This page: Decoration ideas , colors, perception, advice.
A bench carried out quickly with two exotic wood gratings, connected together (50 cm) and openwork bricks.
Pods of coconut tree and flame tree (small one, bas left). That of the coconut
tree was bought in France, but it is according to arrivals.
The anthurium is artificial.
A piece of bamboo painted in orange, with a piece of lavender wood.
Pieces of wood, rope, sand.. on a square plate.
Very classic, but home made with coloured salt sold in "creation and leisure" stores.
This pot of jam is a box for cotton buds. The coloured spangles stuck on the pot come from a mini Christmas tree.
An integration of decorations give life at a collection of shells : postcards and especially exotic wooden colourful fish.
Open the eyes! the lime and flints have sometimes traces of plants and animals from the Cretaceus time, which
brought enormous limestone masses, themselves from sponge skeletons, they say.
1 coral trace, 2 gorgon ? 3 sea urchin, 4
mussel, 5 small shell.
No fossils found ? there is another possibility, locating extraordinary forms in flints. Here, the head of Donald the duck and a sexy Venus.
Yes, it has been tropical seas in France and later also lions, tigers and other beasts, but it is another history See some more, climates, glaciations, Chauvet cave, prehistoric art..).
Sight evasion at the way out of a bath room looking to the to much close wall of the corridor.
A poster simulating a window is framed by mouldings.
Here, the poster was stuck directly against the wall (glue for wallpaper) and the mouldings hold by small steel points of glazier practically invisible.
The mirror.
It was once best use in the apartments. A large mirror filled the void above the fireplace mantel.
Convenient to check/ her outfit, it also enlarge a real small space with a virtual symmetric one.
More surprising, it is also used for a long time in lifts to fight against the claustrophobia; with yourself to look at,
it's going better qith two. At the contrary, it may frighten.
The mirror brings life. A decorative solution is to ask one of those rectangular or oval mirrors "tailor" tilted on their legs, that allow to see down our shoes.
Hanging catalogues.
Usage of the back of a large photo catalogue to stick on its own decorations : photographs of trips, family, to be put for instance in front of the toilets.
Can be used also to wright some memo, receipe.
Sand and shells composition, bond with this vitrifying varnish for hardening wooden floor.
see glue).
- Aspects and influence of paintings; brique see also
paint 3 (opacity, standing) and
paint 4 (back groung and preparation)
- Flat or gloss paint ?
The flat paint is softer than the glossy one and masks small defects of the surface ; but it dirty more (micro cavities).
Gloss paint (lacquer), is more lively and warm. It dirty less and clean better (smoother). For an inside door, preferably take the satin color (between
the two). The satin paint is generally a good compromise, but it dirty a bit more than gloss.
For an interior wall, flat or satin, of course depending on the surface and direction of light.
Finally, try the satin paint for exterior walls (the whole or half-height), they dirty much less and are more alived (now used for anti-graffiti walls).
But large defects can be enhanced (to be verifyied). Exterior door in bright, as are the fences..
One can also paint a stringcourse of roof if the defects are not excessive.
- Choice of color.It is most delicate ; a color on a small surface (on the pot for example), appears clearer than on
large surface. A dark color brings closer (restrict the distance) and a clear color enlarge. So, a white painted room seems larger.
To modify the aspect of a narrow and high corridor, it is necessary to paint or paper the ceiling (even falling down 20/30 cm on the wall) with a dark color, and the walls with a clear color.
Walls exposed at the light can be painted in darker than those located in the shade.
Overlooking north, prefer a little "hot" color" on a wall.
Attenuate the colour for a wall in the light (sun) and too close, unless you do wish a particular effect.
Two different colors can be used, for example a color for three walls and another for the fourth (remember the problems of lighting and depths to be rectified).
Do not be afraid of the colors, even with old pieces of furniture or of style : they will be emphasized and you will avoid dull.
The colors "sharp" are reserved for the exposures and to the experts in decoration.
Be aware of complementary colors, which are opposed : in particular blue with red green with orange, which can cause eye trouble (tapestry striped).
Voir aussi " origin and blends of colors"
Color composition.
The color effect is produced by the rays of light that a substance emits reflects or absorbs.
