Burgman Restoration: The Great Stencil Project continues !

The wall field section taking shape

The  "Grand Hallway" because of its length and width are about the equivalent of doing 3 normal size rooms in most houses not to mention the 12 ft ceilings. However to accomplish this feat will be quite the challenge and its occupying a lot of my available free time.

Essentially we are following the Aesthetic Movement ethic. This requires a more elaborate approach that typical stenciling . In our case will  have the  marbleized wainscot, a multiple bordered mid-range field panel that consists of multiple bands and inset small paintings with 3 different stencil elements, gold leafing/gilding and a large upper wainscot that will feature more color bands (each stenciled differently) and a large frieze.

At this point we are working a on the first panel as one comes to the top of the stairs and it will feature all the decorative elements of the other panels that go down the hallway although each small  half round painting will be different. So the first section is where we determine all the color interaction and shades to get it just right.

A key focal point are the 'stained glass panels' in opposite corners, this follows a design ethic you often see on English Aesthetic transfer ware china and tiles where corners are anchored by a decorative element. These panels are based on aesthetic stained glass and take elements from the design for the stained glass window that will be at the top of the stair window.

Within the "clay colored border" are two small paintings one at the top and bottom, again slightly offset 1/3 into the wall panel width on opposing sides . These follow the same basic colors as the "Crane mural" on the curved wall we discussed in the last post. they are loosely executed and will eventually be 'aged' to look "period" for the age of the building as will everything else.

The Golden Tan of the main panel is being banded with a stencil executed in a period pattern in a light green color that takes its cue color wise from the colors in the mural and acts a balance color wise between the clay, Pompeii Red and gold. This along with the gilt stripe band create a elegant display.

Next Time? The "clay border" and gets its stencil and the Golden Tan panel gets its stencil design

Persian Parlor: Restoration Continues

Restoring a room is often compared to restoring piece of art, however, when the room IS a piece of art, the complexity of its restoration is magnified by a power of 10. This room is "the room" in the house that truly makes the building special and the fact I waited several months to begin it speaks to that level of complexity and my desire to get it right.

The "Persian Parlor" was a bit of a statement, some might consider it a folly, by Ferdinand Burgman for his home. The Burgman's were involved with a local church and hosted an artist brought in to do work on the church. He stayed with the Burgman's and history has it did this room, the Garland room , Dining Room and hall while he stayed with them in the 1880's shortly after the building was built.

This Greek key design is clearly not Persian and  an example of some "Artistic license" on eth part of eth original artiist.

The parlor clearly exemplifies the Victorian fascination with the exotic. Yet there were , shall we say "artistic license' taken here and there. For example there is a Greek style stencils at the top and bottom of the room, clearly not a Persian design. Also some of the flowers are not representative of those found in that part of the world. However, the overall design is a artistic interpretation of an exotic land and  that was its purpose.

This existing wall panel is our model for the ceiling design

The room is designed in a series of alternating  wall panels, some smaller and some larger. These panels are designed to almost hake it look as it one was standing in a room looking out through a series of windows or on a porch. What we do not know is what the artists plan was for the openings. They were painted a solid color. Normal experience would suggest that there would have been a mural panorama of perhaps a desert scene or maybe the plan was for display of family portrait's and art. We don't know and it not our purpose to speculate and complete that 'vision' but rather to conserve what is there and lightly restore where appropriate. For example a shelf with printer had been unceremoniously screwed into the wall and when the 2nd floor was used as showroom space for the window shop, "slat board" was crewed to one wall causing damage. So as far as the walls go we want to preserve  a level of aging and not make it look like a new room but clearly restore where appropriate.


Key elements of the stenciling have been traced and digitally expanded to the new ceiling size

The biggest loss was the ceiling which was torn out at some point in the properties existence. May have been a leak  or could have been an unwise modernization taken on by a later owner, we do not know. So a major piece of this art is missing. However thanks to the recollection of several people in the building years ago  (invited to parties at the home) we have guideline as to what it looked like and that was essentially a much expanded version of the  north wall panel. This panel was large enough to encompass both ceiling lights (which were gas lights) and the medallions which we estimate were likely the same size as the one missing in the garland room where we can measure the 'ghost' of it on the ceiling 25 inches. Taking the measurements of the original wall panel and the other stenciling we were able to calculate just what the size of this panel would have been.

layout process

Using a large protractor we were able to expand and duplicate the correct curvature of that panel. Likewise careful tracings have been made of the stencil borders and "palm fronds' to aid in proper duplication. These have been scanned and digitally enlarged to the correct proportions. We carefully duplicated the wall paint color at a point of its' best "unfaded" color for application to the ceiling. Once this is applied it will be "aged' to take into account the natural sun fade that would have taken plans as well as to account to smoke buildup that would have naturally occurred in the corners. The paintwork is being done in the same manner as original. The center panel is being duplicated based on multiple accounts that is was a sky with clouds.

I am also "on the hunt" for matching pair of gasoliers and medallions have been ordered and I will start on a proper polychrome for them once they arrive.

