Decorating Room

[Sirithheruwen]

Wow Meela! Sounds beautiful!

I am currently redecorating a section of my basement for a little hangout for me, and I need ideas! Right now, it is just plain, grey, boring concrete, and it needs to be spiced up! Remember, I have to share the room with my sisters, even if I am doing all of the work, so it can't scream ELVES! or HOBBITS! or ROHIRRIM! I like your ideas, however, Elennar Starfire. Not bad ideas at all!

Right now, my room is about as non-LOTRish as you can go, although it reflects nicely on my personality. The walls are split in half. The top half is bright (but not hot) pink, and the bottom half is a vibrant orange. I have Hawaii-style flowery bedding, and all of my furniture is painted in my accent color, white. I like it a lot, and I wouldn't change a thing!

[mark12_30]

The easiest thing I can think of that would remind *you* of Middle-Earth without overwhelming your siblings, would be to think the way elves think, and make the room as *natural* as possible. Think of (subtly) turning it into a forest, or a garden. Soft greens, quiet browns, sky-blues up high.

Add some good-sized plants if you can (does it have any windows, enough light for plants? A few potted flowers would be lovely.) Add an indoor fountain if you can.

Your sibs should probably be able to deal with a fwe elvish artifacts, and for you that should complete the effect.

If you have any instruments that could pass as elvish, they'll help--you can always play them

You could also add some Celtic- or Indian-print sarongs.

[Raefindel]

I'm still renovating my Flet and I found a really cool ELVEN BATHTUB! Look at this, guys!

.



But, you see, the problem is it is a paltry $6000! I thought I'd faint when I heard that! And the corker is, for that $6000 you have no choice of color!

Still trying to make an elven house, dispite the lack of Elven bathtub.

[Sirithheruwen]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

The easiest thing I can think of that would remind *you* of Middle-Earth without overwhelming your siblings, would be to think the way elves think, and make the room as *natural* as possible. Think of (subtly) turning it into a forest, or a garden. Soft greens, quiet browns, sky-blues up high.

Add some good-sized plants if you can (does it have any windows, enough light for plants? A few potted flowers would be lovely.) Add an indoor fountain if you can.

Your sibs should probably be able to deal with a fwe elvish artifacts, and for you that should complete the effect.

If you have any instruments that could pass as elvish, they'll help--you can always play them

You could also add some Celtic- or Indian-print sarongs.

Plants...hmmm...not enough light, but some fake ones might be nice...
My sibs WOULD NOT be able to deal with any elvish artifacts, however subtle.
Instruments...hmmm...now there's a thought!
Sarongs...nice touch! Thanks for your help mark 12_30!

And lovely bath Raefindel! $6000? No prob! !

[Lhundulinwen]

And I thought I was the only one redecorating like that....
Well right now, all I have money for is posters, etc. from LOTR. All I can find are a few movie posters, but none of the old-timey (is that the word for it now?) posters that were only available online pre-movie craze. Any idea where to find them? And one particular movie poster I WANT (badly): Sam carrying Frodo up Mt. Doom.

Only advice I can give for redecorating is don't be afraid of rich-er colors. Greens, rich reds, and deep golds are all good colors to begin with, as long as they're in small doses. (Think pillows, throws, rugs, etc.) I'd go with a soft brown if you can paint the walls. Oh, and borders can look really cool without being too hard to put up. Visit the discount wallpaper stores. And stores like Lowe's can give you a good deal if you want custom looking handles. (They even have leaf shaped drawer handles!)

Oh my gosh, Raefindel, when I sell my best selling novel (yeah, rrrriiiggghhhttt) I will so buy that tub. Its gorgeous!

[mark12_30]

C'mon, Rae, where's that famous motto of yours?

"Oh, that would be easy to make. That part there, you could make it with stuff you get at the store down the street... You could make the whole thing for a tenth of the cost!"

[Raefindel]

actually, as it turns out, the price the lady quoted on the tub was regular retail. I gave her my contractor's name and viola it was less than half the price! I know it's still a lot, but it's what I want and I'm gonna buy it! Better to get what you want the first time that to regret it forever.

