The first building to be approaching anything close to completion in my project is the Traveller's Rest building. In addition to the coachway that will lead to the yard and other buildings, it has four other rooms: a waiting room, a booking office, a private parlour, and a bedroom.
I built the building pretty substantially out of order, in so that I could do the panelling in the easiest manner, and also to wire it for lighted fireplaces from Herdwick Landscapes. Because of course my first project wasn't ambitious enough, so I needed to do some electrical with it!
It's only been in the last couple of weeks that the actual structure has come together. I did the wood floors upstairs relatively early, using hardwood strips from S. H. Goode, but I needed to get the panelling and fireplace in on the ground floor to understand its footprint in order to do the floor. This I did with Stacey's Miniature Masonry flagstones - all of the ground floor rooms in the project are going to use this, for accuracy. To do them, you glue down the flagstones and then apply a grout made from a mix they sell. It can get a little messy, so it was nice to be able to keep the floor separate from the rest of the carcass while I did this, although I did need to do a little gap filling around the fireplace slate once it all came together.
But finally I did it, and it wasn't quite as scary as I thought it was going to be. Once the windows were set, the rest of the panelling went in relatively easily.
The waiting room includes a cabinet filled with food (mostly from Medieval Miniatures) and drink (mostly 3D printed from Shapeways), as it seemed likely people waiting for any amount of time to board a stagecoach would want something to eat and drink!
It still looks a little empty in one corner. I'm currently looking for a bench that will work well in that space, and I think I'll pair that with a side table with a bit more wine on it. I am also waiting to install the chandelier; I'll save that for the final furniture placement to ensure it's centred.
I used 1:24 wallpaper to create the textured ceiling; I wanted this room to have a real Jacobean look to it, between the panelling and ceiling. The furniture is a bit more updated, as though the inn installed it to give the room a bit of an update, with these nice Regency settees from BJ Minis. The glazed cabinet is from Petite Properties.
I wanted the clock to be one of the old style Act of Parliament clocks. It's a bit small for that, but finding a properly sized one was impossible, and the look at least is accurate. Unlike the upstairs fireplaces, which are entirely from Herdwick, this is a gothic fireplace from Petworth paired with a Herdwick grate. I was SUPER excited to find that Herdwick sold Georgian style coal grates - the project just wouldn't be the same without them.
I had a difficult time deciding what to do with this little room. Originally I thought it could be the kitchen, but it was way too small for that. Then I thought it would just be a storeroom. But the inn needed a booking office, where people could reserve their places on coming stagecoaches, and I realised the furniture I'd bought for the booking office fit pretty well in that little spot. It also made sense for it to be right off of the street.
The PP kit has the door opening well above floor level (on the outside the stairs form a sort of mounting block, which will work well for the inn), so I used some Petworth Miniatures stairs and built a little platform. Under the platform are some parcels that would have been dropped off in the booking office. The light is from Herdwick; I decided to put lights in any rooms that didn't have fireplaces, so the whole project could be evenly lit up.
It also includes a stocked bookshelf and a desk, both from Victoria Miniland. While I'm making a lot of the furniture from kits, my focus for the project was on historical accuracy, so where I could buy furniture that worked ready made, I also did that. The innkeeper's financial book is on the table, as well as two bills of trade he's making out for people who have stayed or dined at the inn. And, of course, he's got a cuppa.
As you might be able to see, part of the reason I wanted to do this blog is to capture details you won't be able to see in the finished project!
On the walls are maps and coach timetables, posted up by the proprietor to aid travellers.
For the travelling nobility and gentry who don't want to mix with others in the common dining room, they can hire out this private parlour (and indeed they might hire both the parlour and the bedroom beside it).
Both of the upstairs rooms feature more of a Georgian look with their green paint and wainscoting. I used the 3D printed wainscoting from Desert Minis, then spray painted it heavily to give it more of a simple Georgian look. I made the curtains using a Pretty Pleater, and man, if someone had told me two years ago I would be using something called a Pretty Pleater OR making tiny dollhouse curtains, I definitely would not have believed them.
I'm still trying to sort the furniture for this room. The Miniland pieces that I intended for it just feel a bit too big, but the bedroom bed is way too large to try to swap the spaces. The one thing that will definitely stay is the drop-leaf table and Chippendale chairs from Petworth; this would allow the room to be used for dining when needed. I'm also awaiting shelves for a beautiful China set that I picked up.
The project absolutely needed a four-poster bed and I LOVE this one from Petworth Miniatures. It was a bit of a challenge to get together, but I managed! The stand beside the bed is also from Petworth, as are all of the mirrors and candelabras in both the bedroom and parlour.
The ewer and basin on the stand are one of those things I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to do, when I started in this. I painted them with a needle, and I'm really happy with how they turned out!
The trunk is from Young at Heart Miniatures. I did the main portion of it pretty early on, but just finished the accessories recently, to get it placed into the room. The lovely parasol and fan are from Mini From Italy on Etsy.
I'm still trying to sort out rugs for both the parlour and the bedroom. For true accuracy the rugs need to almost entirely cover the hardwood floors, but I'm having a hard time finding them in the exact sizes I need.
I haven't glued any of the furniture yet, so I've still got some flexibility!
