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Rodne Gold
04-19-2010, 12:06 PM
I have an alcove I am having 2 doors made for to hide the "kitchen cupboard" look , they are 2.5m x 52cm and the grain is a pear. I need to make 2 or 4 panels , 1 or 2 for each door , to fit in with my existing decor.
These doors face my lounge
I have an african feel to my lounch with burgundy leather , I want to do something as a showpiece of what can be done with a laser and an overhead cnc router. Has to be done by Friday - and I dont want to do 3d CnC work
I thought of burgundy leather panels with studs and on top of that some unique artwork. It cant project that far out and needs to be flatish
Here are some pics of the lounge , entance hall , alcove etc - the doors are going in front of the alcove behind the couch and between the pillars in the first pic , the others are to show style of decor.

I need some hot ideas...

Dan Hintz
04-19-2010, 12:19 PM
Wow, nice place you got there, Rodney :)

Mike Chance in Iowa
04-19-2010, 1:49 PM
My first thought too was the burgundy leather, but then when looking at the photos a little closer, you may want to re-think it. You have subtle and light colors in the "background" behind that couch. The people who sit in the other chairs will face the people sitting on the couch and whatever is behind that couch. The sudden burst of burgundy will draw their eye towards the object behind the people instead of keeping their focus in the room they are currently in. If you're okay with that, go with it and give them something to look at. Otherwise, you may want to keep it subtle and neutral behind the couch.

Another thought would be to continue the pattern of glass & wood you have over the fireplace and use it in that alcove.

James Terry
04-20-2010, 12:23 AM
You could always snazz up the kitchen a bit. Bring that burgandy leather color into the kitchen. Do some 3D laser art onto the cupboard doors.

I have always used curtains to hide things like a kitchen or bathroom. You could do a large faux window treatment on the kitchen entrance. Use a burgandy fabric and also use a nice light curtain liner like you might actually use.

You could install some pocket doors or perhaps go overboard and install a single or double large barn door on hanging slides.

Alas, as to your question, a nice south african fauna and flora motif might be nice. 3D engrave or even consider doing some fancy inlay.

If you juiced up that kitchen a bit though, why would you want to hide it? How about adding a counter on the right side of the entrance to block it and all of a sudden you have a wrap around bar. Lose the sterile hospital blue color too.

Plants are a good idea too. Get some tall bamboo planted onto a wheeled cart so you can take it outside for some sun and water and bring it in for show. Do a water feature. Make the kitchen part of the lounge.

I think in America, kitchens are often the most happening place in the house, so they often get all the good looks, bells and whistles.

Jim Coffee
04-20-2010, 12:44 AM
Hi Rodney...

Too bad you are in such a hurry. You've got a beautiful set of rooms...haste with this project might make waste.

I notice that you have several "tall" items in the room or on the walls. For example, the tall vases. And some masks/carvings. Perhaps you could use these as hints. Your panels could contain some engraved vases, masks, etc. Perhaps even a tall section of mirror.

I'd slow down a bit if it was me.

Rodne Gold
04-20-2010, 2:50 AM
Thanks so far for the suggestions/compliments - our house is my wifes passion and hobby etc.
You can have a look at it at
www.drgfinger.fotopic.net (http://www.drgfinger.fotopic.net)
Albeit those were taken 3 yrs ago and we have done some further remodelling.
Houses are "cheap" in south africa in $ terms, this house has 6000 sq ft under cover and costs less than $600k............
We are having 40 ppl for brunch on sunday , hence the "hurry" to do something.
The kitchen is actually not what I want to hide , it isnt blue , its rustenburg granite , stainless steel and black and a grey formica with an almost walnut burl , it is the alcove to the left of the kitchen which is what is being hidden by 2 opening doors (so we can still use the cupboards)

I don't like the fact that the kitchen cupboards have been "extended" into my entrance hall.
I had considered ripping out those cupboards and using the alcove with a small rustic type table , some artwork above the table on the back wall of the alcove and to spotlight it.
I am sort of more or less convinced to use burgundy leather with studs as a framing for the artwork, but am struggling with the artwork - I have amazing line drawings of the big 5 (lion , buffalo , leopard, elephant and rhino) which I am thinking of engraving , but its rather overused and a little bit tacky , much like having flying ducks on the wall The other idea I have had is to use crossed tusks. One of the other ideas is to use formica or veneers and do a marquetry type thing on the doors.
I didnt think of mirror - but maybe a bronze mirror perspex with some reverse engraved motif is also an option.
Initially I wanted some rustic doors built , kinda like the doors of a castle , with studs etc - no one could do it for me.
If I dont come up with some miracle inspiration , I will just leave em plain in the meantime.

