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Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: July 23, 2006 10:11
I just moved, and sadly the furniture came with me. It's white whicker. I HATE whicker. :cry: I only got it for my very first apartment because it was really cheap/free and I didn't think I'd have to keep it.
I have a white whicker:
headboard
3 drawer dresser
6 drawer dresser (3 "rows" of 2 drawers)
Mirror with stand thingy (not sure what to call it)
7 drawer (skinny) dresser
thing with 2 areas to put things and a bottom part with doors.
another 3 drawer dresser, this time with wooden top
trunk
night stand
stand thingy - not sure what it is really
clothes hamper
aaaand
wastebin

UGH!! :twitch:

Any ideas on how to.. I don't know Rivedellify it? Or Rohan, or Gondor, heck I'll take Hobbiton for 500 Alex.

I need some ideas that don't cost too much or take any sewing. A few hand stitches are fine, but no sewing machines. I don't have one.

Also, any clue on what to do with a BUNCH of seagull figurines. I think most are wooden. I don't want them, but someone got them for me so now I'm stuck with them.

Sorry to rant on. :blush: Thanks.

[Edited on 24/7/2006 by Ataralassë_Manveri]

[Edited on 23/6/2011 by ~nólemë~]
vicarcat
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: July 27, 2006 09:15
OK if it is the outer texture you want to change then paper-mache is good.
With paper-mache you can carefully build up a texture over the wicker that
will mimic wood grain.

Cats real wicker paper-mache directions

I am assuming that the wicker is actual wicker and not the plastic stuf;

1) clean as much paint off of the wicker as possible first with paint remover
and then with a stiff metal brush. Once you have the wicker clean check
for broken spots* you may have to repair the spots with stiff paper strips
before going to step 2.

2) making sure you have enough paper to cover the area of wicker you are
working on 5 times... cut the paper into 2 inch wide strips.

3) prepare a thin glue paste [I like to use elmers school glue and water, but
others use a thinned polyurethane glue^].

4) dip your strips into paste a minute before using them making sure they are
saturated but not lumpy with the paste.

5) carefully apply the strips to the wicker with a 1/4 inch overlap of strips.
And procede to cover the total area once.

6) let the whole area dry until slightly tacky then repeat steps 1through 5
drying each layer to tacky before placing the next layer of strips.

7)When all 5 layers of strips are totaly dry turn wicker furniture to next side
and repeat steps 1 through 5 excluding the paint stripping if that is already
done and paying close attention to broken spots*.

After all the sides have been covered paying close attention to make sure
all the paper-mache is totally dry [I recomend waiting 24 hours] go over
the work with a light grained sandpaper. Use a light touch and take off
the rough spots.

9) a) when all the sanding is done cover paper with gesso and after gesso
is dry cover gesso with a coat of nontoxic paint.

9) b) For the wood grain texture you apply the last coat of gesso and take
the wire brush and go over the half dry layer of gesso then after the gesso
drys you fill in the scratches with a darker shade of the paint will you use
to cover the whole piece.
When the dark paint is dry you take steel wool and go over the paint with
a very light touch smoothing the paint and gesso so that the gesso looks
stripped with fine dark lines.
Then you paint the whole thing with the lighter shade of paint covering
the piece with a thin even coat. Letting each layer of the light paint dry
you sand then add layers of the light paint until the dark paint shows
through like a wood grain..

10) Then seal the whole piece with full strength clear polyurethane being carefull to paint the drawers separately from the chest they fit in.

^Please note that the glue paste made of polyurethane drys quickly so the
bowl the paste is in should have a lid to cover it between laying strips.
A lid is always good for the glue paste bowl so if you have a metal or plastic
tub with lid handy do use that...

*to repair broken spots cut paperboard in thin strips the width of the wicker
and weave them into the spot where the hole is replacing the broken wicker
with an inch overlap on both sides of the break.

Gulls hmmm...
Have you thought of putting them on shelves arranged around a print of the Gray Havens?

OK enough from me...