The sea is blue, reflecting the color of the sky, but also by absorbing all the others. Transparency plays (sandy bottom, algae).
Here against three examples of a dye mixture of clothes.
Three basic colors are enough to reproduceall the visible spectrium; a PC or TV screen emits only green, blue and red, clearly been seen (magnifying glass).
Worn old Painting resulting from very thinned layers.
First of all, I use a thinner in order to get a rather liquid paint, almost water (paint thinner, CR 10 if possible, or V33 thinner (do-it-yourself store) until paint. As it is very fine, it will be necessary (it is the
drawback) to put several layers to cover well. Change colour at each layer (may be alternatively pink and white), and don't spread it regularly if you want to give this worn aspect (photo) and well matched he environment.
One can overload as we want to modify colours. I thus matched a piece of furniture of cane which was not very pretty and which is superb now (photo), as well as a small coffee table of garden (plate and legs, three colors).
Plastic bottle caps pricked on thin rods bring cheerfulness and fantasy.
Wrought iron table with recollection of small cobbles under a glass ; patterns very simples but evocative
(from the magazine "Avantage" Août 98).
Restoration work ; walls, furniture, damaged objects can be restored to fix defects (punchs, broken pieces, holes, scrathes, etc..
See restauration
Some objects and furniture may have been roughly painted: if you dare, you will perhaps find their true colors under several layers of paint.
I have rediscovered an old said "comtoise" pendulum which hid its patterns and its colors under layers of varnish and gold.
glass bier cardboards (coasters) papered with cutted out patterns.
Furniture of style and furniture of time :
an armchair said "Louis XV style" = like Louis XV epoch but not from that time. It is onsequently recent.
A piece of furniture of the time, said "Louis XV armchair" from the time considered, to which it was built in the code of practice..
Purchase of old furniture. Characteristics
There is no the purpose here to learn detecting the validity of a piece of furniture of time, but checking what distinguishes an old piece of
furniture and what it is necessary to check. brique>
The old pieces of furniture are characterized by a coarse completion of the parts which are not apparent ; the outside of the back, the
interior on the sides and bass, the boards of cupboard (shelves) backs, bas and sides of drawers can be out of
rough wood (not planed) and badly cut.. On the other hand, the assemblies of drawers are dovetail, are often coarsely cut, with wood going beyond. The assemblies (cupboards) are
carried out by pegging, completely or partly.
That is explained by a work primarily carried out with the hand.. The assemblies (cupboards) are carried out by peggings, completely or partly (sometimes on the back only).
For these pieces of furniture, the holes of worms are true and the blows also, which is not the case of the pieces of furniture fired with a hunting gun and knocked with a mass !
2/ Points to be checked watch closely the surface of wood (cracks which could have been stopped), as well as flatness lean yourself or place yourself in the alignment on the surface (plates of table, doors, frontages and the sides of
the pieces of furniture to see the hollows (sags).
Check the solidity of the assemblies (table, shaking chair) and estimate if the state of decay and assembled wood will allow you to restick them.
Look under the plates of the tables to detect possible repairs and hidden defects.
Look at well the framing of the doors of cupboards and all surfaces to check that there are no replaced pieces or that the frame has not be sawn
to be rectified, for example, a too buckled door ; on the other hand, if the work is well made, it is better than a door which cannot close.
Just as for a crack or spoiled part, a restoration well done can be accepted if you like this piece of furniture, but must make it possible to discuss the price.
brique>The back of the cupboards, convenient, pendulums.. request a particular vigilance, especially for the two rear feet which are
often rotted by the worms whereas the remainder is in much better state.
Think to look well the back (take care at rough stoppings or else).
This pot of jam is a box for cotton buds. The coloured spangles stuck on the pot come from a mini Christmas tree.
No fossils found ? there is another possibility, locating extraordinary forms in flints. Here, the head of Donald the duck and a sexy Venus.
Sight evasion at the way out of a bath room looking to the to much close wall of the corridor.
Hanging catalogues.
Pods of coconut tree and flame tree (small one, bas left). That of the coconut
tree was bought in France, but it is according to arrivals.
The anthurium is artificial.