I'll have walls soon! Than I can paint! Can't wait!

[Gorwingel]

And one particular movie poster I WANT (badly): Sam carrying Frodo up Mt. Doom.

Have you ever been to the official LOTR store on the official website www.lordoftherings.net?
That is where all the official posters (the ones that you see in the movie theaters) are sold, and that is where I have bought all of mine (I own 8!). The only problem is since they are official, they are a little bigger than the ones that you would see at the mall, and so it's very hard to find ready-made frames for them. I know that they have the one that you want available there.

Oh Rae, you should get that bathtub! It's so beautiful and so untub like. I could see it in a very Rivendell like setting, with a lot of plants, and my absolute favorite Rivendell accent: Lanterns

[Raefindel]

Gorwingel, I'm gonna order the tub Monday. It'll take 6 weeks to arrive . Hopefully the house will be in a state to recieve it by then. After that I'm never getting out of it! You can bury me in it!

[Lhundulinwen]

Thanks, Gorwingel! I knew I had seen it on the internet, but I was begining to think it wasn't an official poster because I couldn't find it again. You were right, it was at lordoftherings.net. I'll have to find a friend with a credit card I can use, lol. Congrats, Raefindel! Glad your getting the tub of your dreams.

[Meela]

That is one beautiful bathtub! I'd better start saving if I want it in my house.

I'm well on the way to having a beautiful room. I've got more crystals, more shells... and that's about it... there isn't much more I can do to my room. It's very much Dol Amroth.

I want to re-decorate one of the downstairs rooms in the style of Rohan. It's already crammed full of dark wood furniture and elaborate wooden carvings and such.
Actually, I'm not too sure as to what colours a Rohirric room would be. I know they live in a wooden house an' all, but I can't really get that style just yet. So what paint am I looking at? And any general style tips?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Meela, the Rhovanion banner is a white horse on a green field, so I can imagine green/white would be a typical colour scheme. I haven't seen the movie in awhile, so I'm not sure what colours it uses in the Golden Hall (besides gold, of course! ), but if I had to improvise, I'd go for dark, rich primary colours - blues and reds, beside the gold.

[Isowen]

there was something on TV about this......they had a mirror of Galadriel basin thingy in their bathroom, a kind of rivendell- looking archway over a bed, and various fake plants on the walls, which were painted with a marbley effect

[Orominuialwen]

That bathtub is so pretty, Raefindel! I bet it looks wonderful in your house.

I found this beautiful Elvish lamp in the store. It has a swirly off-white fabric shade that hangs down from a black metal stand. It comes in two sizes, tall enough to put on a table, and tall enough to stand on the floor. The problem is that I want the floor one, but it's $50, and I'm too cheap to spend that much money. Maybe I'll ask for it for my birthday...

[Raefindel]

Did you get the lamp for your birthday, Orominuialwen? I've found quite a few Elven lamps myself.

This removation is taking over my life. I need that crew of Dwarves Birdland told us of once.I was supposed to be in the house in June and now I'm hoping and praying We'll make it by December. But I promise I'll show pictures when it's finished.

The bathtub is sitting in a huge box trying not to get sawdust in it...

Boo hoo! Rae wants to take a bath!

[Orominuialwen]

No, I didn't. My family got to go to Chicago to see the LotR symphony instead, so I decided that the lamp could wait until a later holiday. I keep seeing it every time I go that store, so at least it's still there!

[mark12_30]

Resurrecting an old Raefindel thread! I keep thinking about decorating my house in an elvish manner. THinking is cheap. I haven't gone and done it. But YOU SHOULD SEE RAE'S HOUSE! Welcome to Rivendell!! I LOVE IT.

[Raefindel]

I'll post some pics soon.

Maybe we can do some MI decorating at your house if I get there. At this point I'm snowed in, so I'll have to wait a few days before I start walking.

[mark12_30]

OK, so...

