Decorating Room

[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 ]

[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.

[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.