A Different Bedroom - But the Same Old Roof

I'm getting closer and closer to the close of construction and decoration of Villa del Vigneto - and the closer I get, the slower I want to go. But there are enough remaining steps to finish that I can drag my feet and drag this out for another couple of months. There's still a third bedroom to bring into being, and many flower pots and planters to fill, and more vines that need to climb that false back wall - and, of course and always, there's that tile roof to finish. According to my construction journal, I started designing and working on the villa on October 13, 2015, so maybe it's high time to be finishing up! 

THE SECOND BEDROOM

This bedroom will belong to the older "spinster" sister of the villa's owner. She travels from Florence each summer to take up residence with the family for a few months.

The decorating started with these potentially useful pieces of furniture and fabric. 

Next, I decided on a furniture arrangement that would work with the shape of the room.

NOW - LET THE MAKEOVERS BEGIN!

 This chair, which I found at an estate sale last year, was originally a bright mustard color, and one leg had come off. I used fabric paint and a small, stiff brush to change the color to a deep teal. The bottom photo shows the broken leg all mended - but the fabric color looks much lighter than it really is. The top photos are much closer to the actual color.

You may notice that this is a different armoire than the one pictured in the assembly above. I was going to paint the armoire but decided to use a wood stain instead. The first armoire had a natural finish with a sealer applied, so I couldn't use a stain. I switched to this unfinished one and will use the other in the third bedroom.

One coat of walnut stain later...

...then a coat of satin varnish.

I applied some metallic gold detail...

...and finished it off with new knobs and tiny tassels.

I love the design of this table, but the finish was too red to blend nicely with the other furniture in the bedroom - so of course...

...I painted it.

Then, using my favorite flower-making (contriving) technique, I snipped bits of leaves and flowers from real-size artificial flowers, painted them, and fashioned a bouquet for the new table.

The table is now used as a combination writing/dressing table.

This prie-dieu, or prayer bench, needed just a bit of aging and a pad for the kneeler. I cut out a small portion from a larger piece of tapestry fabric for the pad. I also made a small cushion for the chair that belongs to the writing table. This chair is a substitute for the tall-backed one that I showed in the "assembled pieces" photos above. I realized that the high back obscured the view of the bed. This one works much better. 

I bought this small plastic Virgin Mary figure during one of the Nebraska Junk Jaunts, and I've been saving it for the prayer corner in this bedroom. The figure was very obviously plastic, and I wanted it to have more of a stone or plaster finish, but I didn't want to cover the color or the detail, so I used several coats of Mod Podge and glue to cover the plastic finish. Then I touched up the paint with a similar color.   

There really isn't much difference, but it does look a little less like plastic - and a little more worn!

I needed a rosary. I'm not a Catholic, but one of my daughters is; she let me borrow a rosary so that I'd know how to make one. I had trouble getting the size right and had to make mine too short in order to keep it to scale. After it was finished, I realized that the addition of the ten beads that it lacked would probably have been all right. I may need to make a second proper one.   

The finished prie-dieu with a prayer book added.

I've had this brass bed in my stash for many (and many more) years. I used it in the first dollhouse that I made. That house was eventually turned over to grandchildren, but I put the bed away for future use. The future is at hand.

The bed received a new look with Antique White paint trimmed with an antique, tarnished brass finish.

I found small picture frames of different sizes, also in my stash, and made prints of the Virgin Mary in sizes to fit the frames. I added matte Mod Podge to the prints for texture. 

I dry-brushed an off-white paint on the frames and glued in the prints. Then I decided that more white on the frames would look better, so I added more paint to cover all the brass/gold finish on the frames.

The finished bed frame with the Virgin Mary medallions glued on.

I bought this damask napkin at an antique store a few years ago and had planned to use it for a coverlet on a bed in the French Farmhouse, but I changed my mind and kept it for the villa. I found the beautiful, soft lace in a bin of my sewing supplies and knew that I had to use it to trim the pillow case.

I love the long, cascading lace on the pillow cover - and I'm happy with this second simple bed!

These are the last pieces to get a makeover. I darkened the wood finish on the bedside table, although it doesn't show up well in this photo. I also painted the lamp and added gold trim.

SOME VIEWS OF THE FINISHED BEDROOM

I like the early-morning (or late afternoon?) light in the two photos above. The room looks so restful.

The large crucifix was another Junk Jaunt find two years ago. As I recall, that's when I decided that one of the villa's bedrooms would have a prayer corner. The shape of this central bedroom lends itself well for that purpose.

