NapoleonicRoom

I have called this room the Napoleonic room as once I found the picture of Josephine that is above the fireplace the room began to take on a life of its own. I painted water colour paper the colour I desired and drew double gold lines around the ceiling and trim on doors and baseboard are also gold. I could have called it the Josephine room but it seems more masculine in the strength of colours in the furniture and walls.



The French went crazy over anything Egyptian - note the leopard skin sphinx chair at the desk and the sphinx supported mirror on the top of the desk. Crystal ball is made of a crystal bead mounted on the base of a large snap. The lamps are lead candlesticks painted gold. The lampshades are electrical caps covered with Napoleonic battle scenes. There are so many to chose from!




I dressed the sleigh bed with cushions of yellow fleur de lise and striped gold as well as a couple of fine lace ones to soften the bedding. The sheets are made of an old fine-lawn handkerchief. Note the Napoleonic bee cushion.
The curtains are temporarily strung as I have not decided if these will be used. I tried the gold striped fabric but it does not fall correctly.



I made the breakfast tray and most of the items on it - this includes the teapot, bread and boiled egg and fruit cup and rose in a bud vase.. also the milk jug and sugar bowl made of beads.
I had a weekend once doing nothing but making frames for all the prints and pictures I thought suitable for the house. I really got a lot of use out of the little mitre box I had bought.



Above is a photo of the Bespac cupboard that I painted in the Biedermeier style and decopaged prints of the Battle of the Nile on the doors. They need little tassels on the knobs I think.

Below we can see the whole room. The chaise lounge with an old-fashioned telephone on the little side table behind it. Vignette includes a bowl of chocolates, clock and framed photograph. A LV style purse and a bunch of roses are on the chaise. Shoes are kicked off and will be found at the end of the weekend still underneath.
To the right is a bombe cupboard that displays a tray of ivory bead bottles. The frame (with photo) was made from a decorative button, silver candlesticks and a couple of old postcards finish the scene.






Perhaps you can see inside the suitcase that contains a blue sweater with a small leather purse on top, stockings in their package and speciality underwear in a Paris box. There are also delicate undies almost concealed under the box of chocolates.

This room is occupied by the youngest daughter, who returns to the home most weekends. Much of the furniture has been in the family for decades but Josephine changes nothing.
She loves to come home, kick off her shoes and relax.