grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 After finishing my half inch scale cottage last year I had no desire to do any more mini work, so I took a break. Recently I ordered a room box kit and decided to use a resin colonial kitchen fireplace from Aztec that I hadn't sold. I saw online where someone had redone theirs, said it took paint really well, so I got out my paints. I've attached a photo of the original fireplace and another of it repainted. I'm still working on it, and am the point where I don't want to mess it up now. The original brick color was just too brown for me. Wanting to make things easier on myself this time around, I decided to spray paint the hutch cabinet and a table. I bought the flattest spray paint I could find, and it came out flat enough till the last shot of green, when the cabinet finish suddenly turned too glossy. Fortunately some delicate sanding with steel wool toned it down. I'm not sure abou the red on the table. It's close to what I wanted, but now quite. Why is it that every time I find a moderately priced miniature I really like, I find out that it's been discontinued? I had a great little walnut ladderback chair and was hoping to find another one, but no luck. Instead I repainted a couple of white ones I had. It took about 4 coats of paint to finally get them to look the way I wanted them to. I need to tone down the seats, though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnmini Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 We all need an occasional break. Welcome back. oh my- I really do like the "improved" fireplace! Much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Thank you, Jackie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I think the fireplace looks fantastic repainted. That is painstaking work, and you have lovely gradations in color and tone on your bricks. The rest of your furniture looks good, too. You'd never know the chairs started out white. The seats look fine to me, but it may just be the way they're photographing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 The fireplace looks so much better. I peeked around your blogs, and thoroughly enjoyed them. It is nice to see you back here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Oh, am I ever glad to see you back, Grazhe! You make the very best eye candy. I use crochet cotton to weave chair seats and a drop of blond maple or pine stain in a cup of lacquer might tone down that bright seat color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Miniature Madness Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 The pieces look great together! You did great on the fireplace rehab! I think you're off to a great start on a wonderful little scene! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 1 hour ago, havanaholly said: I use crochet cotton to weave chair seats and a drop of blond maple or pine stain in a cup of lacquer might tone down that bright seat color. Hm - I may try that. Could I thin the stain with rubbing alcohol and apply it? Thanks everyone, glad you all like the way it's coming along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 1 minute ago, grazhina said: Hm - I may try that. Could I thin the stain with rubbing alcohol and apply it?... You could thin it with turps if it's oil-based stain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 I was thinking of turpentine or mineral spirits at first, but then I started wondering how long the smell would last? I took a quick look online and saw people had a hard time getting rid of the smell on clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Test it on an inconspicuous spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I love love love how you improved your fireplace. I have the same one and I want to try making it like yours but I'm quite sure I lack your talent but frankly anything will be better than that brown. Unless I put it in a 1974 house...hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madtex1967 Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Glad to see you back at it! I have admired your work for some time! We all need a break now and then. I went through an 8 year one once. It only helped to fuel my creativity and got me excited again to work on miniatures again. The fireplace and furniture look great! A big improvement over the original! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Elsbeth said: I love love love how you improved your fireplace. I have the same one and I want to try making it like yours but I'm quite sure I lack your talent but frankly anything will be better than that brown. Unless I put it in a 1974 house...hmmmm. Jenn, I dabbed on raw sienna, then red oxide using a 3/4 round stipple brush with a basic pouncing motion, just a bit of paint on the tips of the brush. Try it on the side of the fireplace that's not going to be seen to see how it looks. That way you can quickly wipe it off if it didn't come out right. Later I used a blend of an off white (I used Michael's Color Traditions Warm White) and a creamy light brown (I have an old bottle of Folk Art Acorn Brown that worked well for me). I applied the lighter color blend with a smaller stipple brush very lightly and rubbed it around with my finger. And yeah, I think my old house that was built in '72 had a brown brick fireplace. Matt, are those neglected houses in boxes calling to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madtex1967 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 9 hours ago, grazhina said: Matt, are those neglected houses in boxes calling to you? They are! I started back after my long break building the Garfield. I finally sold it (at a great loss) after feeling stagnant with it. Now I am working on the Cape May and the others are calling me. I keep thinking of starting on one of the small ones like the Vineyard Cottage or the Glencroft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 This afternoon I was carefully measuring and cutting the boards that were going to cover the walls. Suddenly I thought to myself : oops! better see how the frame that holds the glass fits around the front of the box before I start gluing on the wall boards. That's when I discovered the frame and glass didn't fit correctly. Why? It was because I'd left off gluing on the top of the room box so it would be easier to do the wall and floor boards and somehow turned the box the wrong way. Now the furniture I picked doesn't fit the way I thought it did. It's ok, I can fix everything. Just annoying, though. Of course, don't we always run into annoying problems when we build? I do every single time.....over and over again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 1 hour ago, grazhina said: ...don't we always run into annoying problems when we build? I do every single time.....over and over again. I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 You've done a wonderful job resurrecting that fireplace. It looks lovely. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 The hearth, walls and floor are done. I made bricks to cover the floor in front of the fireplace. I painted stripwood with burnt sienna, then pounced on a couple shades of brown and a mixture of warm white and acorn brown. Then I cut the strips into bricks and beveled all 4 edges of each brick. After I glued them down I added a bit more of the white and acorn brown mixture pouncing with my stencil brush. I wound up staining the floorboards 3 times with 3 different shades. The golden pine and golden oak sort of clashed with the brick floor, so I topped the boards off with my favorite cherry stain. I'd been looking at pictures of old 18th century boards and wanted a similar sort of look. It came out pretty much the way I wanted it. The walls are sheathed in whitewashed boards, which was pretty common back in those times, and have black baseboards, also pretty common. Now the room looks much smaller than it did. Originally I was going to make a settle by the fireplace, but there just isn't much room in there once I put the cupboard and table in, so I guess I'll save the settle for another project. One of the reasons I like to design my own dollhouses is that I can decide what kind of furniture I want to put in there, then build the rooms to fit the layout. Oh yeah, I decided the room is set in the Revolutionary War period. Next time I do a historic period room it'll be earlier or a little later. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 I just noticed that it doesn't show up well in the photo, the "chimney" above the fireplace is also sheathed in whitewashed boards, leaving a shelf atop the lintel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beulah Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Looks amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I keep looking for the Dutch oven baking whatever in the coals in the fireplace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 On 7/12/2017, 5:30:29, havanaholly said: I keep looking for the Dutch oven baking whatever in the coals in the fireplace. Holly, I have assorted iron cookware to be added, A few pieces are sitting on the hearth in the picture below. I've been working on the room, still have to embellish the hearth area, add some things to the walls, plus some this n' that, and put the ceiling on. The ceiling with timbers will be the last thing. What the room looks like so far: Forgot to mention I went and made myself a bucket bench, and when it was all done, I found I had 2 antiqued bucket benches in boxes stashed away. I used to sell the antiqued ones in my store. I guess I'll be listing the ones I found into my ebay store. It's ok, I wanted this bucket bench to look new anyway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I figured you'd have all the cast iron cookware! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 49 minutes ago, havanaholly said: I figured you'd have all the cast iron cookware! I hoarded all my unsold cast iron and pewter ware for myself. I found that stuff is so hard to get when you really want it, and since I gravitate towards period settings I always need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.