Then I decided to add a sewing box to the room, although I haven't decided whether to keep it there. Its busyness may detract from the tranquility of the room. Or sewing and mending may give the sister-in-law a quiet occupation for her hands while she meditates on other matters. 

This is a long view from the prie-dieu down the hallway to the small window in the back wall.

BACK ON THE ROOF!

When I began laying white tiles on the back side of the roof, I waited until the tiles were glued in place before I painted them - and it was a slow, painstaking job that I wasn't eager to repeat. I painted the next batch of white tiles, in the photo above, before laying and gluing them to the roof, and that was faster, but still took much time - just not so painstaking! So I was determined to try again to use the terra cotta colored Sculpey to save time and trouble. I decided to chill the Sculpey before using it, to see whether that would keep the clay from becoming too soft as I worked with it. 

I first tried chilling a ball of clay before I rolled it out, but it turned very crumbly and refused to stay together. Then I decided to roll out the clay to the desired thickness before chilling it.

I placed the rolled-out clay between sheets of waxed paper and chilled it in the refrigerator. That worked beautifully - I could roll out several sheets of clay and keep it in the refrigerator until I was ready to cut more tiles.

The clay retained enough chill to allow me time to cut as many tiles as the sheet of clay could produce without becoming too soft.

All the tiles are laid and glued to the tower roof as well as the back side of the roof.

I've started laying the flat and lipped tiles to the front side of the roof. You can see the guidelines that Robert drew on the roof to help keep the rows of tiles straight.

The flat tiles are glued on, row after row...

...followed by the curved tiles. I've laid these on loosely to be sure they all fit well before gluing.

That's the extent of the roof progress to date. During April, I will finish gluing on all the curved tiles, then lay the ridge line tiles and apply mortar around the chimneys, edges, and inside the front tiles. I'll also make chimney caps using both flat and curved tiles, then age all the tile work with various paints.

Meanwhile, in Nebraska, cold weather lingers on and on with not much promise of warmth - although the daffodils are starting to pop up, seeking what little sun there is. While I stay warm inside my workroom, I can watch Robert out my window as he takes care of some necessary spring clean-up. I'm hoping that Spring will take the hint and make an actual appearance.

I wish you each an April filled with abundant sunshine!

Master Bedroom, Miscellanea, and the Ongoing Roof!

I had a fun February working on Villa del Vigneto - roof tiles notwithstanding. I did make some progress on the tile laying, but while that was satisfying, I can't say that it was fun. However, the Master Bedroom was waiting its turn to be furnished and accessorized - and that was pure pleasure. I also added some new touches of flora to the upper stair landing and the lower entrance hall. I seem to be working my way up, down, and sideways through the villa, bringing the empty rooms to life one by one. Joy!

THE MAKING OF THE MASTER BEDROOM

These are the miscellaneous furniture pieces that I planned to use in the master bedroom, along with  choices of fabric for the bed linens and a table cover.

Finding the most satisfactory, convenient, and realistic furniture arrangement is always a challenge. I already knew where the bed had to be placed. Early on, when I decided belatedly to build a fireplace in this room, there were some contentious moments, with the bed and the fireplace vying for choice space. I intervened, and we all found an amiable solution; but it's a bit of a squeeze.

I thought that this cherub birdbath would make a perfect night table for the narrow space between the bed and the wall - but the top was slightly slanted. I built up one side with a spackling compound to level out the top. Then I found a picture frame just the right size for the table top and glued on a cardboard backing.

Now I have a level table top that needs only a coat of matching paint.

This is a battery-operated lamp that will be used as a desk lamp in the bedroom - but it's somewhat of a plain jane in need of a makeover.

I removed the leather cushion from the top of the chest and painted the chest, highlighting the carving in a darker color. The cherub table has a painted top, and the plain jane lamp is pleased with its new look. I also made the candlesticks and the clock a bit less "brassy."

This is a hat that's been in my stash for nearly forty years. (Should I even admit that?!)

I fancied it up a bit - but not too fancy for a country villa.

The bedroom needed fresh flowers, so I cut bits of flowers and leaves from stems of silk and plastic flowers from Hobby Lobby. I touched up the flowers with a little paint...

...and arranged them in this pretty silver vase.

This bedside table was in need of a floor-length cloth. I found a fabric that resembles crushed velvet - and it's just the right shade of "old gold."

The tablecloth will be lined with this sheer fabric to provide more stability.

