A Fine Frenzy

In the house of Catherine Martin and Baz Luhrman...

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Volkshaus Bar and Brasserie

Swiss Architectural Studio, Herzog & de Meuron is responsible for revitalizing the historic Volkshaus building in Basel - poised to house a brasserie, bar, library and hotel. I particularly love the cloakrooms, fitted with reclaimed sinks and lined with wallpaper depicting imagery from seventeenth century etchings....

 Via here 

Hexagon

Via here

Wall & Decò

Just a small sample of the seriously swoon-worthy wallpaper designed by the Italian-based, Wall & Decò. Modern, fresh and innovative. Certainly brings background into the foreground...

Via here

Our House at the end of our Street (IX)

View from my bed this morning...

Wallpaper

In love with this...

Via sfgirlbybay and Anthropologie

Our House at the end of our Street (V)

The entrance hall has seen it all. Funny stories abound about the house from all and sundry who have had the fortune (or misfortune) to make its acquaintance. One such story involved a tenant who, obviously in need of some quick cash, hooked up a hose pipe to the washing machines in the basement, fed the pipe through the window, and started his own make-shift car-wash on the corner. Nice! I am sure the previous owner was thrilled to receive the water bill. Indeed, when I first pressed my nose up against the glass panels of the front door, the first thing that struck me were the mirrors, followed, very quickly, by a shock of outlandish wallpaper. Trés bordello-chic. I had two choices. Get rid of the wallpaper. Or consider an alternative career as a Madame. Did Oscar Wilde not once proclaim, "Either that wall paper goes, or I do?" So all that remains today is one square meter, in homage to the original owner, a wallpaper merchant...

Note the hideous '70's closet built under the staircase.

The careful removal of the wallpaper, revealing that the plaster beneath was surprising in tact. Also, note the maroon carpet on the treads...

Post closet-removal, revealing another layer of wallpaper. Luckily the mosaic floor was more or less pristine after the demolition.

Removing the maroon carpet was a massive task. Especially getting all the giant nails up, removing the paint and goo, and then hand-sanding each tread and riser.

Pretty afternoon light reflection from the leaded glass fanlight above the front door...

The finished project (is it ever quite finished, though?)

Peep Show: the Sequel (and Prequel)

(A quick synopsis of our bedroom renovation)

1865: Wallpaper merchant builds house.

1940-2000: Rooming house. Whorehouse. Flophouse. Meat-rack (nice!).

2005: Hapless, clueless South African couple purchase said property.

Week Two: Second floor tenant calls up landlady (AKA me). “So sorry to worry you, but the ceiling just fell in.”

Week Two and one day: Thankfully, no injuries or permanent concussion. Dodged ‘the-ceiling-just-fell-in’ bullet. Patch. Skim-coat. Repeat.

Day 68: Take occupancy of 2nd floor. Boiler takes final bow. Carbon monoxide escapes from every orifice. 4-yr old and I spend 9 hours in emergency room. House appears to be furious and is clearly trying to murder us (attempt #1).

Day 69: Bedroom steam-damaged walls remain pockmarked and decaying for 5 years. Inhale at own peril.

Month 10: Convince myself the room is Shabby Chic.

5 years later: Shabby Chic becomes intolerable (picture Grey Gardens).

2011: Sudden realization that original vision of creating an embellished Parisian-apartment look-a-like will obliterate budget.

2011 and then some: Slight change of scope. When prepping one wall, we discover original wallpaper in sepia tones – far from pristine but gorgeous. Room demands small semblance of decay for old time’s sake (see Palimpsest).

2011 and then some more: Inhale paint fumes all night. So worth it…

Detail of science project growing up the wall

Details and collection of French steel-cut shoe buckles

Looks nicer in this photograph than in reality

The previous, rather boring 'apartment cream' color on the walls

Detail of the mantel

Detail of 'what lay beneath'

David (painter) and I after the initial 'recapturing' of wallpaper (also, if you look at the light bulb in the reflection of the mirror, you can see the ceiling damage)

Warm grey for remainder of walls

Benjamin Moore Soot for bed backdrop

Photographs by Philippa Berrington-Blew and Craig Strydom

Photo of desk by Virginia Jarvis - Apartment Therapy

Peep Show

The only stripping that's going on in our bedroom right now...
(Full details of renovation to follow).

Photograph by Craig Strydom