# Bradbury and Bradbury



## daArch

I don't post too many shots of jobs 'cause I feel, like, so what - it's a papered room, big deal.

But these don't come along too often, and they are a handful. No room for error, waste, or loss of focus. AND they are gorgeous.

It's a B&B, Victorian, Dresser, Roomset 1. 









The ceiling will be done later, plans are to start Dec 1 when a colleague will be able to help.

This job has just had what is becoming typical for me this year - a big delay. The adjoining "parlor" was to be done in Dresser 2 roomset right after I finished this one, but the HO discovered yesterday that they had ordered the wrong color frieze (the wide ceiling border). Four to six weeks to print that new frieze up. I'll be working into January it looks like. 

Hopefully I'll remember to take pix after they are both completed to show you all.


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## jacob33

I bet that is a challenge to hang. I think If I was you I would retire before you get asked to do anymore ceilings. I don't even like painting above my head I can't imagine papering.


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## Jmayspaint

Looks like a good job to go out on, very nice.


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## chrisn

Are the borders inlaid or vov'd?


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## daArch

chrisn said:


> Are the borders inlaid or vov'd?


Inlaid, which with a liner and the thinness of the B&B makes it difficult. Not sure how you inlay, but I do not double cut especially with a liner. I hang both borders first and then the side walls. For those who may be interested in the technique I learned from a Rochester NY installer (Dave DiB.): as each strip goes up, I locate the edge of the border onto the sidewall, then crease that edge (on the sidewall) with my trim guide and THEN trim the sidewall CAREFULLY tight to the edge of the border. This is normally an easy task, but the thinness of the B&B stock makes it exceptionally difficult (and time consuming) to define the edge. Once in awhile when I trim a little shy, the white of the liner is very easy to color with my Caran d'arche water crayons.

Here's a close-up pic of the chair rail border inlaid. Definitely a superior look than overlay.









That 19' x 14' x 9' room took me 26 hours for JUST the finish paper, not including set-up, prep, and liner. We are estimating the ceilings at 60 man/hours each.


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## daArch

jacob33 said:


> I bet that is a challenge to hang. I think If I was you I would retire before you get asked to do anymore ceilings. I don't even like painting above my head I can't imagine papering.


I have refused some ceilings this year. This will be the first one in about 18 months. I'll have a bottle of ibuprofen on site. :thumbsup: 
I was whip lashed pretty good back 32 years ago (out of work for four months), ceilings still aggravate the nerves. I plan to use a neck brace to reduce the strain.


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## ProWallGuy

Very nice Bill. I've always thought those B&B roomsets are beautiful.


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## daArch

*Progress Report*

Today we (my colleague Barry B and I) finished the "Back Parlor" ceiling. So now one room is complete. This was the same as above that I did the walls before T-Giv.

Just to make it clear, we did NOT design the layout, but DID engineer it to fit. Bradbury and Bradbury generated the design for a perfectly rectangular room, so you can imagine we had a task before us to make it look good.

It came out REAL nice. In case you are interested, approx 50 total man hours for that ceiling.


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## CApainter

It's beautiful!

But I'm not thoroughly convinced the medallion in the center of the ceiling should have gone diamond shaped rather than round, or even oval to add length to the room.


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## chrisn

You sure don't see much of that around here, in fact I can only think of one job like that that I have even seen. It certainly makes a statement, if you like that sort of thing. Nice work though, I cannot imagine inlaying all that. Does B and B recommend that?


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## PRC

That's really nice work!


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## daArch

CApainter said:


> It's beautiful!
> 
> But I'm not thoroughly convinced the medallion in the center of the ceiling should have gone diamond shaped rather than round, or even oval to add length to the room.


As said we had no input about the design, and I agree that the medallion should have been different, The HO's are going to have like a "plaster" something around the box for a nice fixture, I have a feeling that would have been enough. We are just there to execute as well as possible :thumbsup:



chrisn said:


> You sure don't see much of that around here, in fact I can only think of one job like that that I have even seen. It certainly makes a statement, if you like that sort of thing. Nice work though, I cannot imagine inlaying all that. Does B and B recommend that?


