RESTORING
For this project I worked on the renovation of the reception rooms of a period home in Mt Lawley. Intricate plasterwork detailed the deep skirting boards and cornices and original jarrah timber glowed on the floors, doors and frames.
But the soaring ceilings were marked by the stormleaks of the last century. The windowframes, made of timber brought out as ballast and not the local jarrah, had been ravaged by local conditions.
Curtains in James Dunlop Vienna Tanzanite walls Dulux Cape Lee Ceilings Dulux Natural White
In the Den, which may have had a early purpose as library, an intimate ambience was achieved with warm teal on the curtains and walls. Reeded antique brass rods are expertly fixed to the century old walls to properly support the considerable weight of lined velvet curtains.
The ceiling colour was applied by spraying to allow the plasterwork detail to be shown. Painting the ceiling colour down to the picture rails added to the architectural statement.
THE BEAUTY
Working in partnership with my talented client, I was able to use my trusted team of professionals to restore the rooms. Not simply to their former glory, but to beautiful spaces with a modern day purpose.
What would have been the Drawing Room a hundred years ago is now used for cocktail parties and music rehearsals. Suitable drama was introduced with Porters Paint Nude on the walls and James Dunlop Vienna Empire velvet curtains. Catherine Martins’ Leopardo Sapphire glows on stately restored armchairs, highlighting the tones in the antique rug.
Manipulating 3 metre high windows and heavy silk curtains was not for the faint hearted but my team delivered wonderfully in the Parlour. An old fashioned name perhaps but it still seems apt as this is where I first met my client and all the trades that came to the house. And what a stylish introduction to the home, with 3 metre folds of De La Cuona silk in Spun Gold puddling to the floorboards.
A extraordinary task here was to repair the cracks in the muti-toned cornices. The client loved the original work so each crack was repaired with paint custom mixed to colour match.
A true collaboration between client, designer and craftspeople, this project addressed the challenges of restoring historical architecture. While amazing us all just a little bit with the beauty and drama of it all.