I'm experimenting with a technique that I saw on an online tutorial for making bed linens. I looked at the site only briefly and forgot to bookmark it - then I couldn't find it again, so I had to "wing it" for my tablecloth. If anyone is familiar with the tutorial that I saw, please let me know! It's a brilliant idea for creating a very natural drape for linens or curtains (or tablecloths.) Sandwich aluminum foil between two layers of fabric, close all the edges of the fabric, and work in the gathers, pleats, or folds with your fingers.

The experiment worked beautifully - such natural folds in the table skirt! THANK YOU to whomever posted that tutorial!

I had planned to use a lovely embroidered antique handkerchief for the bedspread for this bed. But I realized that I would need to sort of chop it up for a proper fit, and I couldn't bear to do that. I decided to save the handkerchief for some other project. Besides, I want to keep all the villa bed linens very simple - so I used a plain cotton fabric instead.

I trimmed the fabric with very old cotton lace.

I'm happy with the simple look of the bed!

The desk was fun to put together. Some of the letters and postcards are from the "treasure packet" that I received from Elizabeth. I realized belatedly that the stamps in the stamp holder that I bought read "Love" instead of "Amore." Oops!

 THE COMPLETED MASTER BEDROOM

Rosabella, the pretty white cat, has laid claim to this spot on the bed today. Tomorrow she'll have another favorite spot - she's rather a fickle feline!

The top of the mirrored armoire is a convenient place to store hat boxes and the large hats that are so fashionable in this year of 1910. 

Following are various other views of the villa's master bedroom:

A BOUQUET AND A PLANT FOR UPSTAIRS AND DOWN

There is no room for furniture on the upstairs landing, but it has seemed bare from the beginning, so I decided that I could at least fit in a potted plant. As you may have guessed by now, I really, really, really do not want to make plants and flowers from scratch. So I returned to my usual technique of using bits of real-size artificial plants and adding a little paint for a better color and to cover any shiny material.

I potted this plant in a tall urn...

...and placed it on the stair landing near the master bedroom door.

It does add a little interest to that bare space. (It also hides the discrepancy in the spacing of that last baluster. But I'm not mentioning that.)

I also wanted a large flower arrangement for the entrance hall table - so back I went to my stash of paper, silk, and plastic flowers. The roses on the card are made of heavy paper - but they have very short stems and no leaves, so I cut small leaves from the real-size ones and clipped stems from other flowers.

I glued the longer stems and leaves to the short rose stems and painted the roses in the colors I wanted to use. I also found bits of other flowers to use as fillers in my rose bouquet. 

More of the roses, stems, and leaves before painting...

...and after.

I used an aged urn to hold the bouquet of roses and added a contemplative cherub to keep the roses company.

And here's the rose arrangement at home in the villa's entrance hall.

UP ON THE ROOF

All the tiles are in place on the back side of the roof. I started painting the tiles with a terra cotta base coat. That was much harder and more time consuming that I had anticipated - there are so many nooks, crannies, and hard-to-reach places! I may have to try once more to use the terra cotta colored Sculpey to make more tiles. As I've mentioned before, I changed to the white clay because it seems to be much easier to work with than the terra cotta. I can't think why! I used the terra cotta color when I made the French Farmhouse roof tiles, and it was fine then - only a few years ago.

The paint goes on - and on - and on.

The base coat of paint is finished on the back side of the villa roof - except for the edges all around, which will require a very small brush. And a cool hand and a keen eye - and patience, perseverance, and plain old hard work! But I'm very excited to see the finished roof, and that excitement is a great motivator to keep me moving along.

MARCH IS HERE! The month of SPRING! (Although spring has definitely not sprung yet.)  But the temperature is rising, I've heard cardinals in the trees around our house, and the local geese are flying in this vicinity again. I can even walk the few yards to our mailbox without benefit of coat, hat, scarf, and gloves! (If I hurry.)

If I time the roofing of Villa del Vigneto right, I should have the work all done in time for the late spring thunderstorms, and the villa will be protected from "the rainfall, the nightfall, or anything that might fall." But Oh, Wait. Am I getting my worlds confused again? A Tuscan villa subjected to a Nebraska thunderstorm? I don't think so! In Tuscany, there are twenty-four hours of sunshine, and the birds are singing and the flowers are blooming, and I'm at home in Villa del Vigneto and happiness is mine.

Wherever your immediate world, and whatever your immediate circumstance, I wish you all the best that the promise of spring can bring! I wish you Joy.