Renaissance / Medieval Home Decorating

[Magister]

Welcome to the RF.com Renaissance / Medieval Home Decorating Thread

This thread is for everyone to post their ideas on Renaissance and Medieval home decorating. It doesn't matter what you've done with it, just that you've made it your own. As usual, just a few rules to help keep everything straight.

Rules for Posting

1. This thread is for decorating chat ONLY. Please do not post random comments about the sky, grass, or kittens .  Unless they count as decorations.

2. Please be respectful of those that take the time to post their work and suggestions. 

3. Have Fun!

Mag
Crafting Forum Moderator

[serenamoonsilver]

Um...I'm guessing that this thread is a victim of copy/paste is hopefully actually about discussing ren/medieval home decorating.  I thought I'd put up a list of useful links:

Ideas
Dark Needles  More Gothy, but very over the top.
Castle MagicYes, you can actually hire them, but I've always thought of it as more of an idea site.
Modern Medieval Home Companion
Cool Castle build by SCA people!
The Shire  LotR inspired community.
Serena's Ideas  My own yahoo group that has huge photo collection and link selection.  You have to join to view.
BBC Guide to Gothic Style
Medieval Home Decor Guide
Council of Elrond  Click on Last Homely House for LotR inspired decorating ideas.
Fantasy Mansions
Middle Earth Decorating Group
Armor of God Decorating Guide
Theme Bedrooms for Kids


Vendors/Shops
20th Century Lighting
Manhattan Interior Designs
Middle Earth Furniture
American Iron Bed Company  Gothic inspired beds
SPW More Gothic iron furniture
Arteso Medieval Furniture
Orignal Forgery Ironworks
Renaissance Style Tiles
Rob Mills Architectual Antiques
Wall Murals

[Magister]

serenamoonsilver:

  Update the first post to remove references to RF pins...  Yes it's meant for home decorating... foiled by the copy and past again.

 

[Sweet T]

Greetings all!

My family and I live in military housing which has severe decorating restrictions. We have however, managed a medieval "feel". I've been fortunate enough to have inherited some large tapestries which decorate the public rooms instead of photos or paintings. All our furniture is dark wood and we prominently display our medieval steins, daggers etc... A few rabbit skins draped over the top of a side board do alot to enhance a rustic feel as well.

Almost every fabric store will have a sale sooner or later on their upholstery fabric. Snag the whole roll of material if possible. We've made a duvet cover for the bed and had extra. It wasn't enough to make curtains out of so I tacked it to the wall behind the head board. I didn't hem it or anything. I got a couple of drapes in a matching color from the dollar store to place on either side of the fabric and after thumbtacking them to the ceiling they drape grandly over the headboard.

For those looking for a nice bedframe, we got our sleigh bed from Big Lots for around $300. It's not a bad price when comparing the same bed from larger retailers, and it looks both elegant and old world.

Even if you can't afford to completely deck out your place like a castle, there's still lots of cheap things you can do. Grab the dungeon decorations during the after Halloween sales. A bit of spray paint can make almost anything into "Cast Iron". Also consider the new battery operated flickering candles for mood lighting. IMHO dark wood and rich fabric are the best items to give a medieval flair to home decorating. It's easy to paint a cheap table dark brown, and easy to drape a swatch of fabric over a sofa.

Regards,
Sweet T
www.yesteadyhands.com

[Baroness Doune]

Some pics I have stashed on my website.

This first picture is from the book Villa Decor by Betty Lou Phillips
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idvilladecor1.jpg
The next two pictures are showrooms designed by Barbara D'Arcy for Bloomingdales.  The wall and ceiling treatment of the first picture is inspired by that in Palazzo Davanzati in Florence.  The wall treatment of the second picture is designed to look like painted, tooled leather.
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/iditalrenint1m.jpg
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idrenint1m.jpg

The ones below are all the same house.  My favorite architect, Jack Arnold, designed the house, and the interior design is done by my favorite interior designer, Charles Faudree.  At the time, this was Charles Faudree's own home.
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcourancegrtrm1m.jpg
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcourancegrtrm2m.jpg
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcourancegrtrm.gif
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcourancekit.gif
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcouranceside.gif
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/idcouranceplan.gif

A modern castle inspired by Bodiam Castle.
http://www.pitt.edu/~caram/castleindex.htm

[Magister]

Baroness Doune:

Ok... now.. I have to honestly say that those links have to be the darned coolest domicile I have ever seen.

