Monday, August 31, 2009

More Details

This is the fourth in a series of the Parlor Makeover in our 1848 home. If you've been a regular follower, you may remember when I purchased this settee. I've never been sorry and have loved just seeing in my home. In reality, it's not very comfortable unless you put your back in the corners of it and put your feet up on the seat. However, its original intent was not for comfort, but for sitting upon with your bum on the very edge and holding a cuppa tea. Ladies, back then, did not lean back in a chair or settee during a visit and would lounge on a chaise only at home.

Let's look at some details in this photo. Notice the underskirt on the corner table next to the settee on our right. Its pattern is not the same as the settee, but it goes very well because it has the same color family and background color. The table on the left is covered in the same light weight netting as the header scarf on the window above. Because the settee is high off the floor, I wanted something more grounded on each side of it.


Pillow details. I've talked before about how important pillows were/are in Victorian decorating. This was one of the ways that the ladies of the house could showcase her stitching talents. Here, I'm practicing to make the rosettes on the Victorian Lamp shades. I love how this turned out on the pillow. The under fabric is an ivory Dupioni silk and, as the Victorian's would do, I've made this a sham so I can change it out often with something new to showcase.


This little beauty is an antique find. It is made from a very fine netting with pieces of lace hand-stitched over it. It has a beautiful lace ruffle and an embroidered rose medallion. I suppose this to be from the 20s or 30s because of the machined lace. This is also a sham. I made a Dupioni Silk pillow to fit the sham. Back in the day, it would have been done the other way around.


Let's look in the corner to the right. The Victorians loved to decorate with plants so I've put a tall tree in the corner to draw the eye up to the ceiling and that wonderful crown molding. To the right, notice the empty frame. It is waiting for a canvas that I ordered and won't be here for about a month. The portrait is of a lovely woman in a black dress arranging flowers in a vase and duplicates many of the same colors in this room.


The lamp on this table was an antique store find for $20.00. I rarely spend that much on anything, but I just HAD to have this lamp! On this table, covered with a silk velvet burnout piano scarf, I've put some family photos. The Victorians LOVED to show off their ancestors in wonderful, ornate frames. These frame are available in Aunt May's Cottage, too. From left to right are my grandmother (and namesake) and grandfather Pease, his father, his mother-in-law (my great-great-grandmother) and his wife with her second husband. According to my cousin who has researched my family back to 1170 AD, my great-grandfather was "a bit of a scalawag, preferring adventure to fatherhood". Other items on the table include, a musical bronze egg, two silver boxes, a StereoViewer marked 1898, my grandmother's glasses and a popular woman's magazine dated 1896.


This is the fine net with embroidered roses scarf swag over the settee. In the center, I have fashioned a rosette that was popular in the 80s, made with a rubber band and some poking. This adds a little color at the ceiling and ties in with the covering on the little square table to the left of the settee and its pillow. This will be the summer window treatment for this room. The winter one will be much heavier and is still on my drawing board.

As I said earlier, the Vics loved their photos. If you have a current photo that you would like to showcase in your period room, just run it through your printer on a sepia tone or take out almost all of the color in the photo as I have done here with my great-grand girls.



This little corner cabinet was purchased at an antique store in Saint Joseph, MI for less than $25.00. Shown on the bottom shelf is a tiny tea set I purchased on eBay over an ivory, fringed piano scarf.


This painting is by my favorite rose painter of all time....Igor Levashov. There are two of his paintings in this room.


I purchased this little musical jewelery box at a porch sale in town recently. The graphic on the top is in silk and it plays "Somewhere My Love" (Laura's Theme). I use it on my desk to hold some hand painted stationary, note cards and my favorite pens. I won't tell you what I paid for it 'cause you might hit me........Oh well, OK....two bucks!



Don't forget to leave a comment for the drawing. Just a hint.......it will be for something in this room!! Every time you comment on this series, your name will go in the hat.

Stay tuned for more..........

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Bertie dearest!!
Could I set up residence in your Parlor? You KNOW without any hesitation I LOVE it all! I so wish I could find a sofa like yours...I do envy that..me bad! lol

You have done an amazing job..I know lots of your heart went into making this room just shine!

Hugs...thanks for the sweet comments about my M.

Lorena

Shirl said...

Hello Bertie, How beautiful your palor is coming together. Thank you so much for all Victorian History. I love reading about our past and how the Victorian Ladies carried things out! Your pillows are stunning as is the rest of your room. What a lovely place to sit and have a cup of tea! Thank you for sharing!
BLess you, Shirl
Shirls Rose Cottage

Connie said...

Bertie, it's just simply gorgeous is all I can say, sweetpea! I love the wall color and I really would love to see a close up picture of that settee. I can't see the upholstery that well and would LOVE to see it. Everything you do you do with flair, sugar......flair and attention to details. That rectangular pillow is absolutely stunning!!
xoxo,
Connie

Katie said...

Scalawag huh? This explains a lot. Giggle.........wink

Love it all, but of course the painting of the roses takes the cake for me!

Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents said...

Bertie, this room is simply stunning! Love all the details. That burnout velvet table scarf is awesome! Love the roses pictures, your beautiful pillows, and all the ancestor's photos! Oh, & I spy the little baby shoe with dried arrangement in it!! That corner etagere is beautiful!

Love you,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents

Vintage To Chic said...

good morning Lady, Your room is looking great, I love it all.

Hugs,
Judy

Reflections from the Stone Nest said...

Hi Bertie! I was just thinking about you today, saying to myself I hadn't been over to see you in a while. Thx for stopping by. Your re-do is just lovely! I adore everything you've done, but especially love that lamp and the music box. Of course, all of the work you have done is perfect.

Talk to yous soon,
Kitty

Anonymous said...

Hi Bertie,
Thanks for sharing more details of your gorgeous makeover.
I love all of it. Wish I could pop over for tea & see it all in person.

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

PRETTY! My fav is the pillow with the rosette center.

The Victorian Parlor said...

Bertie,

It's all so beautiful!!! I really like the rosette's that you have done-I'm going to have to try that too!

I really enjoyed learning that you too sing Barbershop! My hubby has been singing with the Barbershop chorus for several years now and has a quartet within the chorus that he sings with. He also sings in our church quartet. He sings bass:).

Blessings,

Kim

Mrs. Cherry Heart said...

Good afternoon Miss Bertie,
Its always so exciting to come and visit you!
It feels like home!
I love all the details you have shown today.....especially the vintage family photos and that pillow,the use of lace here and there!
I have always wanted a settee like that but have no place to put one!
I really do need a bigger house! :-)
{I wish hubby would see it my way!}

I think we both agree the victorian times were the most stylish!

Enjoy your day
Hugz,
Dolly

Jennifer said...

Bertie,Wow can your sure decorate.I love everything in this room and that settee is just awsome.I wish I could find one like that.The pics are so pretty on that table cloth.Hugs,Jen

vickie said...

Bertie, your room is beautiful, you know how I like Victorian! Love the pink velvet burnout scarf.

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

It is so pretty! You are the queen of Victorian decorating and you make it look so inviting.

vickie said...

Oh Bertie, it's all so lovely, the pillows, curtains, pictures, everything. I'm coming over for tea!