Beacon Hill Revisited

According to the dates on the progress photos, the Beacon Hill has languished without attention since May of 2013. (The most recent post here is February 2013,) I'm a bit befuddled as to where to jump in to again press forward. I think I will work on the outside first. The minor bashing done inside is complete. (The stairway is removable and the originally staggered wall between living room and entrance hall has been straightened.)

A few weeks ago I pulled out all of the furniture and accessories in the BH box and staged the unfinished rooms to see where we stand furnishings-wise. I've photographed each one to serve as a benchmark for measuring progress. The furnishings will be packed up again while the exterior is finished.

In this overall view of the back, notice the bedroom (middle floor right) and the bed in the box at lower left. This bed is much too bulky for the space. I need to find a more delicately scaled double bed.

Top floor left: Not sure what this room will be. Maid's room? Nursery? If you click the photo to enlarge it, you'll see a sewing machine, basket of yarn, and a water buffalo carving. If that combo doesn't spell indecision, I don't know what would.

Top floor hallway: a doll house, trunk, and stereoscope. More indecision.

Top floor right: The doctor's office. I don't think the term man cave was popular in the 1890s, but this is definitely a hideaway for the doctor who lives here with his wife, the lovely Sophia. They are free people of color (f.p.c.) who live in this lovely home in the Garden District of New Orleans. Sophia is, at the moment, visiting the voodoo sorceress and healer, Marie Laveau, looking for help in conceiving. Their success will likely determine how the other two rooms on the top floor are used.

Middle floor, left: bathroom. The Chrysnbohn  bath fixtures set needs to be assembled. I'm not sure if I'll use the bathtub. I'm thinking a slipper tub might fit better, both space and era-wise.

Middle floor center: hallway.

Middle floor right: the master bedroom. I'd like to use the screen, which I embroidered, as well as the armoire, but each command a presence. Once I find a bed that works, they will have to be auditioned again.

Ground floor left: dining room. This is the set I build last fall. The chairs are not upholstered yet. Waiting to choose wallpaper. I think it will be easier to coordinate fabric to paper than the other way around.

Ground floor center: entrance hall. I think I'd like to see a round rug under a nice pedestal table holding a large bouquet of flowers. Mirrors may make it easier to see details by the front door.

Ground floor right: living room. The octagonal table may move to the entrance hall to hold the vase of flowers. This room needs a settee, tables, etc.

So I'm happy to pack away these furnishings for the time being and work on the outside of the house. Truth be known, I'd like to be working on the Pierce/Bohemian Inn, but can't justify having both houses under construction at the same time, nor is there enough room for them in our small studio.

Haunted Hangout has a new home

Last spring we left our home in Missouri to become permanent residents of New Orleans. Packing the miniature houses was a bit of a challenge. They went into storage with the moving company for several weeks, then were transported bout 900 miles on a large moving van to climate-controlled personal storage a half mile or so from our condo.

How to fit the houses into this much smaller abode is a challenge, but as Halloween is coming, the Haunted House made the move. I was eager to see how it had survived its adventure. The photos show the unpacking process. Much of the accessories and are glued in place, but the skellies were carefully wrapped in paper towels and stuffed inside. I neglected to take photos of that part. All of the skeletons came through perfectly.

The house was wrapped in bubble wrap and buffered with pieces of Styrofoam packing material. 

The house is sitting on Lloyd's mother's hope chest. Its turntable is in another box still in storage, but it is light enough to be turned manually for viewing.  The ceramic and Plexiglas sculpture beside it is one of Lloyd's pieces. The blue yarn pouring out from between the panels gives rise to its name: Cascade.

To view details of the Haunted Hangout, click on the Haunted Hangout link at the side.