Wednesday, September 1, 2021

La Maisonnette - Entrance Hall


I have no idea what they call the entrance hall in France.

This is the view from where the actual outside door will be.
I am happy to report that after months of the door languishing on my husband's workbench, now we're in lockdown he has fixed it for me.

Just love the lighting in this pic!

I looked through my vast stash of dollhouse furniture trying to find the right piece for the entry.

But it suddenly dawned on me that so far I have made every piece of furniture in this little apartment myself. 
So really there was only one thing I could do!
I would love to have a bow front chest of drawers in the real house but as I can't (too expensive) I made them in miniature (from cardboard) instead. I wasn't going to make them so they could open but I just couldn't bring myself to make them 'pretend' drawers so they do open. 

Because this whole room had to accommodate the kitchen, lounge and dining rooms and the staircase I wasn't sure I should waste any space on an entrance hall. 
(Yes, I've been working on the lighting too...but that's another post!)

But I also didn't want the tiny occupants to walk straight into the kitchen from the outside. 
As it turned out I needed a wall there for the kitchen anyway. 

It think it took longer to decide what should be displayed on top of the drawers 
than it did to make the drawers. 
The angel came from a hairclip I bought on my first overseas trip to Los Angeles in 1992. 
The clip had a row of those little angels. 
It eventually broke and that angel has been patiently waiting for decades for his turn to be upcycled!

It took even longer to find something to go on the wall!
That picture of the water lily is from a very fancy wine bottle wrapper. A friend was about to throw it out when she heard me gasp...so pretty, I've been waiting a couple of years to use it.

I'm using this time in lockdown wisely.
Not too much baking...more mini making.
The government just gave us another two weeks!! 
I live in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city - that's where this Covid Delta outbreak is concentrated.
Here are the current rules we're living under:

Today I started installing that exterior door.
The Patisserie has almost been transformed - VERY exciting!!!
Hopefully that will be next weeks post.

Thank you all for your comments! You've no idea the difference they make to my day.

12 comments:

  1. Gorgeous!
    I can't imagine living in lockdown. The last report before the hurricane blew through was about 5,300 cases in my state (I live in the US). Everything is pretty much normal here, even though we have a mask mandate (which a lot ignore). However, the US is vaccinated at a much higher rate than some other countries. Hang in there!

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  2. That's just beautiful! It's hard to believe that it's cardboard. It looks like an old bureau someone painted because they didn't like the color of the stain and made it pretty.

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  3. Hi Mercedes! What a lovely bowed chest you have made for the entry! It's a welcoming and interesting space that just tickles the appetite for the rest of the goodies in the house!

    Boo for Covid and it's impact on our lives! But, there are ways to make the most of it, and getting the hubs to work on long awaited projects is a great one! In the NY Times this morning there was an interesting article on the time an outbreak lasts. If that holds true for NZ, too, it will likely be two months. I hope you and yours stay healthy and entertained with fun activities however long it lasts.

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  4. Your talent for maximizing tiny spaces and making them appear twice as large, is nothing short of astounding, and the lovely vignettes you've assembled from your scavenged bits and pieces, are an absolute JOY to behold!

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  5. The first thing that caught my eye, was the fabulous 'painting' above the chest! I love how you manage to transform ordinary bits and bobs to amazing miniature treasures.
    The bow-front chest is just the cutest pieces ever and the styling is to die for.
    I hope you and hubby get through lock-down and that if is lifted for you very, very soon.
    Anna

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  6. Your entrance hall is so gorgeous. I love the colours and the chest of drawers. Great picture above it and yo found lovely accessories on the chest of drawers. By the way we call the hall "entrée".
    Geneviève

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  7. Love it! Your drawers are so clever and beautiful!

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  8. You have such a special gift for transforming ordinary bits and pieces into the extraordinary!

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  9. Mercedes, I am sorry to read that you are in lockdown but I am glad that you had mini time. Your entry hall is wonderful and it's so much...you ! I love every single detail. I wish you all the best and I send a tigh hug to you all, Rosanna

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Thank you for your comments!