The Hallway

The entrance to a house gives the important first impression so the hallway was next in line. Being a tiny space, no more than a corridor made it possible to go a bit overboard with. I already had the perfect little Chinese tea table made of dark rosewood to be placed on the end of the corridor, so an oriental approach was required. Then again I was making an old house form the era of Art Nouveau and thus I came up with a mixture of the two.

My first inspiration: Chinese gold leaf lacquer panels

My second inspiration: Gustav Klimpt

Instead of gilding the walls completely with gold leaf - this was my original plan - I ended up painting the base with fine paint made of gold pigment dust and arranged the tiny squares of gold leaf into a seemingly random formations on the surface. Then a layer of varnish on top and the walls were finished. I really liked the result that was both modern and retro at same time as well as oriental and very Klimpt, I think. I used the wall as a backdrop for a doll photo shoot before I glued them in their place in the house. Here the doorway has been covered with a piece of golden gift wrap so the contrast between shining gold and my more matted style is well demonstrated.

The hallway will have a dark wood floor and doors, but those will be another chapter indeed.