Hope everything goes well...
Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: July 28, 2006 03:37
My Gran would have my head if I paper mached the wicker furniture. (Yes it's the real stuff). Plus remember, I have eleven pieces of it. I do not have the time or patience to even do a single dresser drawer. Okay, I have the time, but my ADD doesn't give me the patience, even with the medication.
My friend has suggested a Grey Havens theme. I'm not too keen on it. My bathroom already has a beach theme. It's okay though I guess the seagulls (and beach chair and lighthouse) will be in a part of the room that you won't notice unless you're looking right at it. --- I have this sort of shelf thing that's built in and near the ceiling, above the door. So, you have to turn around and look up when you enter to see it. I like the lighthouse and beach chair, but I was hoping to put my movie posters up there.
I guess it's okay though. I don't know HOW I'd actually get my posters upt here to begin with. I'll need ladder to get the gulls up there.

I guess I just needed to rant. I'll take pics once everything is in place.

[Edited on 28/7/2006 by Ataralassë_Manveri]
vicarcat
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: July 28, 2006 09:32
Sorry I didnt know about your having ADD. And I had no idea about your Grandmothers reaction to my sugestion...
My Grandma wouldn't criticise but then she was a real sweetheart...
I hope all goes well with your decorating!
CarpetWeaver
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: July 29, 2006 05:23
I think with all that white you might want to go for Hobbit decor or Lothlorien. For hobbit try and add bright greens and yellows. the paper mache thing is a good idea. you can make paper mache leaves or flowers or even stars and paint them and glue them on. For Lothlorien try to vary in blues from light to dark. it might work with those gulls too. If you have a lamp woth a cloth lampshade you can sew the gulls so that the hang off the edge like tassles. good luck.
Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 05, 2006 12:15
I think with all that white you might want to go for Hobbit decor or Lothlorien. For hobbit try and add bright greens and yellows. the paper mache thing is a good idea. you can make paper mache leaves or flowers or even stars and paint them and glue them on. For Lothlorien try to vary in blues from light to dark. it might work with those gulls too. If you have a lamp woth a cloth lampshade you can sew the gulls so that the hang off the edge like tassles. good luck.


I like the idea of Lothlorien. I can't sew the gulls. They're these big ol' wooden things. I got my Gran to agree to take them down. On their own, they're okay, but all together they look like a tourist shop at the beach. :dizzy:
I've found a lovely purple comforter set at Wal-Mart. I hope to buy it once I save up enough money. :love:
I've also been printing out images of Rivendell and those things were costumes are exhibited. There seems to be a lot of glass bottles and whatnots.

It'll take me a while, and more money than I have right now, but I'm determined. :disco:
Aralkariel
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 06, 2006 08:45

It'll take me a while, and more money than I have right now, but I'm determined. :disco:


That's the spirit! Go for it!
Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 18, 2006 09:19
I just got a new comforter. Yay! :love:
I'll take a pic of the one I have now, and do a comparison.



Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 23, 2006 08:00
Pics!
The purple is my new bedspread. The image is from walmart.com

And then the froufrou bedspread I have now. I hate the heck out of it.

I know it's not very clear, but there are those seagulls I mentioned.

I appologize for the size of these, but the clickable thumbnails wouldn't work.


New bedspread

Lace on current bedspread

Current bedspread

Seagulls



Edited to make links to images

[Edited on 8/24/2006 by Goldsand]
Goldsand
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 23, 2006 09:41
New bedspread is very nice ... the seagulls add a nice touch .

I did make links to your images, so as to keep the thread easy to load for those with slower internet connections.

I know I've let some go as they are, such as smaller images, but I need to start being a bit more assertive in keeping the forum more efficient.

Thanks for your understanding .
CarpetWeaver
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: August 24, 2006 12:56
Wow! I like it! It looks very nice. Good job on your decorating!
Ataralassë_Manveri
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: September 14, 2006 11:52
My room now. Doesn't show much, but that's okay. Those horrid seagulls are still there, as I cannot reach them to get them down.

Room


eta: That is supposed to be a clickable thumbnail from photobucket. They work everywhere else I post them. Why do they not work on COE?

[Edited on 14/9/2006 by Ataralassë_Manveri]

[Edited on 11/2/2006 by Goldsand]
vicarcat
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: November 16, 2006 11:01
Ah well the link works now, and your room looks good to me...
Have you any more photos of it?
Would like to show it to my friends here in Portland... if I may.
Hawkstra
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: March 05, 2007 12:55
Lookin good! A possiblity one the wicker- easier then paper mache... Cover it up! Use scarves, throw pilliows, blankets, or anything else that's handy. I couldn't see much from the picture but maybe some plants (fake plants work well too if you're worried about sunlight or water) Keep it up!
Ithileth
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:25
Okay, so we are finishing our barn and we have some blank space on the front of the stalls and the stall door. I was thinking about putting the Tree of Gondor on the doors and some rohan horse designs on the walls.

