At last, I feel that I'm moving forward with the actual construction process of the Villa del Vigneto. I know that the tasks I've accomplished recently were important and needed to be done, but all involved many "finishing up" details that I usually take care of AFTER construction is complete. Possibly that's the reason that I've felt sort of "stalled out." But I'm ready to get moving again. Hanging some ceiling lights and chandeliers were the last things to be done before I was ready - FINALLY - to install the ceilings for the lower level. My progress has been slow, but more or less steady, so at least I have some results to show for the month of January.
I chose these two ceiling-mounted light fixtures for the villa kitchen. But, as usual, I needed to change them a little; the trim was so brassy!
So I dulled down the shining brass with some brownish-black paint. I rubbed the blackish finish so that some glowing brass still peeked through.
After the lights were installed and the photo taken, I realized that the trim still looks shiny. But it isn't! All the ceiling pieces for the lower level are only loosely installed at this point; after securing all the ceilings, I will need to touch up all the edges where the ceiling meets the walls.
I chose two identical chandeliers from J. Getzan for the dining room and the living room. Then I happened to come across two filagreed medallions that I thought would work well to highlight the chandeliers.
The dining room chandelier is up and working (!) There are always some tense moments after all the wires are connected but before the power is switched on!
The chandelier will hang directly over the dining table.
I decided to add more detail on the ceiling before the living room chandelier was installed.
I used three different colors for the stencil.
The chandelier, the medallion, and the stencil form a nice threesome.
And another threesome involves the chandelier and two wall sconces.
All the ceiling pieces are on, the lights are installed, and the electrical wires are all protected by duct tape. It's dark inside this villa! Thank goodness for electricity.
It's time for a "trial run" to make sure that the upper-level walls fit before I start securing them with toothpicks and glue, my usual method. I've turned on the lights - much better.
We'll take a quick tour around the outside of the villa. (You know I love tours!)
This is the east end, over the kitchen. There is a small front bedroom that has a single east window, and a long hallway runs along the back as far as the center bedroom. There will be a small balcony outside the hallway's tall door (or window?) opening.
Now we turn the corner to the front of the villa, where you can see the loggia outside the kitchen and the small east bedroom's front opening.
This is the center bedroom, over the dining room. It has a door (not seen here) that opens to a short hallway. The short hallway leads back to the long hallway or through an archway to the stair landing.
This bedroom opens onto a long front balcony.
We just passed the stair landing and are in front of the west bedroom. This bedroom also opens onto a long front balcony. There is another short hallway that gives access through an archway to the landing or through a doorway to the bathroom at the back corner of the villa.
And we've come all the way to the west end, where you see the bedroom's single window and a large opening into the bathroom at the back.
You can get a glimpse inside the bathroom and see the door that leads to the short hallway. Pay no attention to the weirdly uneven back corner. Styrofoam allows me to make corrections and repairs as I go. (Styrofoam is so forgiving!) Now that I know the walls seem to fit where they belong, it's time to tear them all down. I'll put them up again one by one over a LONG period of time!
I've battened down the hatches! I've also applied a coat of paint to cover any white that may show between the floor tiles when I lay them. I left the bathroom corner white; I may decide to use a light-colored tile there, although that remains to be seen.
The villa is now ready for the second level! YIKES!
Even in the midst of bleak and dark times, there can be moments of sparkling brightness. Following a treacherous ice storm here, the sun highlights nature's apology.
It is my hope that February will bring a sparkling brightness to all our hearts.
The light fixtures look amazing. Thanks for the quick tour. It is really interesting watching your projects grow.
ReplyDeleteAs for the ice storm, I know they are dangerous but there is something so beautiful about everything being glazed with ice. The sound of the branches clinking together is so unique!
Hello, Sam - Thanks so much for your nice comments; I hope you'll keep watching my villa's (slow) progress. I agree that the beauty of an ice storm - and that unique sound - ALMOST makes up for the sheer frightfulness of the ice!
DeleteMarjorie
Que bonita se ve la villa con las nuevas lámparas,que son perfectas y preciosas!!!
ReplyDeleteLos pisos encajan muy bien y la nueva capa de pintura acentúa el color,todo avanza satisfactoriamente!!!
Besos.
Hello, Pilar - Thank you for taking the time to stop by and see the progress on the Villa del Vigneto. I'm glad that you like the lights - what a difference a few lights can make! I'm looking forward to getting on with the upper level now. (It's sort of like starting all over again.) Thanks for your comments.
