Slideshow

The above video is a first attempt at creating a very basic slideshow using the YouTube Slideshow Creator. The photographs shown here are almost all from the blog; so nothing new if you're familiar with its pictural content already! The original 4:3 photos have been re-framed to a 16:9 screen size (the one used by YouTube), hence some awkward framing... But, once again, this is only a test as they say! (And of course, while all this fancy stuff is being done, the construction and decoration work in the Palace have come to a standstill! Gee!)

Chest Of Tiny Drawers

It seems it is furniture season again! Today, this tiny little Louis XVI style chest of drawers has been added to the collections. It is without any unnecessary ornament and let its style, proportions and craftsmanship speak for themselves. It has been commissioned with a room and a place in mind, but as all furniture in the palace, it might well move around according to whim or necessity! 

If you're interested in high quality furniture, please select our Furniture label underneath this post to have a look at other items in the Palace's collection.

Wood Paneling 2.0

Newly made wood panels have replaced the old ones in the Duchess's Grand Cabinet. These are views of the room without paintings on the walls to let you see the boiseries better. As you can see, we opted for an early installation of the panels even if we have still to fix (and build!) the doors.

The mirror frame above the fireplace is much more elaborate and intricately carved compared to the previous one, but still, it remains the only gilded element of the walls' decor.

The Mirror frame is loosely based on the ones, designed by Antoine Rousseau, visible today in Madame Victoire's bedroom in her apartments on the ground floor of the palace of Versailles.

If you want to know how much better (hopefully!) those new wood panels are compared to the old ones, just browse for the ancient ones on this blog; for now, there are still photos of them around...! 

Teaser Grand Cabinet

As the wood paneling is being upgraded to higher standards in the Duchess's Grand Cabinet, the mirror above the fireplace will receive a more ornate frame, adorned with gilded ornaments. The frame, which will probably be the only element of the wood paneling to be gilded, has been crafted today. Once again, you have the opportunity to compare a preparatory drawing for the frame with the (almost) final product.

Golden Cabinet Update

The collection of furniture, paintings and artefacts gathered in the Duchess's Golden Cabinet is slowly growing. Recently, a Savonnerie rug, a small table, a screen table, a partition screen and a bucket containing logs for the fireplace have been added to the room. Two new oval portraits represent the sister and a brother of Louis XVI of France. What is more obviously lacking now are some chairs, but be assured that we plan to add at least four armchairs to the furniture. When its furnishing is complete, please note that the room will only be visible on personal invitation from Her Grace the Duchess.

An older view of the Golden Cabinet where the Riesener chest of drawers from the Grand Cabinet had been harboured during refection work in this last room.

Boiseries in Progress

My team is now working on a new set of wood panels for the Duchess's Grand Cabinet in Her apartments of the South East Pavilion of the Secretaries of State. These boiseries, when achieved, will replace the previous ones, too poor in quality for our always increasing standards (hum hum...).

We hope you'll enjoy the result in a few days!