Does anyone know where I can find pictures of the banners they had up in the Golden Hall? And, how would I go about making them bigger (about 2 feet) to trace them without making them all blury?
tripple_mmm
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:26
the easiest thing is to search some online shops. the pics of the flags are allways great.and it allwys works to use some celtic motives

here are some I've collected



nr. 1
nr.2
nr.3
nr.4
Ithileth
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:26
oh! Thanks!
Shadowfax_Pip
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:26
How are you going to put these up? I mean are you going to print them out or paint them? I would go with painting, just for permanence sake, but that depends on if you are or know someone who is artistic
Shadowfax_Pip
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:27
Gosh that would be a huge piece of paper. if you were closeby I would paint them for you...I love art...
lotr_forever
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:30
I am currently making-over my bedroom and does anyone have any ideas for Hobbit-influenced pillow designs? Or any other decorating ideas that aren't in the 'Last Homely House'?

[Edited on 27/2/2004 by lotr_forever]

(Mod note .. changed thread title only )

[Edited on 5/18/2004 by Goldsand]
Aranimar
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:30
You wouldn't mind an evil character would you?
If you'd like your room to be like Saruman's main chamber, firstly close all curtains and make your room darker. You can close the windows as well but only if there is a good fan or air-conditioning in your room.
If you are not sharing the room with somebody else (a sibling or a roommate) then you can consider leaving some parts of your room in a clutter. This obviously isn't a very good idea, but should you not mind and have too much things anyway, or already have some clutter this is a good idea of making your room a bit like Saruman's chamber, where books and stuff are all over. Leave some space for you to do work of course
A focal point in Saruman's chamber, and even his tower, Orthanc, is the palantir (the computer I'm currently using can't type accents, so I'll leave the accent out of the word "palantir"). We all know that this palantir can see very far, very near, and possibly out of this world. We know of something in the modern world which can do something like that, right? Yes, it's the computer!
If your computer is in your room that's the best. You can label your computer as "My Palantir", or "[Elvish/Hobbit/Black Speech Name here]'s Palantir". You can even cover your computer with a dark-coloured cloth, like in the movie! Another thing you can do is to have as little icons on your desktop on possible, and replace the wallpaper on your computer with a dark-coloured, preferably black, marble texture and look.
That's about all I can suggest. Happy decorating!
Scothia
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:30
Aranimar, would you like to develop this Saruman idea a bit more and submit it as an article for Last Homely House? You'll get 5 points.
ladyeowen
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:31
my room looks like the shire!
i can tell you what i have if it helps
the mirror looks like a hobbit window, the rest pretty much looks like its outside but its really cool!
Lathronethiel
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:32
lotr:

i'd say get some nice cotton light colors for the pillows and embroider simple designs in a darker shade of the same color [like cream and gold, or light and dark greens], or you could even use fabric paint/markers.

for the design itself, i would say somethig like simple celtic, or think some type of maybe 17th or 18th century english country-type stuff.

hope that helps!~
Simbelmyne
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:32
I did an article on Middle-earth cushions - they were quite elvish, but if you changed the colour scheme and embroidered/bought iron-on motifs, possibly something like flowers, they could be adapted to Hobbit cushions and pillows. Hobbits loved green and yellow I believe, so that would be a good colour choice...

Hope that helps!
Goldsand
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:32
Yep it's a great article Simbelmyne .

It can be found here.
Lathronethiel
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:33
that was a good one, i was wondering, are those examples of ones you made or bought?
lotr_forever
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:33
Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!
Ireth_elfmaiden
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:33
The best way to get ideas is to look in the picture galleries with screencaps from the movies in the places you want to make. It is one of the best ways to get style ideas and so on.

I am searching for ideas for an elvish room, and pics of Rivendell helped a lot.

Anyone else out there with clever ideas, would be most helpful even though I think I have a pretty good start so far. Color scheme is the only thing I am still clueless on so far, not sure which elvish realm to take from.
Simbelmyne
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:34
that was a good one, i was wondering, are those examples of ones you made or bought?