Peter Meacham
04-20-2010, 8:21 AM
Rodney

For quickness, how about another louvered door as you have around the corner at the foot of the stairs. That would give you time to later to come up with something more artistic.

Pete

Mike Null
04-20-2010, 10:37 AM
Rodney

It's a lovely home. I agree with Jim--slow down and do something that'll please you for years to come.

I'd think about carved doors in a beautifully grained wood.

This would probably mean you wouldn't do it yourself.

Dee Gallo
04-20-2010, 11:13 AM
Hi Rodney-

It took me the longest time to figure out where the alcove was...

Anyway, it seems like everything is pretty large scale in your very nice house, so maybe you could consider a large geometric replica of an African bowl or blanket pattern (straight on) which would serve a few purposes. (Big circle, big rectangle)

1. People tend to get tired of looking at representational work but love the more ambiguous silhouette image. African art takes advantage of the simple silhouette with intricate interior patterns and lends itself towards laser engraving nicely.
2. A large simple piece would blend with your other pieces and still show off the laser's abilities as well as whatever wood you choose to use.
3. Breaking the image into two (half on either door) would pull the look together and avoid a cheesy "one on each side" stereotype.
4. A complex but matching border on the bottom, nice and wide, would anchor it.

Just a few thoughts, dee

San DiegoEdSapp
04-20-2010, 11:25 AM
As a woodworker I would be tempted to do and Intarsia of an African seen with trees, animals, etc. using Maple, Paduke, Bloodwood, Purple Heart and Walnut.

Rodne Gold
04-20-2010, 11:50 AM
Wow , some great stuff here - I like the idea of one single item spread over 2 doors and also like the idea of using various woods etc in a geometric or africentric theme. The "doors" are being installed on Friday only , they were always intended to be the base for a mural of some sort and arent bad by themselves so it really forces me to take my time , Im getting a lot more direction now tho , I really couldn't get my head round what I wanted.

(Im currently doing all the things I wanted to do in my house in one bang shoot...it's a nightmare but once its done its done and there is no more remodelling to do for a while...)
PS we are having a faux sky/cloud mural , very subtle done on this ceiling - what do you think of the idea

Mike Chance in Iowa
04-20-2010, 12:17 PM
Another thought... you have a light source in the alcove which could backlight engraved mirror, glass, acryic. Or if you wanted to go all-out and spend more money, have several doors made so that you can switch from the burgundy leather, to a wood carved pattern, to a glass pattern whenever you want a change.

I have seen some subtle murals that when done right, look fantastic. Not every person looking at them realizes they are a mural, but think it's a subtle pattern. Once they really sit back and take a look at it, then they see the mural.

Dee Gallo
04-20-2010, 2:18 PM
Sky can look really good but can be over done, so be careful - your ceiling is not really high, so it could feel oppressive if it's got too much color in it. I'd stick to a very light sky almost white at the edges with small clouds mostly around the edges of the room to make it look farther away.

You've got to post pix of these rooms when you are done!

Mike Null
04-20-2010, 2:57 PM
Not that I've ever been an interior designer but I wouldn't do it. I'd be more inclined to do a subtle design or pattern on the soffit.

Andrea Weissenseel
04-20-2010, 3:16 PM
lol I'm with Dee - had a hard time to find the alcove :D

that's a very nice room, Rodney

no idea for a "quick shot" but the first thing that came to my mind was, that a Tromp l'oeil painting would look good on those doors (to come)

Andrea

Tom Bull
04-20-2010, 10:15 PM
Fab room. Why not just put something stunning in the alcove for now and wait for the perfect plan for the real project?
If you're going to do something quick, go with something like the tack pattern in the sofa or the motif on the large mirror. That would tie the opposite ends of the room together.

Rodne Gold
04-21-2010, 2:41 AM
Yeh , I'm gonna take my time over this , will post pics when its done.
As to the sky/ceiling , the ceiling is quite high , 11 ft from the floor and Im going real subtle , we get spectacular sunsets from the big windows so the sky is going to fade to a pre-sunset near to the windows , IE just a tinge of the sunset.
I have no idea of how its gonna turn out , I have 2 young mural painters who are charging the equiv of $800 to do it , including paint and scaffolding , so if its not good , I will just paint over it again.
My wife , kid and family think I'm nuts - sometimes I think so too.