Recreating the past

I reside outside a quaint river town off the Mississippi River, north of St. Louis. Clarksville is known for its artisans and historical homes. Settled just below the bluffs on the Mississippi river, it has known a lot of history as well as being the historical route of Lewis and Clarke (hence Clarksville). My inspiration for many of my machine embroideries come from the artists that reside in the area. Some of them are so absolutely unique and amazing that I am forever being swept by their works. For a long while now I had been oohing and aahing over one particular house which a dear friend Richard is renovating. The house itself is on front street and faces the river. Richard is a nationally known antique assessor as well as an avid collector. His sense of colour as well as recreating the past via the antiques and modern day items is phenomenal. So when he offered a brief tour of his work in progress I had to take my camera. I hope you enjoy the tour of his house as much as I have and as much as I covet this master artist I hope to achieve a small inkling of his passion.

When Richard first started with renovating the house, it had been through flood damage as well as lack of any TLC over the years.  The house dates to early 1800′s (sorry, just couldn’t remember the exact date). As this is  holiday season, Richard had been busy in decorating the house in what would have been traditionally decorated back in the 1800′s. I was totally taken by the giant Christmas tree and immediately asked if he would turn on the lights. No, he said, they didn’t have lights back then so that is one of the reasons why such large and bold decorations with gold and silver embellishings were hung.

 

My understanding is that Richard scours the internet and various antique shows for all his decorations. What he cannot find, he recreates. The window treatment for example is recreated using felt type fabric with gold trimmings  and hand made tassles. The chandeliers, coverings on the couches and seats, the cushion covers are either all antique or have been recreated to look antique. Each room goes through a top to bottom new look with every aspect covered to make it look like the era. 

I took entirely so many wonderful pictures but as I can’t upload them all I hope to show most of them to you. The antique foot stool with hand embroidery and beads within the embroideries is one of my favourites.

 

The mantlescarf is a replica that Richard himself created from a vintage pattern. Btw, see that marble fireplace! Well, it is actually wood which Richard painstakingly hand painted the veins to look like marble. How talented is he….VERY.

 

The repetitive needlework on so many panels would have been just too much for me and I personally may  have transferred it to ME but my hats off to Richard for his diligence. The piece of the original is barely visible on top of the mantle. The middle one was his own idea. Doing so many alike,  he sort of tired of the same design and wanted something a bit different.

 

Notice the long bell pull on the wall next to the fireplace, all hand embroidered with small seed beads. I have always enjoyed bell pulls. A great way to liven up a wall space, especially one that is narrow. I have several myself and several in the process of making.

 

Some while back I had talked about Irish Dresden Lace-a technique where delicate laces are porcelainized(is that a word??). Richard has some of the most beautiful collection of figurines with Dresden lace. These figurines simply amaze me. The pictures definitely do not do justice to the beauty of the porcelain lace or the figurines.

 

The kitchen simply blows my mind. It is so amazingly different. Ofcourse as Richard pointed out that the actual kitchen was in the cellars (heat rose up so the dining area was cozy).  What really amazed me were the cupboards. I never have understood why they were so narrow (thin). Well, now I understood why…storing china, cutlery.

 

 

 

The bedroom is no different than the rest of the house. Amazingly blend of colors and antiques!

The pillowcases on the bed are actually tambour lace curtains which were in quite a state. Richard rescued them and made them into pillowcases. Wonderful way to preserve and an absolutely stunning piece of tambour lace. And yes, it is hand made.

 I have about a gazillion pictures but space being limited I hope to upload more later. It is through people like Richard that our past is preserved and heirlooms created.