DeleteMarjorie
Tu proyecto ya va avanzando , las tomas de luz de la cocina te han quedado fantásticas y las arañas del comedor son espectaculares.La idea de añadir el medallón ha sido una idea genial y las pintura también enriquece el techo.La naturaleza nos muestra estas bellezas y tu cámara lo ha plasmado muy bien. Que pases un buen día,besos:-)
ReplyDeleteHi, Rosa Maria - Thank you for your nice comments on my Villa del Vigneto project. I'm happy that you like the medallions; that was a fortunate find, because I, too, think they add nice detail to the chandeliers. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteMarjorie
I love your lights they are beautiful. Thanks for the tour you make it sound so real :) I cant wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteHugs Maria
Hi, Maria - I appreciate your stopping by the Villa del Vigneto. I had to chuckle at your comment that it "sounds so real." It seems real to me, too - so real that sometimes I worry about myself! (But I think that most miniaturists feel the same way. Maybe we all need a reality check now and then!)
DeleteMarjorie
I love the stencil on the ceiling! And painting the brass lights with a black wash is genius and makes them look much more realistic!
ReplyDeleteI need to go back through your posts to find pics of that gorgeous staircase! I see it in the tour and it looks incredible!
Hi, Lori - Thanks for taking the time to comment on the Villa del Viejo. I had thought about a stencil for the living room ceiling since the beginning, but didn't really make up my mind until it was time for the installation of the chandelier. I'm glad I decided on the stencil; it does add a little detail to a plain room. The blog post for the staircase is from March 1, 20016, entitled "Squeezing in the Staircase." And quite a squeeze it was! There were definitely a few Trials and Tribulations!
DeleteMarjorie
Thank you for the redirect to the stairs!
DeleteHi Marjorie! Isn't it just astonishing how much fun the lights are when they go on?!! It makes all the work worth it to see the little rooms lit up! Your lights are lovely and so well suited to the rooms and the history of the place! The added touches are the "icing" on the cake! I can understand your difficulty with needing to completely finish the lower level before you can even start the rooms above... when I started my Castle I had the same intention. It is so much easier to complete the details on the rooms while the "ceiling" is absent! I have only managed to "mostly" finish the lowest levels on my Castle.... the stables, kitchen and dungeon, and have partly finished the next level, the Guard room, Chapel and Great Hall.... and as you probably have noticed, the upper rooms have barely been started! (I need to get back to work on it!) You are making great progress on your villa and what you have done so far is Gorgeous! I look forward to seeing more!
ReplyDeleteHi, Betsy - Yes, the lights do make such a difference; but the astonishing thing to me is that they actually do work - and keep on working! (I'm a little paranoid, probably.) But I love seeing the villa lit up when all around it is darkness - it looks eerily real! I hope you do get back to work on your Castle soon. What a huge project that is, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it. (As though you don't have quite enough to keep you busy otherwise.) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteMarjorie
Hi Marjorie!
ReplyDeleteI am ALWAYS impressed and inspired after visiting your blog! The installation of the lighting can be very nerve wracking because so much of the going forward, depends on them continuing to stay working!
I am totally STOKED by the fact that you have not only installed the fixtures for the lower floor but that they make such an AMAZING difference to the general ambience of the various rooms.
I think that each of your choices of light fixtures is PERFECT for each of the rooms.
I gave a chuckle at your dulling down the brass for the kitchen overheads, because I believe in doing that too! Some lights look TOO NEW for older dwellings and the shiny finishes need to be subdued to enable them to look right either off or on!
Your chandeliers are STUNNING and again, the right choice for the chosen ceilings. The stencil above the dining room table is a very good idea and you have translated it Beautifully!
All in all, it has been a Great Pleasure to take the walking tour of Villa del Vigneto and to see it after sunset with the warm glow of the incandescence pouring forth from the windows- Bellissima! :))
elizabeth
Hello, Elizabeth - You are so right about the wracked nerves regarding the lighting! The villa is the first house I've constructed that has needed all the decorative light fixtures; the previous ones have pre-dated the use of electricity so have had only "display" lighting, and there wasn't nearly so much of it. All those dangling wires are very intimidating! I'm glad that you enjoyed the tour around the villa. It was exciting to put up all the (temporary) walls - that's a good way to get motivated; I'm definitely inspired to keep moving on with that upper level. Thanks for your comments, Elizabeth; they're always welcome and appreciated.
DeleteMarjorie
Hello Marjorie,
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing progress! your villa is coming along beautifully. I really like the lighting in the kitchen and I adore the chandelier in the dining room. The medallion and the stencil really finish the look to perfection. The rooms of the villa look so warm and inviting! It has so much character and atmosphere. I am so excited to see the upper level go on...Keep up the great work.
Big hug
Giac
Hello, Giac - It's so great that you took the time to catch up with my blog posts! I've missed your observations and encouragement. Getting the ceilings on and the lights in were a major milestone for me. Even though the second level will be harder to construct than the first, I'll be happy to work with walls, floors, and doors for a while! (A long while....) I hope you'll find the time to follow along.
DeleteMarjorie
I really like your post good blog on site,Thanks for your sharing.
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