Maybe I'll start with a few (two) nice Ficus trees. Garlands?

Paintings of vines and leaves and/or trees? Stencils? Stamps?

I loved your idea of using real leaves for the stamps. For a couple of reasons: One, that would make it so much more life like if I did paint a tree-mural on my wall (been wanting to do that for a while.) Two: You could use five or six different sized leaves, and THAT would make it so much more lifelike.

It's tempting to run out, pick some leaves and try it now. The Problem: It's December... Sigh.

Tendrils... yours are cast iron, and I love them, but I don't have a budget for cast iron... I think maybe I should make a stencil for my tree. Remember the tree that you drew on the mug you made for me? I've been drawing trees like that for years. Trees in bud.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Meela

Voile in the windows, a canopy and drapes over the bed, a thin wicker chair might be nice by the window... some gold or silver borders around the walls, such as elvish patterns and swirly designs.
Ivy is a nice idea, as well.
Quite white, light, airy, nautural colours, lots of drapes, pale cushions, little swirly lampstands, perhaps some crystals hanging from the ceiling or in the window (I have these all over my room, and they catch the light and I get rainbows and light patterns dancing on my walls. Very pretty!)

Oh, and if it wasn't so expensive, it would be great to put a couple of small pillars or columbs in the window, either side. Sort of Greek, only more elvish...

[ November 06, 2003: Message edited by: Meela ]

...Meela, if you're still around this was brilliant stuff... I won't do the capnopy over the bed, but moonlit/starlit stuff, and sparkles to catch the sunlight... oooooo. Love the sparkles. I can pick up some of those, surely...

EDIT

All right, since it's Christmastime, I dug up some old garland. Green, or green and white. So Five peices of garland are draped around my living room: three over painting frames, and two hanging off of (tree-shaped) sconces. (Why I didn't buy two more of those tree-shaped sconces, I don't know. ) I also picked up three holly sprigs and stuck those coming out of the top of the paintings.

It's a big improvement. I'm wondering if I can get away with a few green sarongs as drapery... Hmmm.

Need sparkle chrystals for the windows. Where can I get those in volume?

[Raefindel]

You can DEFINATELY get away with sarongs as drapes. That makes it simple.

Sparkley crystals in volume is harder. The're expensive everywhere I've ever seen them, but it gives an elf gift ideas.

[mark12_30]

It's tempting to run out, pick some leaves and try it now. The Problem: It's December... Sigh.

On the other hand... I have several garlands. Ivy, and standard oval leaves.

And there's the ficus tree....

[Lalwendë]

I bought a box of 'raindrop' Christmas decorations from John Lewis a couple of years ago - they weren't expensive at all, and look like little crystals hanging from the tree and twinkle nicely in the light, despite being made of acrylic or plastic or something like that. My mum loves them. Might be worth checking out some Christmas decoration ranges if you want crystals but cheaply.

[mark12_30]

Hmmmm-- good idea! Thanks.

THe scary thing about improving the bedroom is that first Ihave to CLEAN it. No wonder elves live in flets-- one good wind, and it's done.

[mark12_30]

THis shouldn't have taken me so very much by surprise but it hit me that since (as a mom) I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I should make that a place where I am happy. Elvish. Sparkly, viny, leafy.... tendrils, stars, silver lamps? Ideas? Has anybody decorated their kitchen in a middle-earth manner, and what did you do?

I would, once, have decorated as if it was Bag-End. But I think now I am looking for the kitchen in Lorien, or perhaps the kitchens in Mithlond...

What would an elvish kitchen LOOK like?

[mark12_30]

Second question. The basement, around the woodstove.

And over by the laundry, too. Now I realize elves don't have (or need?) washing machines. But they do, some of them, live underground. How do I take a normal basement-- with rafters, a cement floor, and lolly columns, and a single casement window ( the other is in Gary's workshop) and turn it into something less mannish and more elvish...? I'd start with a rug but that's where the wood comes in for the woodstove, so rugs are sort of out.