More to follow.

Burgman Building: Weekend Update: Stencilling and landscaping .

So much going on I can only touch on a few details. In the shop space I have begun the stencil process of the wall borders and I hope to start field panel stenciling soon.. Its a tedious process.

We are using a  border stencil from our Neo Grec stencil line and it will serve as an example of what we do in terms of decorative stenciling.

Given all the rain lately we had a rare, and I mean RARE day of dry weather and we headed outside to work. The "courtyard area' between the garage and building had been long overgrown and neglected and we transplanted some stuff to a more sunny location where it can actually bloom. The AC units will soon be relocated to the roof ( we have to call in the alarm people to deactivate the alarms systems for relocation), and this space can be better utilized for an outdoor entertainment space but it sorely needed a facelift and that's what we did.

Behind the building we addressed an overgrown area next to the building pulling out a lot of Virginia creeper and Ivy. We re-mulched the beds, re-laid border brick, and transplanted more stuff from the "back forty" where we virtually have our own nursery. We still have to re-lay the brick on the other side of the walk, and mulch, but with everything we do, it brings a real smile to our face to know we are bringing the building back.

Restoring some 'order' to the space has been rewarding and I am starting to see the vision of the Burgan's had with the gardens.

Other great news: the closet built-in is being painted,  a bed is in and we are moving in soon.

The Artful Interior: Stencilling in the Victorian Era

Trade magazines often featured stencil designs like these fora "proper upscale artistic ceiling",

Once upon a time every major city has several; "stencil artisans", usually members of the Painter and Stencillers Guild. The Victorian era also was the first time when their were "decorators" whom one turned the house over to to elaborately stylize...that is if you were wealthy or upper middle class. Stencilling, at least in the Victorian era, typically wasn't cheap. While a roll of wallpaper might cost 3-5 cents a gallon of paint could cost 75 cents.

Beyond mere painting, this ceiling rises to artform

Unlike today when we think nothing of going to the home improvement store for a gallon of paint and doing it ourselves, most Victorians would not do such work and painting was a hired task. And while some 'painters' were also did stencils, the art of stencilling was usually a specialized task, reserved for someone with experience.

Tens of thousands of homes were artfully stencilled during the Victorian era yet so few exist today. Or, as in the case of our home, hidden from view. Since Milkpaint was the prefferred choice of the stencil artisan, unless it had been shellaced or a lowered ceiling put in ( often with courthouses or government buildings) finding them is rare indeed though there are still some out there.

These elaborate stencils are almost gone now, as is the  Endangered house they sit in in Missouri, The only records will be the photos I, and other preservationists took, almost a decade ago.

Makes you want to discretely scrape the paint off your old house ceiling or wall to see if such a treasure exists in your home, doesn't it?

Restoration: Stencils in the Victorian era

I have had a couple of inquires recently about stencils and their use in the Victorian era so I thought I might expand on some answers as well as provide some additional info that might help you "do it yourselfers" out there.

Stencilling and mural work was the preferred method of decoration throughout history. Wallpapers were introduced which were essentially stencilled designs on paper. This opened up decorative art to the masses although wallcovering were rather expensive and purchased mostly by the middle and upper classes of Victorian society.

Stenciling was popular at both financial ends of the Victorian spectrum. Those without means used stencils as a way to decorate their walls and ceilings and "keep up with the Joneses". Stencils were sold in some of the local emporiums and by use of tinted milk paints could create attractive designs.

We also saw stencilling at the very "high end" of Victoriana. The wealthy did not want to decorate with 'common wallpaper' and heaven forbid a neighbor down the street would have the same wallpaper. Instead they employed artisans, many of whom travelled the country. Even Tiffany, perhaps best known for stained glass work did stencilling. Perhaps their best known commission was for Sam Clements (Mark Twain) Twain paid the princely sum of 5000.00 to have Tiffany studios stencil and fauxgrain his home in Hartford Connecticut.

Stencils are today a viable option for those that are uncomfortable with hanging wallpaper or whom perhaps had original stencilling and want to recreate a room based on an original design. Stencilling a room is a time consuming task but the job is made easier by today's stencils which are far superior in quality and durability than stencils of old. Stencil Planet has a wide variety of Victorian Stencils such as the design shown here. More designs at their website: http://www.stencilplanet.com/index.aspx

Epoche designs is also another fine stencil manufacturer and they offer some more complex designs including entire room sets. http://www.epochdesigns.com/

I should also mention our own company Victorian Antiquities and Design can create or recreate custom stencils for your project and from time to time hold workshops on stenciling. We will also be releasing anew line of stencils based on historic designs next year. Keep tuned for details. We also do custom mural work and stencil combinations like this ceiling shown here. This room required the addition of a ceiling medallion which we also custom painted and gold leafed wood trimwork between the mural work and the red ceining with its gold starred stencil design. We also did the fabric walls, embossed painted wallaper below the chair rail and installed the wallapaper fiexe at the top of the wall. Feel free to contact us to see what we can do for you.