Coffered, Bossed and Gilt

The Dome - Part Two....

I hope you will forgive me, Dear Readers, for I am sure that Some of you will think that this is Way Over Done... while I am sure that it is Not Quite Done! I warned you that the ceiling as you last saw it was Not At All as I had Imagined it! I am certain that this style of ceiling was not what I had originally imagined for this room, but then it had to have a Dome to accommodate the bed.... and I had recently been looking at a Book I got for my birthday which featured some of the Awesomely Ornate Interiors of British Country Houses... and there were a bunch of Amazing plasterwork and gilt ceilings.... and so the Idea happened to make this ceiling in the style of those ornate plaster ceilings! Easier Said than Done!
You may recall that the room is irregularly shaped... so the "octagonal" dome is also irregular... which means that none of the sections are the same shape or size! I had to cut patterns individually and then make each layer of the cardboard for the "coffers" carefully cut to fit.....

Here below you can see one section with the three layers cut 

and the central openings cut out in graduated sizes...

along with one of the sections already painted and testing the "bosses"...

(those raised textured pieces made from jewelry findings...)

And here below you can see the dome with the first sections being tested for looks...

 And adding more sections.... 

coffers cut, stacked and painted and bosses too....

This was an amazingly slow and tedious process!

I needed to keep testing this in place....

Because I wasn't sure how it was going to look....

 

Although it really was impossible to get a feel for it 

with the sections only partly painted....

And particularly when the all white textured ....

 "trying to look like plaster"... ceiling was tested.....

I know some of you will think "Oh, she should have stopped right there....!"

With the current fashion for Minimalism and all-white interiors.....

But I could Not stop there! I had seen the pictures in that Book!

I wanted Gilt bosses!

So I added the gold paint.... no they are not truly "gilded".....

And tested it again....

And I wanted the edges to be corded in gold roping.....

I know, it is barely noticeable... 

on a ceiling it is really hard to see....

But I thought it added Just the right touch.....

So I glued the thread on one section at a time.....

And then we Have to see it in place again....

Can you see the difference????

No?????

I know it is hardly visible.... 

But I think it adds a definite Edge to the coffers....

And then the question of whether or not to add the central Bosses.... 

And ... to Gild or Not to Gild...?

But having come so far, Dear Readers, I was loath to leave it there.... 

afraid to try for the defining moment....

And so to give myself Courage, 

I looked again at the pictures of those Incredible ceilings....

And went for the Gold!

I Know, it is rather Dizzying to our Modern sensibilities.....

But I like to think of this Tree House as being from those Older Times....

Of course we Have to see how it looks in place....

You have no idea how difficult it is to photograph.....

It can't be seen unless you are on your knees looking up....

But perhaps it is worth all the effort...?

And we can Pretend we are looking up at a Baroque Gilt Plaster Ceiling?

It is Almost Done, Dear Readers..... 

and even if some of you think it is Over Done...

I Know it is Not yet Done!

 The Dome.... Part Two...

More to come!