Your advice is required......
{image from here}
My latest obsession is birdcages. As you all know Ange gave me a fabulous antique birdcage as a gift and ever since I received it, I have been looking through my ever growing magazine collection deciding what to do with it.
This morning I washed it and it is now in our lounge drying. I was going to paint with one of my farrow and ball favourite colours but now are not so sure. The plan is to hang it in the hall/entrance way of apartment deux and have ivy trailing down from it.
What would you do if you were me, paint it or leave it as it is? And what would you put in it?
The best idea will receive a petit cadeaux as a thank you.....
Merci beaucoup
L x
ps Managed to complete my cork wreath today, just need to find some one strong to lift it, think that I should have bought a smaller base as I found out today that is biggest is not always the best! I will post a photo of it tomorrow.
Ahhh but où est Mr FF??? He needs to hang it up for you! Now, If it were moi I wouldn't paint the cage but I would sand it a bit and wax it. I would either use it as a 'still life' on one of your lovely commodes, maybe with a bonsai or a small ivy in there that you could wind up over the bars inside. Alternatively, with a small plant (like ivy) that has been trained around a heart shaped structure... You could add some pretty christmas balls to the bottom inside around the pretty plant pot just for some Christmas sparkle! Have fun playing around - I'm looking forward to reading the other ideas! bisous
ReplyDelete...gilt it, add a cool branch diagonally to the inside and display it with the door open...
ReplyDeleteI adore birdcages either! I've some spread in my home and garden! I've painted and patinated some of them in white and grey and left some in the original green...you can decore it in so many ways...bulbs, green, tags, candles, statues...you'll surely find a lot of solutions and change its look according to your moods!
ReplyDeleteHappy new week!
Vale
Well, Leeann, I think that unless it is in fab. condition I WOULD paint it and wax over the paint - maybe a greyish green (F and B's Old White perhaps?)...Then I'd display it sitting on something (like a chest or cabinet) with the door open and with a little bird nest inside and some bluey green 'eggs' in the nest.... so it looks as if mother bird has just popped out for a few seconds!!
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to leave as much of the "age" on it, and add to it if needed.
ReplyDeleteYou could wire a single bulb to hang on the inside... such as an industrial globe style clear bulb.
Or a live... and really full Cymbidium orchid plant.
So difficult to decide. I love things in their natural state BUT..... one done in a Farrow and Ball or Flamant paint with an aged brown wax would be beautiful. I would add an enamel tag with the apt's # on it, layer the bottom with aged sheet music, add the tiniest bit of moss to a few places and place something of interest inside to encourage visitors to peek inside-like a cabinet of curiosities.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do, I am sure it will be beautiful!
I would probably paint it,and right now use it in a little still life Christmas display with some of my moroccan silver balls inside it. Endless possibilities. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd probably paint it. So many options- love the idea of a greenish tinge to it.
ReplyDeleteOoh this is a hard one. I don't think I would paint it, as I love the distressed old look, and I think you would run the risk of making it look like a replica instead of an original. I love the idea of it sitting on something with ivy trails, and perhaps some fairy lights seeing as it is Christmas. Whatever you decide, it will look beautiful. xx
ReplyDeleteLeeann,
ReplyDeleteI would paint it in a washed grey tone! And I love it just with a group of 3 or 5 candles (of different sizes) in it! It is so nice when you see the light of the candles when it is dark!
Greet
Hmm. paint it a yummy F& B color (Gray? French green?) and add a scrap of wallpaper to the "floor". Trish
ReplyDeleteLaisse la en l'état !
ReplyDeleteI would leave it shabby-chic (!) or paint it an off-white if you can't live with the colour as it is...then inside display vintage silk ballerina pumps, mercury glass candlesticks and dried hydrangeas! SIGH! Lovely blog, by the way x Ellie x
ReplyDeleteI'd be inclined to leave it, live with it for a couple of months, and see if its natural state grows on you. You can always paint it later, but once painted, it's hard to go back.
ReplyDeleteooo, sounds so very nice!
ReplyDeleteI'd leave it unpainted for a bit and display some great teacups & saucers in there.