Progress.... of sorts

It's been far too long since my last update on progress of La Mignonette....

I've been busy, busy, busy, but not, unfortunately, with my little shop.  However, I can report the following....

Last time I showed you my lucky ebay find.... some small fancy frames which I hoped would work well as French style l'oiel de boeuf dormer windows.

Having puzzled about how to fit them convincingly onto the sides of the mansard roof, and being a bit pants with angles, I subcontracted the task to Perfectionist Partner, who set about solving the riddle.

Her first attempt, using foamboard to construct a rectangular frame was very well executed, but it wasn't quite what I wanted.  So she went back to the drawing board, and with the aid of a cardboard tubular box, which had contained a most acceptable single malt whisky, came up with this.....

The frame and tube are temporarily held in place with Blu-Tack so that I could see how they worked together.  The angle of the tube where it meets the roof is absolutely perfect, and the frame fits neatly on the front.  Once they're painted and properly mounted I'm satisfied that all three windows will look wonderful.  And I've saved a small fortune on buying proper cast resin ones.

Here's how the window looks from the front..... bear in mind that it will have 'glass' in place when it's finished.

Also, with the interior in mind, I found this rather lovely chair on ebay this month.....

 

It's in exactly the style I'm going to try to achieve in the downstairs shop area.... French shabby chic.  I really like the soft, washed out colours too.


I'm itching to get stuck in and start the construction proper, so to that end, I'm going to raid all my boxes and drawers shortly so see what I have in the way of wooden mouldings - skirtings, architraves, cornicing etc.  I also think that I have some distressed wooden floorboards somewhere, which would be perfect on the floors.


Tomorrow, I'm planning on buying some paint for the exterior.... not quite sure what colour I'm going to end up with.... something pale dove greyish perhaps, or sandstone.  I've got a Farrow and Ball paint sample book to help me decide.  Their period colours are really lovely, and not so harsh as modern paint tones.


So..... lots to do.... best go and get on.