Room Aspect and Details:
The room faces West - colder in the morning than the afternoon. It measures 240cm high x 410cm long and 330cm wide. The windows are within the doors of the French windows to the courtyard and within the doors of the French windows that lead into the Salle de Sejour. There is also a door without windows leading into the en suite bathroom.
Ceiling: Dulux Roman White between original, fat, sand-blasted, oak beams.
Woodwork: F&B Skimming Stone no. 241: Described as a highly versatile off-white. 'Skimming' refers to its original use as a 19th century skim colour.
Bay window tiles: 30 x 15cm². Travertin marble bought at Bricomarché. Treated with clear anti-stain STARWAX .
Oak Floorboards supplied by WoodWorksFrance laid by a competent, experienced builder, who was and is to this day, somewhat still, a very best friend despite all that has happened. I have since treated the wood with 60/40 linseed oil and turpentine.
Bed: Original Victorian iron and brass bedstead, widened and refurbished by Bed Bazaar with a hand made pocket sprung mattress. The story about this bed frame is that in about 1994, I inherited a third of the accident insurance after my father died in Spain. Having slept on a mattress on the floor ever since my early twenties, I decided to raise my sleeping level. I tested lots of beds and mattresses which was fun, but my heart made me inspect iron bedsteads, battered and bashed which had slept no-one for many an age. Horrified at the cost, as I'd never spent this much on furniture, I justified the expense by calculating that it would cost me apx 1p a night for the rest of my life, if I lived to a good old age! I have never regretted the decision and indeed my retreat has given me great comfort for my soul as well as my body. A bed is very important and not just a sleeping place. It's my haven. I like white bed linen although I have been using a brown satin finished bed cover which has an elephant at the centre - a gift from my daughter's visit to Thailand.
Mosquito net: Ecru colour by Klamboe.
Curtains: Laura Ashley fabric circa 1994 (awaiting adaptation)Chandelier: I expect it is French but I bought it for my previous house - a 400 year old inn - where a mezzanine bedroom on the third level overlooked the room in which this hang. In many ways I regret leaving ... but sometimes one has to "move on" and traffic on the street created poor sleeping conditions by vibrating the house. Don't look back except with fondness and memory.
Cheval miroir: Victorian / Edwardian - Inherited from my dearest Aunt Ivy. A little wonky!
Vase: Long Park Torquay. Possibly Aller Vale era. Terracotta. 45cm height. Inherited from my Aunt Ivy filled with peacock feathers and imitation lilies, chrysanthemums and ivy.
Teacher's desk: My school cleared out a storage shed and were about to dispose of this during the summer holidays on a day I went in to work .. the caretaker gave it to me when I asked about it's future!!!!! To remove the 'hot tea-cup' stains we sanded, oiled and loved it! It makes a good surface to store computer related items but it would be nice to move this from my bedroom one day soon!
Carrying the alarm clock and bedside lamp is a mahogany sewing table; lifting the lid reveals blue quilted satin. My daughter inherited this from my Great-Aunt Milly (my father's cousin).My daughter will re-inherit it as I am only the caretaker of a house and items.
Chest of drawers: Inherited after my father died 20 years ago. Spanish - 4 drawers and 6 floral tiles. It is promised to my daughter.
There is no space for the Pine Chest of drawers bought 30 years ago at an antique shop in Suffolk. Lovingly beeswaxed. The space is now the route to the bathroom en-suite.
A wardrobe will have to replace the table.
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