado. Un saludo, Eva

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  12. WOW! WOW! and WOW!! Giac, this room is AMAZING! I LOVE the wallpaper and the red carpet is NOT too much.... it is very Victorian and cheers up the dark wood. The bookcases are Gorgeous as are the windows and the Fireplace... EVERYTHING! I LOVE the painting you chose too.... I have always wanted to use those beautiful postcards for paintings... but most rooms are not large enough! Your Manor has the scale that can use them! I'm sure glad you remembered the wires before everything set too hard..... WHEW! Your work is AMAZING!

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  13. What a stunning room, Giac! You turned it OUT! I love the red carpeting --you're right about it brightening up the room. The furnishings are beautiful as well.

    Your near-miss with the wiring was harrowing! Glad you were able to fix it.

    Now, how are you going to fill all those lovely shelves?

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  14. I love your whole room and the red carpet, the Victorians wasn't afraid of color. I know well the feeling of panic realizing you forgot a step before gluing something, I am glad it worked out well for you and a tip when using wood glue, vinegar works wonders in making wood glue soft again, you just need a bit of time for the vinegar to start working, so a bit of patience is needed. It has saved a few of my furniture pieces from the trash bin.

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  15. ¡Cuantos problemas con el terciopelo! pero queda un suelo fantastico, el mejor para los magnificos muebles y el estilo de la sala...Me gusta mucho! Felicidades.

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  16. Hi Giac,
    Your Library looks wonderfull.......the bookcases are perfect. You only need to make a 'few" books to fill the library! I really like the colors you've used for it.
    Thanks

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  17. Well Done Giac!!! Your decision to use a red carpet was the right one. It looks lovely!

    Cheers,

    Tom

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  18. Oh Giac, I think we all have had disasters like that happen to us, to me certainly! Maybe it was a good thing in the end you had to tear the carpet out, you now have a stain free carpet in your library. I love the colour with the dark bakground. And with your books (of which you only have a 'few' to make, as Jeffry already remarked) you can inject a lot more subtle colour and connect the red to the other colours.

    I never glue down carpets or floors. I know myself too well for that. I so often forget something or change my mind and add something later.

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  19. ti ho conosciuto tramite un altro blog, wow!!! le tue creazioni sono fantastiche
    buona serata rosa.kreattiva

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  20. Me encanta cómo te ha quedado. La decoración es regia y de muy buen gusto. Te doy la enhorabuena por tu buen trabajo.

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  21. Just one caution, I've used double sided tape on a couple of houses and I've found the carpet lifts after a while.

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  22. Simplemente genial, un trabajo increible !!!. Enhorabuena. Un saludo. Araceli

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  23. What a gorgeous house, I'd love one like it! You have a lovely blog, I'm following you immediately. I'm Sicilian but at the moment I'm in Rome.

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  24. Ciao ...!!! Volevo fare i complimenti ..un lavoro meraviglioso ..stupendo ...!!!! Bravissimo!!!
    un saluto dalla sicilia!!
    elvira

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  25. Me gusta más con alfombra roja que con la madera. Lucen mucho los muebles ahora

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