When I looked at the first set the only thing I could think was, "does someone actually live in that?"  That was so meticulously decorated.  I'd lose my mind with the dusting alone.

The "castle" house is just wonderful.  The use of cast concrete to simulate the blocks, and recycled rubber for the "slate" shingles is great.  Until I read the descriptions I honestly thought you built the thing out of specially cast cinder blocks or something.  The wood work, timbers, and all inside are amazing too.

Thank you for sharing ... How lucky you are.  Please don't tell Spinster.. I'd never hear the end of it.

[dbaldock]

One vendor with Renaissance & Medieval home and yard decorating products is Design Toscano, located in Arlington Heights, IL.


EDIT: Updated URL.

[Tudor-Diva]

I have enjoyed The Gothic Martha Stewart, http://www.trystancraft.com/martha/ for years.  Great tips in here.

[Marietta Graziella]

One vendor with Renaissance & Medieval home and yard decorating products is Design Toscano, located in Arlington Heights, IL.


EDIT: Updated URL.

A word of caution with Toscano...  I love their stuff!  It's unique, interesting, and very affordable.  However...  the last 2 times we have ordered items they were on "back order".  6 months later we canceled the order because they kept pushing the delivery date back. 

This company continues to advertise items in their catalog that are not available for delivery.  As long as you don't count on things to be delivered in time for a party or event, it's a great catalog!

[Nina]

Greetings all, great thread(s).  Lots of cool sites.  Just kind of overwhelming at the moment.  What i could really use is some humble o's from my fun loving fellow rennies.  I just inherited an old, vintage?well kept, travel trailer. It will do just fine to keep my troupes warm & dry at TRF. 

However, it poses a serious decorating problem.  I want to have fun with it, keep it comfortable and enjoyable for kids and grownups alike.  There are a few elements i won't be changing yet due to cost/effort required: the floor is...ready for this?  green 2 tone houndstooth vinyl!  The stove is avocado green, and the walls and closet are all panelled in a very dark wood.  The things i do want to change are the curtains at the very least, maybe some throws, pillows, a picture or two.  Might consider painting the panelling.

Ideas anyone?  I have been thru a few ideas, pirate ship theme, maybe genie bottle look (love the jewel tones) or just vintage 70's and not fight so much with what's already happening.

Any input is appreciated.  Thanks!!

[serenamoonsilver]

Without pics, it's hard to say.  But with the dark wood and all those greens maybe you could some kind forest theme---maybe a Robin Hood's hideout or a fairy dwelling. 

[Rani Zemirah]

Greetings all, great thread(s).  Lots of cool sites.  Just kind of overwhelming at the moment.  What i could really use is some humble o's from my fun loving fellow rennies.  I just inherited an old, vintage?well kept, travel trailer. It will do just fine to keep my troupes warm & dry at TRF. 

However, it poses a serious decorating problem.  I want to have fun with it, keep it comfortable and enjoyable for kids and grownups alike.  There are a few elements i won't be changing yet due to cost/effort required: the floor is...ready for this?  green 2 tone houndstooth vinyl!  The stove is avocado green, and the walls and closet are all panelled in a very dark wood.  The things i do want to change are the curtains at the very least, maybe some throws, pillows, a picture or two.  Might consider painting the panelling.

Ideas anyone?  I have been thru a few ideas, pirate ship theme, maybe genie bottle look (love the jewel tones) or just vintage 70's and not fight so much with what's already happening.

Any input is appreciated.  Thanks!!

Sorry I'm so late in posting, but I haven't been on the forums very long, and it's taken me this long to read up to this point.

Nina, you might take a look at this site:

http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/vardo22.html

It's a woman who built a couple of Gypsy wagons, and her decor is amazing! I seem to recall she did the building with lots of help from family and friends, but the decor was mostly her own. I'm trying to work on getting a very small RV in the next year or so and do something with the same flavor, only obviously not quite so authentic. I'm positively green with RENvy!!!

[Foxfire the Foxfaerie]

I'm on a VERY tight decorating budget, but I like to keep my eyes open at yard sales, auctions, flea markets, and antique- junk stores for gothic revival pieces from the 60's.  They're often very affordable, fairly easy to come by, and give a good look, albeit not usually all that authentic, but they work if you're more interested in ambience than historical reproduction.