[Andsigil]

Some might enjoy some of the pictures here. They're hobbitish in flavor. Quite inspiring.

http://www.bendshire.com/

http://www.alongexpectedparty.org/desktop%20page.htm

[Raefindel]

Ooh! Love those sites!

Helen, I don't know if you remember, but I took you to a little shop in Poulsbo that had a concrete floor; they'd painted it a pale, sandy color (they had a seaside motif) and painted shells on. Yep! They painted the concrete floor and it was beautiful.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

THis shouldn't have taken me so very much by surprise but it hit me that since (as a mom) I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I should make that a place where I am happy. Elvish. Sparkly, viny, leafy.... tendrils, stars, silver lamps? Ideas? Has anybody decorated their kitchen in a middle-earth manner, and what did you do?

I would, once, have decorated as if it was Bag-End. But I think now I am looking for the kitchen in Lorien, or perhaps the kitchens in Mithlond...

What would an elvish kitchen LOOK like?

Wouldn't there be several elven styles of kitchen? Assuming that they eat more than just lembas, of course. The flets of Lothlorien don't lend themselves to large ovens, so I would think of something that would include small portable stoves, or even bbqs at the base of the trees and earthen ovens on the ground. Rivendell would be less "en air" as it were and possibly would have large formal kitchens where vegetables would be cleaned and a wall for hanging herbs to dry. But where to place the slaughtering house for chickens, rabbits, other fowls, and larger animals--unless elves are vegetarians. Mirkwood I think would have heavy beamed kitchens, maybe even smokey and dark, real old fairy tale kitchens. And would they have an ice room, lacking modern electrical refrigeration or would there be some elven high art for that? But honestly, I cannot imagine a sort of upstairs/downstairs arrangement for any elven home.

And as for basement, well, one could lay stone on top of cement if one didn't want to go Raefindel's delicate route of painting. But as for

something less mannish and more elvish

I can't help but think of Gilgalad and the long line of elven warriors and wondering what their homes were like. Or did they live in tents like many an army does? Then their laundry facility would be outdoor clothes lines, no?

Just a few thoughts.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

THis shouldn't have taken me so very much by surprise but it hit me that since (as a mom) I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I should make that a place where I am happy. Elvish. Sparkly, viny, leafy.... tendrils, stars, silver lamps? Ideas? Has anybody decorated their kitchen in a middle-earth manner, and what did you do?

I would, once, have decorated as if it was Bag-End. But I think now I am looking for the kitchen in Lorien, or perhaps the kitchens in Mithlond...

What would an elvish kitchen LOOK like?

Hey, do you remember the cottage in Devon for sale with murals of Goblins and Fairies and Elves all over the kitchen walls by Alan Lee, Brian Froud and Charles Vess?

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthr...highlight=alan

I checked the link on there and you can still see the pics.

[mark12_30]

Bethberry, many interesting ideas.

I think perhaps the first step is (sigh!) to clean it all. The Laundry, that is, and the woodstove 'room'. A few local rugs would be good (that's where the dead rugs end up, of course. So it's another step, finding a not-dead rug. Wish I could put an area rug down there but... really in a laundry, with two boys-- not a good idea. )

THen I think Rae's idea of painting is the next step-- Laundry and woodstove room. The grey cement walls need to be less blackish; I'm not sure if I should go all the way to white; white will show the smoke. Cream will always look dirty around a woodstove. Hmm. Woodstove... brick would be the obvious choice; guess a woodstove is more hobbitish than elvish.


The awkward thing is of course all the appliances... well appliance & water filtration is in the woodstove room; furnace is in the laundry room. How do you disguise a furnace...? Of course one can't, really. Wishful thinking. I must decorate around it or in spite of it. THe freezer...? I guess I could put a poster of trees on it...

[Raefindel]

You said my house was very elven, yet I made no attempt to hide the modern conveniences.

Just bring in what style you can and it will work.

