Monday, March 19, 2018

Hardwick Hall Hallway.....




Silver of the Moon... or Sliver of the Moon....

Some of you Might recall, Dear Readers, the Hallway in Hardwick Hall, that region that is tucked into an impossible to access corner of the House, which required that it be "completed" long before the rest of the structure was even constructed. And you might remember that I painted the Moon Maidens carrying the Moon up the stairs, each maiden carrying a different phase of the moon.... and that I added trees to the murals and stars to the Heavens above.... all of which is barely if at all visible now that the walls are in place! It is such a Dark and Hidden Hallway, and I thought I had "completed" it a long while ago. But in the back of my mind was the idea that I should have added a "Hall table" in the entrance area.... because surely every hallway needs a place to drop ones hat and keys! And recently I had bought a few pieces of unfinished wood furniture, amongst which was an "old fashioned" Queen Anne style side table..... which looked like it might just fit in the corner under the stairs...

Which you can just barely see if you look
 from an angle over the kitchen stove.... 
Imagine my surprise when it fit the spot exactly!
All I would need to do is add a mirror over the table,
 a little paint and it would be done!

Here you can see I am testing the small piece
 of mirror glass I cut, to see if it looked right.
It required quite some contortions to measure 
the height from the table to the underside of the stairs...!
Truly, this is the only view you get of this tiny space!
But it was just begging for a little Hall Table!

But then I decided that the "frame" for the Mirror needed to be
 a bit more elaborate than the normal frames..... 
I wanted it to be like the one over the Living Room fireplace,
 with the branching trees.....
 if any of you can remember That frame... 
which is also really hard to see in this House 
because it is angled away from the open side of the house...!
(Who designed this property anyway...???)

So I got out my wire to make an Armature.....

And added sculpey to the wire armature... 
being sure it would lie flat and cover the mirror edges properly.
I baked it with the mirror in place to ensure a good close fit with the glass.

And added paint to the hardened sculpey.... 
because the dark gray would just disappear in that dark Hallway....
I decided to paint the frame Silver.....

And the table as well.... 
in case you hadn't noticed Dear Readers,
there is a "silver" theme in this house!

Here the frame has its coat of silver paint.... 
which made it too shiny!
I decided I would need to "tone it down" a bit....

Here you can see the parts placed next to each other.....
 the frame is much shinier than the table itself....

But I needed to test it first in the hallway..... 
with the lights on.... 
to be sure it fit, and to be sure I needed to
 adjust the brilliance of the silver paint.....

I added a "marbling" effect... 
to resemble the texture of tree bark.....

Here you can see it in the Hallway again....
And I decided it is good enough to attach the frame to the table.... 
which required building a support framework.....


Which you can see here with the silver paint added .... 
to blend in wherever the frame support ends up being visible....

And finally the framework is glued to the table!
Only, now I am deciding I might need
 to "marbleize" the table top as well.....!
But first we need to test it in the Hallway again.....
 
Here, I have even moved the kitchen stove 
out of the way so you can see the entire table....!

Perhaps we will put a vase with flowers there....
A tray for keys and letters....

 
And when the Front Door is open.....
And you look in through the door.....

 
You can just catch a glimpse of the Moon Maiden 
carrying the Sliver of a New Moon.....

Which maybe you can spot here.... 
in the branches over the roof...... 
The New Moon.....

I tried to zoom in....
(but it makes it blurry.....)
 
 
 
So the Silver of the Moon... 
spills onto the branches below....
Bringing a Glow to the dark corner 
that is the Hardwick Hall Hallway!
And if you want to see more of the Moon Maidens,
 Dear Readers, you will have to go Here...
Yes, they are invisible....  
But I know they are there!



27 comments:

  1. wonderful halltable! moonmaidens are beautiful!

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    1. Thank you Margot! They are so hidden... I like to remind myself they are there!

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  2. Again and again, Betsy, I admire your ingenuity and creativity, and this time, for coming up with this gorgeous designed hall table and suiting mirror, completed in the style of your Moon Maidens! Thank you for sharing how you got through this process and for sharing with us your silver moon in the evening sky, and I agree: your Moon Maidens at the stairs are invisible, but we, your readers, also know they are there ;)!
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Thank you Ilona! I have to remind myself of the Moon Maidens too! The Hall really needed a table... I think it still needs "something" but I will figure that out eventually! LOL!