Those are ones I bought. If you look around, you can find quite small and cheap shops that sell things like those for about £5 (I don't know how much that is in dollars or anything, sorry) - department stores tend to charge more

[Edited on 22/5/2004 by Simbelmyne]
lotr_forever
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:34
I am sure it is about 3 times that for the Australian Dollar, (about $15) not sure about any other currencies though.
Hope that helps someone...or anyone...
Gimli_and_Gollum
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:34
Alright, soon we will start redoing my bedroom, and I want to do it ME style. I'm planning on have a hobbit hole window right above my bed, and posters and such along the walls. I kinda want all of the feels of Middle Earth in the whole room, my problem is the wall color. I just can't figure out what would be best. I've promised myself that it will not be white, because I am tired of white walls. It could be a really light grey, but not white, lol! I don't know if this will matter or not, but I am a guy, so pink walls are not allowed. Please help, lol!

As for you Ireth_elfmaiden, elves kinda remind me of churchy ways. You could do green, that's a main elf color. Also a tiny bit of red(because of Arwen in the red dress) and blue. That all would remind me of elves I suppose. You know the cool shapes of stain glass windows sometimes, well you could do something like that with your room maybe? Just a suggestion, lol.
StormyBaggins
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:35
I'm new here; hi!
I've been wondering if anyone has ideas for bookends, bookshelves, etc. that are LotR-themed or that look hobbitish or elvish?
Thanks
Gimli_and_Gollum
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:35
What you could do is cut out some fancy looking design(with lots of curves or something like that). Cut out the design on a poster or something like that, and then get black spraypaint and spray over the design. You could do another color other then black of coarse. I think that would be the easiest way. You can always go to Walmart and buy some fake plants and tape them going up the side or something like that.
Old_Tom_Bombadil
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Post RE: Middle-earth Home Decorating
on: June 23, 2011 12:36
I don't know if lotr_forever is still visiting this thread, but the only thing that comes to my mind is the quote about Hobbits being fond of bright colors, particularly green and yellow. We know, too, that hobbit society is primarily agrarian so country, garden, and nature themes are good. Hobbits also enjoy food, drink and, of course, pipeweed. (I don’t encourage the latter, however.)

I have to confess to a bit of Middle-earth inspired decorating myself. My wife and I bought a three bedroom house a year and a half ago. As it is only the two of us one room serves as our bedroom while the other two rooms serve as our home offices. I chose a forest theme for my home office, and have purchased most of the items from the Internet.

I have an amazing leaf pattern wallpaper http://www.decoratetoday.com/products/wallpaper/product_detail_large.asp?ptn=7437926&prid=620904&flagback=False&Scrm=0&largequantity=2&si=4 I purchased from American Blinds, Wallpaper & More.

I purchased a very similar leaf pattern fabric, and had a local shop make curtains. I also purchased a brass-colored curtain rod with leaf-shaped finial from the same site where I purchased the wallpaper.

I've painted my ceiling, door, closet door, window sill, etc. complimentary shades of green. (Yes, the room is very dark but that's the way I like it.)

I've added little accessories to enhance the forest theme:

- My light switch plate is made of wood and depicts a raccoon peeking his head out of a hole in a tree. My mouse pad features a real life photo of the same.

- The pulls on my ceiling fan are handcarved and painted squirrels eating nuts

- I have a novelty phone depicting a frog sitting on a log

- The light for my computer desk looks like a branch with a vine twisting around it

and so on...

On my bookshelf and computer desk I have various LOTR collectibles from Toybiz (action figures), The Noble Collection, Sideshow Collectibles (most notably the Treebeard bust http://www.sideshowtoy.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item=9447&type=store#jpgs which is absolutely perfect for my forest theme!), and so on.

I hadn't originally planned it this way, but my wife and I decided on a Minas Tirith theme for our bedroom. We're going to paint the walls a light shade of blue, and likely have a darker shade of blue for our curtains and bedspread.

We've purchased a print by the Brothers Hildebrandt, The Wedding of the King http://www.spiderwebart.com/enlarge.asp?image=103599b.jpg, that we'll display in the room. We've also purchased an Aragorn Pennant created by Flaggen Pehl, and I'll display my United Cutlery replica of Andúril. (These last two items were purchased from The Mithril Armoury http://mithrilarmoury.com .)

I'm sure we'll be adding to it in the coming months and years.
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