[Beregond]

This may be a bit "out there" but you mentioned "lolly columns" which I assume are some form of metal support - what about carving a painting styrofoam (the dense kind) and sticking it over the pipe to form an elven carved column (the movies may provide good reference for elvish columnar design). Of course it will make the upright bigger, more susceptible to bumping, which would be bad for the styrofoam. Hence way "out there."

I also found this Yahoo Q, which includes a link that may be helpful: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...1122128AAFWBsc

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Here's an idea to pep up appliances - how about leaf decals? They could look like vines, bushes, or just a few fallen leaves, depending on how thickly you strew them, thereby tying in the modern necessities with decorated surroundings. A few on top, down the fronts and sides...

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

OK, so...

Maybe I'll start with a few (two) nice Ficus trees. Garlands?

Paintings of vines and leaves and/or trees? Stencils? Stamps?

I loved your idea of using real leaves for the stamps. For a couple of reasons: One, that would make it so much more life like if I did paint a tree-mural on my wall (been wanting to do that for a while.) Two: You could use five or six different sized leaves, and THAT would make it so much more lifelike.

It's tempting to run out, pick some leaves and try it now. The Problem: It's December... Sigh.

Tendrils... yours are cast iron, and I love them, but I don't have a budget for cast iron... I think maybe I should make a stencil for my tree. Remember the tree that you drew on the mug you made for me? I've been drawing trees like that for years. Trees in bud.

Have you ever seen a corkscrew willlow tree? I used to have a fine specimen in the yard of a farmhouse I once owned. They are absolutely amazing, because, unlike their weeping willow cousins, their branches go straight up and are convoluted and gnarled and spiraling. I made a few staffs and canes out of the branches. Here's some examples of the tree:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/3...8e6fbe.jpg?v=0

http://www.denverplants.com/floral/images/cf0095a.jpg

http://www.dagardenguy.com/page1/fil...g_entry1_1.png

http://www.landscapeproblemsolver.co...rew_willow.jpg

It would be very interesting in a design motif.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Here's an idea to pep up appliances - how about leaf decals? They could look like vines, bushes, or just a few fallen leaves, depending on how thickly you strew them, thereby tying in the modern necessities with decorated surroundings. A few on top, down the fronts and sides...

NIce. And here's a funny-- I already have leaf decals on my computer (at work!) And I got them at the dollar store. Definitely not standard issue... Yes, this takes remembering. The decals are usually right next to the stencils, so this should be easy to do.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Have you ever seen a corkscrew willlow tree? I used to have a fine specimen in the yard of a farmhouse I once owned. They are absolutely amazing, because, unlike their weeping willow cousins, their branches go straight up and are convoluted and gnarled and spiraling. I made a few staffs and canes out of the branches. .

Are these the "Harry Lauder's Walking Stick"? I've seen a few, in real life. Fascinating specimens. Celtic knot-trees! Hmmm, I hadn't been planning on a lot of celtic knot-work, but that may be a serious omission. I must re-think that one. Thanks, Morthoron, that's a good idea!

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Beregond

This may be a bit "out there" but you mentioned "lolly columns" which I assume are some form of metal support - what about carving a painting styrofoam (the dense kind) and sticking it over the pipe to form an elven carved column...

Hmmm, nice thought, Beregond. I will keep that in mind! I do have a forest theme brewing, and it makes sense to also have a few trees in the basement. Four, in fact.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

Are these the "Harry Lauder's Walking Stick"? I've seen a few, in real life. Fascinating specimens. Celtic knot-trees! Hmmm, I hadn't been planning on a lot of celtic knot-work, but that may be a serious omission. I must re-think that one. Thanks, Morthoron, that's a good idea!

'Harry Lauder Walking Sticks' are actually 'Corkscrew Hazels' or 'Contorted Filberts' (what a great name for a band!). It is a shrub, but the effect of the spiraling branches are the same as the corkscrew willow.

[Beregond]

Hoom, hmmm, while I'm still "out there" you could, in fact, use real tree trunks. Either somehow split and hollowed out to be put back together around the column, or have branches wrapped around, or something. Wood is better than metal anyhow.