In the Pink

After deciding to paint the drawing room pink I was anxious to make or find the right colour. Pink is such a happy pretty colour but the wrong pink can be terrible, baby pink or shocking pink. 

I had purchased a tin of what I thought was pale pink mat acrylic some time ago and when I opened it the colour was really bright. I tried adding some off white but it didn't change the colour much. I then added some black but that only turned the pink into mauve, much worse. I tried three times to no avail. My next attempt made a sort of shrimp pink ( to the right )  really not what I wanted. 

Then I had the idea to add ochre yellow, a lot of ochre yellow and the pink became the right pink. I will be shading the walls, slightly darker in corners etc to achieve an aged effect.

The 'before' and 'after' with the ochre artists colour. 

Trying out some complimentary tones for the doors and skirtings. Pink is wonderful but next to white it's really not good. I chose the 'Shaded White' from F&B.

The wallks = pink, the doors and base boards etc = 'Shaded White' and the ceiling= Linen white.

In my previous post I told you about rushing and forgetting the electrics, well I did it again with the power outlet but before going to bed I sorted that out and that was going to be that.

THEN. 

I had had the idea in the beginning to make a 'dining room' end to the drawing room one way or another. I knew I didn't want to cut the room with a wall and I don't like rounded arches. I had begun the ceiling cornicing and was about to continue around to the left of the fireplace when I changed direction and decided to go with my first idea. I also wanted to lower the ceiling at the dining end to make it more interesting. If I had not done this the Drawing Room would have just been one large room, not architecturally intersting. I had to angle the ceiling molding piece over the fireplace once in place to make it turn to the left over the lowered section ! Not easy but I managed.  You can see that I tape up all the things I have NOT to forget ! Poodle brain ! The cornicing will surround the sitting end of the room and a more simple version will surround the dining end. I want to set some LED spots into this lower ceiling, still have to get my head around that!

Opposite the back door leading to the hallway I will make a built in shelf unit to display the gorgeous porcelain that I have yet to find!

I decided to add the walls in pieces as I go and unify and strengthen the whole with an outer skin glued over the patchwork walls. 

Trying out a different door surround from the others with the same round motif in the corner.

The doors ready to install, have run out of whisky so they are on hold!

I painted them 'Shaded White' and patinated and sanded and varnished them. I glued on a lock, the hallway side of the doors have different handles. I figured that the lock should be on the Inside.

I covered the fireplace wall in 350 gm kraft card as I had addded some wood to the left and needed a nice smooth surface. This card is great for levelling walls and adjusting levels. 

I will put in place a 'chair rail' around the room and panels above and below. 

I painted the fireplace in the same 'Shaded White' as the doors. I will shade it to show fire damage and soot stains. The parquet floor will really make this room once the walls are pink. I need a large needlepoint carpet ( will take ten years to make ! ) and a green sofa to 'pop' against the pink.

It is going to be tricky to fit the surround to this door and paint in this corner but others have managed so let's hope nothing strains! 

I am at that point where several things have to be done more or less at the same time. You can see below the power outlet that I still have to fit the base board around. 

If I had to do this house again I think that I would have made each room a separate box and then link by the door frames.