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  3. Hello Betsy,
    What a wonderful hall table. It is such a beautiful and unique piece. I love the branches framing the mirro. It looks lovely and is perfect with the house. The tiny view of the moon maiden is such a wonderful touch. I love this house.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac! I sometimes am sorry that the Moon Maidens are so invisible...! I should have made an extra door or something....! But at least we can get glimpses! And the hall really needed a table and this one just seemed to fit perfectly! I am glad you like it! :)

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  4. excellent this mirror and its frame on the table : very beautiful effect
    hugs

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    1. Thank you Claude! I wish it was more visible... but that is part of the "Mystery" of this house... so many hidden places!

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  5. Love how it looks. The branches are wonderful.

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    1. Thanks Sheila! I wish they were a little more delicate... but it is challenging to work with the sculpey on an armature... I think they have turned out pretty well... but the table still needs some work...!

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  6. Your work on the mirror and the hall table are exactly Right for the hallway Betsy, and I can imagine a hat or scarf hooked nicely onto the silvered branches- very original!

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! Yes, that was exactly the idea... to hang hats and scarves and keys on the branches! LOL! If only they would be visible hanging there.... but there will be a few details like that added yet! :)

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  7. Hi, Betsy - Again, you've begun with a great idea and added layer upon layer of creative perfection. The silver hall table is beautiful, and the mirror with its tree-branch frame is just the right thing - especially with the marbling effect. I really love this piece; it adds such brightness to the hallway. I do wish that more of your Moon Maidens were visible. They're an amazing work of art, and I'm sorry that they must stay hidden away. But - now we all know where they are and can enjoy their beauty in our mind's eye!
    Marjorie

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    1. Thanks Marjorie! I wish the Moon Maidens were more visible too... but such is the nature of this house that there are secret places.... we all have to accept that ! LOL! The hall table isn't quite done.... but you know it might take me a while to "finish" it! LOL!

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  8. You're not alone - we too know that the Moon Maidens are there. ;O) And although it's a pity that these fantastic paintings are barely visible it adds to the interest that every now and then a little glimpse at these shy ladies is possible. The view through the kitchen or the entrance is terrific. Adding the little mirror table was just the right addition, of course because it's for sure a piece needed in any hallway because everybody needs a place to put down stuff after coming into the house. But (and that's no surprise at all)you have not only added a useful piece of furniture but turned it into a gorgeous, stunning, awesome ooak masterpiece. What a great idea to use the tree motif again and to stick to the silver - I can only say "Bravo!" That's true Witchy Chic!

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Dear Birgit..... it is such an accolade to be found in the "Witchy Chic" style! LOL! I have to admit that the nearly invisible Moon Maidens make me wish I had made a way to see them... but I am becoming increasingly aware of the Secretive Nature of this house! It has put me under its spell and I am bowing to its directives... Dark... Moody... Mysterious.... and very entwined with Nature! We shall see what comes next! :):)

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  9. What a great idea Betsy, to make a frame like that! I really think it suits the theme as well as the silvery look of the branches under moonlight. Very cool!

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    1. Thank you Shannon! I wanted it to be a bit like the one in the Parlor... but also a bit different! The silver is such a contrast with the dark hallway... but brings in some of that "moonlit" feeling! I am glad you like it!

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  10. The mirror frame is ~W~O~N~D~E~R~F~U~L~ Betsy! The table has gone from ordinary to extraordinary, and though it is not easily viewed, when you do get a peek, it is simply delightful!

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    1. Thank you Jodi! I knew it would have to be "bright" to be at all visible in that dark hallway and the silver is such a contrast... but I think it works! I still want to "marbleize" the table top and add some accessories.... something that takes me FOREVER to get around to! LOL!

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  11. wow these are amazing dear i like it,thanks for sharing..

    https://clicknorder.pk online shopping in pakistan

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  12. What a great hall table! It fits perfectly to the hall.
    I love those branches!
    Hugs, piikko

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    1. Thank you Piikko! It was challenging to make the top mirror frame fit... but it does! I am really glad it turned out so well. :)

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  13. the hall table is wonderful, but what caught my eye was the old-fashioned refrigerator just around the corner. It is exactly like the one we had in Rye, when I was a child under 10.
    So now I've looked at both your blogs - but I was pre-occupied by that old-fashioned "ice box."
    xoxoxox
    Mom

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    1. Hi Mom! I am thrilled to learn that the fridge is just like the one you had in Rye!!! I will have to do a feature of it soon and show you the interior too...!
      Love you!

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  14. You've created a lovely hall table. I always have to look intensely at your pictures to remind myself which scale you are working in! It's all so realistic.

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