I built the building pretty substantially out of order, in so that I could do the panelling in the easiest manner, and also to wire it for lighted fireplaces from Herdwick Landscapes. Because of course my first project wasn't ambitious enough, so I needed to do some electrical with it!
It's only been in the last couple of weeks that the actual structure has come together. I did the wood floors upstairs relatively early, using hardwood strips from S. H. Goode, but I needed to get the panelling and fireplace in on the ground floor to understand its footprint in order to do the floor. This I did with Stacey's Miniature Masonry flagstones - all of the ground floor rooms in the project are going to use this, for accuracy. To do them, you glue down the flagstones and then apply a grout made from a mix they sell. It can get a little messy, so it was nice to be able to keep the floor separate from the rest of the carcass while I did this, although I did need to do a little gap filling around the fireplace slate once it all came together.
The Waiting Room
These were a common feature in coaching inns, for obvious reasons - if you were waiting for a coach, you needed somewhere to wait! I came across some fantastic panelling at Malcolm's Miniatures, and boy did I procrastinate putting it in. I am somewhat kit-bashing my Traveller's Rest by building it dollhouse style (with the back open) rather than with the removable front as designed. This meant I had to deal with cutting out the windows, and I was REALLY afraid of cutting out the windows.But finally I did it, and it wasn't quite as scary as I thought it was going to be. Once the windows were set, the rest of the panelling went in relatively easily.
The waiting room includes a cabinet filled with food (mostly from Medieval Miniatures) and drink (mostly 3D printed from Shapeways), as it seemed likely people waiting for any amount of time to board a stagecoach would want something to eat and drink!
It still looks a little empty in one corner. I'm currently looking for a bench that will work well in that space, and I think I'll pair that with a side table with a bit more wine on it. I am also waiting to install the chandelier; I'll save that for the final furniture placement to ensure it's centred.
I used 1:24 wallpaper to create the textured ceiling; I wanted this room to have a real Jacobean look to it, between the panelling and ceiling. The furniture is a bit more updated, as though the inn installed it to give the room a bit of an update, with these nice Regency settees from BJ Minis. The glazed cabinet is from Petite Properties.
I wanted the clock to be one of the old style Act of Parliament clocks. It's a bit small for that, but finding a properly sized one was impossible, and the look at least is accurate. Unlike the upstairs fireplaces, which are entirely from Herdwick, this is a gothic fireplace from Petworth paired with a Herdwick grate. I was SUPER excited to find that Herdwick sold Georgian style coal grates - the project just wouldn't be the same without them.
The Booking Office
I had a difficult time deciding what to do with this little room. Originally I thought it could be the kitchen, but it was way too small for that. Then I thought it would just be a storeroom. But the inn needed a booking office, where people could reserve their places on coming stagecoaches, and I realised the furniture I'd bought for the booking office fit pretty well in that little spot. It also made sense for it to be right off of the street.
The PP kit has the door opening well above floor level (on the outside the stairs form a sort of mounting block, which will work well for the inn), so I used some Petworth Miniatures stairs and built a little platform. Under the platform are some parcels that would have been dropped off in the booking office. The light is from Herdwick; I decided to put lights in any rooms that didn't have fireplaces, so the whole project could be evenly lit up.
It also includes a stocked bookshelf and a desk, both from Victoria Miniland. While I'm making a lot of the furniture from kits, my focus for the project was on historical accuracy, so where I could buy furniture that worked ready made, I also did that. The innkeeper's financial book is on the table, as well as two bills of trade he's making out for people who have stayed or dined at the inn. And, of course, he's got a cuppa.
As you might be able to see, part of the reason I wanted to do this blog is to capture details you won't be able to see in the finished project!
On the walls are maps and coach timetables, posted up by the proprietor to aid travellers.
The Private Parlour
Both of the upstairs rooms feature more of a Georgian look with their green paint and wainscoting. I used the 3D printed wainscoting from Desert Minis, then spray painted it heavily to give it more of a simple Georgian look. I made the curtains using a Pretty Pleater, and man, if someone had told me two years ago I would be using something called a Pretty Pleater OR making tiny dollhouse curtains, I definitely would not have believed them.
I'm still trying to sort the furniture for this room. The Miniland pieces that I intended for it just feel a bit too big, but the bedroom bed is way too large to try to swap the spaces. The one thing that will definitely stay is the drop-leaf table and Chippendale chairs from Petworth; this would allow the room to be used for dining when needed. I'm also awaiting shelves for a beautiful China set that I picked up.
The Bedroom
The project absolutely needed a four-poster bed and I LOVE this one from Petworth Miniatures. It was a bit of a challenge to get together, but I managed! The stand beside the bed is also from Petworth, as are all of the mirrors and candelabras in both the bedroom and parlour.
The ewer and basin on the stand are one of those things I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to do, when I started in this. I painted them with a needle, and I'm really happy with how they turned out!
The trunk is from Young at Heart Miniatures. I did the main portion of it pretty early on, but just finished the accessories recently, to get it placed into the room. The lovely parasol and fan are from Mini From Italy on Etsy.
I'm still trying to sort out rugs for both the parlour and the bedroom. For true accuracy the rugs need to almost entirely cover the hardwood floors, but I'm having a hard time finding them in the exact sizes I need.
I haven't glued any of the furniture yet, so I've still got some flexibility!
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