the Community Room at Rivendell
Here is another most beautiful space at Rivendell. This room was actually transformed from a two car garage, to become a living space for guests and family. It has been warmly inhabited by a beautiful family, who have made the space functional, warm, and inspiring.
The walls are painted with a home-made milk paint, involving milk, pigment and clay. I actually helped to paint the room, many years ago, by hand with a brush, in many layers. The resulting affect is a rich, textured look, that resembles a woven fabric. The floors are oiled hardwood, and the windows and doors were build with cedar. All the other trims and finished were brought in over time to make the space a home.
The four corners of the space are designated for different functions, the bedroom, office and living room, kitchen and fire. Hanging cloth, a set of drawers and handmade wood furniture are used to create division and a little privacy. Attention to detail, small ideas and creative solutions for living in a small space are everywhere. The use of natural materials, in the toys, furniture and construction creates the warm, gentle and soothing environment.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I’ll have to try that milk paint sometime. I imagine that you’d have to refrigerate it? What’s the light-fastness (et al) like? I’ve been thinking about trying to get away from the standard petroleum derived paints.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
you know what – I didnt mix it myself, so I dont know the logistics. All I know is that milk was a major component of paints in the past, and has some long life qualities. It did smell funny because we used the same paint over a couple days…but that didnt affect its usefulness… The other issue is you cant really wash the walls afterward, so it snot so great in the kitchen…but otherwise its held up over the last 10 year – since we did it…