Light brigade

When preparing myself psychologically for the glueing down of the floor I realised that there was no light switches in the room! How to put on the lights ( is this going too far ? ) 

I love antique brass light switches but the ones I saw for sale in miniature were really bad resin ones.

So I thought how hard could it be to make some.

I used similar brass studs to the ones used for the wall cornice moldings. For the button I found some ball headed wires. I folded in the spikes, made a pre hole in a piece of mount board, put a dab of glue to the back of the stud, pushed the pin through the stud ( after piercing a hole ) and into the card. I bent the pin behind the card after cutting it short. I then bonked the stud with a Hammer to push the pin-switch into the stud.  I then did this again to make a double switch.

Trimmed down and pre painted.

A coat of pink, I wanted the switch to seem like it had seen many layers of paint over the years as I do with all the house. 

The switch in place, painted and patinated with some umber.

I stained the floor surround in case there were ( and are! ) tiny gaps between the floor and wall when glued down.

As you can see I went for the pink walls. The first reaction was not the best. I found it very baby pink but it turned out to be the lighting which was too brash. I did dirty up the colour with a wash of burnt umber which also helped.

The woodwork dirtied up and varnished and below the pink paint before the patination. It was so much easier to work on this panel than the walls of the main build. There will be window blinds and a few pictures on the walls plus a 'picture light' placed where the hole in the panel is placed.

Now you don't see it, now you do! I suddenly realised that there was a panel missing at the side of the door. Soon remedied but now has to be painted up and patinated to match the rest.

Now another dilema ! I had purchased this frame for this room but suddenly it seemed too dominant for the wall size. I'm not sure that mirrors go up over the ceiling moldings. I didn't want it to rest on the mantle so that would bring it up even more.

I fished out this round one that was going to go into the hall, it still has no glass or gold patina. I could paint it black as this would contrast nicely with the pink. 

I have decided to try to make a mirror specifically for this space and if it turns out not to be good then I will re think the problem. I still have to finish the patination of the pink then glue in the floor and wall lights. The new lights I ordered for each side of the mirror, my third lot, came but were too big for the space and stood out too far. I am going with my second choice for which I made lampshades.

This room will be quite dim despite the lighting so the pink will be a lot softer and should give a nice atmosphere once finished. There will be a large chandelier over the main room, two over mantle lights, a picture light, two table lamps and the dining room LED spot lights in all plus the light from the back window.

I thought that this might help for anyone wishing to make some switches. 

The studs came from the craft section of a sewing shop and the pins from Etsy. 

My next post should be with the floor glued in and the lights fixed in place. I have done a dry run on the weights needed to hold down the floor as it dries. I have cut a piece of heavy mdf to lay on the parquet and heavy weights to press down. I will pre glue the card on which the parquet in made and really glue the floor and hopefully the two surfaces with knit and stay in place. 

Where's the vodka? Oh I forgot I Don't drink ! 

Huge hug to all you lovely followers.