One of the rooms just had to be what I had imagined when I read "The Yellow Wallpaper" (Charlotte Perkins Gilman)... It is an amazing short story that everyone should read at least once - it always leaves me wondering and asking questions - is John (the husband) purposefully trying to make his wife insane - is he having an affair (perhaps with Mary or Jane?). Is the house haunted? Is Jennie really John's sister - has she other motives for being there other than being housekeeper? It's a wonderfully written piece - creepy and atmospheric, and I am gripped by every word as the writer slowly loses her grip on reality...
I digress - but please read if you have a spare five minutes :)
I first decided on the flooring - I wanted parquet, but not real wood, as I need to gouge out places and make it look worn and distressed. Before papering the room, I needed to decide where the furniture would be placed - it's important to know, for instance, where the bed will be because the wallpaper is described as quite 'unworn' behind the headboard. I am in the process of taking the bed apart and making it slightly smaller, as I don't want it to dominate the room fully...
The honour and job of dominating the room must go to the wallpaper itself - and this is just gloriously hideous. Of course it will be scratched, rubbed, torn and damaged - and there has to be fixtures - 'rings' - placed into the wall also.
I have tried to photograph a close-up of the wallpaper - it has figures in the pattern - very clever and so easy to tile myself and make it the right size I wanted to.
It is almost going to be a shame to destroy this room with gouges and tearing of the paper ... but I am quite looking for ward to it :)
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