We did NOT inlay everything. Most seams were butted, the complicated elements were overlayed, and a few straight items were inlayed. MUCH easier with no liner.


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## two fingers

amazing


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## daArch

*FINAL update follow up*

For those who may be interested in the final outcome, I finally finished last week. (As I stated above, they ordered the wrong color for the "front parlor" walls). It took four to six weeks for the correct color to be printed and shipped.

Final pix are below. 

What is interesting is how the Back Parlor is now furnished. The lady HO is an antiques and period brick-a-brack dealer and their home is festooned with some amazing stuff. Old sewing machines, telephones, restaurant decor, gas station door knobs, and furniture. All in very good condition. 

As you can see, this motif is highlighted by the B&B wallpaper - or maybe the furnishings highlight the wallpaper.

Not the taste for everyone, but I feel they very much achieved what they were looking for. Yes, a living museum. 

BTW, I added up the hours for both rooms - 175 total man hours JUST at the walls and ceilings - not counting orig estimate visit, consultations, and figuring amounts and costs. 



































and just for grins, here is a shot during the estimate visit back in july when they were still putting up the picture molding


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## Ohio Painter

Very nice.


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## jacob33

So are you retired now? That would be a good send off job it looks like.


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## daArch

jacob33 said:


> So are you retired now? That would be a good send off job it looks like.


I have one more job left over from last year. I was TRYING to make the B&B my coup de grâce  but scheduling delays kept my vocation alive without mercy.

After that I will "reboot" and cherry pick what I do with LOTS of time off between jobs.

Funny, this last job has already been delayed three times, which is my past two years in a nutshell. Very fitting.


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## Schmidt & Co.

Bill, I think you could make this wallpaper thing a career someday.:jester:

Seriously though, that's some incredible work right there. :thumbsup:


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## jacob33

I think the nice thing about our trades is if you want to retire you can still keep it as a hobby/income stream. I know one painter that retired and now just refinishes furniture at his own pace and for high dollar. He is upfront with the customer that it will take the time it takes and cost a lot of money and if they don't think that's a good fit for them they should find someone else.


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## daArch

jacob33 said:


> i think the nice thing about our trades is if you want to retire you can still keep it as a hobby/income stream. I know one painter that retired and now just refinishes furniture at his own pace and for high dollar. He is upfront with the customer that it will take the time it takes and cost a lot of money and if they don't think that's a good fit for them they should find someone else.


bingo !


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## daArch

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Bill, I think you could make this wallpaper thing a career someday.:jester:
> 
> Seriously though, that's some incredible work right there. :thumbsup:


Yah, As I wind down, I'm starting to appreciate how much I know - both business wise and ability. 

And even worse, the wallpaper market is REALLY taking off in this area. I wish I was 50.


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## Repaintpro

daArch it is taking off everywhere. Even in Aus we are putting up paper, something that has not been done since the 70's here.


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## Repaintpro

daArch said:


> Yah, As I wind down, I'm starting to appreciate how much I know - both business wise and ability.
> 
> And even worse, the wallpaper market is REALLY taking off in this area. I wish I was 50.



What you wish for now is the ability to let go of certain aspects of paperhanging and let your most faithful works thru the difficult tasks with your supervision, and heaps of advice. 

Store that info and it dies with you! Give it to us and we will put our own spin on it......phuck it up and bingo............just like the old days!


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## daArch

Repaintpro said:


> What you wish for now is the ability to let go of certain aspects of paperhanging and let your most faithful works thru the difficult tasks with your supervision, and heaps of advice.
> 
> Store that info and it dies with you! Give it to us and we will put our own spin on it......phuck it up and bingo............just like the old days!


I've been a solo for years, so there's no being able to supervise my "most faithful".

And I don't got the energy to revamp, hire underlings, and teach them what I know. 

I HAVE however, gotten myself committed to a few steady customers that should keep me out of too much trouble. I'm going to try to cut back drastically on workload, stay away from the city, and refuse physically taxing jobs.


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## Repaintpro

daArch said:


> I've been a solo for years, so there's no being able to supervise my "most faithful".
> 
> And I don't got the energy to revamp, hire underlings, and teach them what I know.
> 
> I HAVE however, gotten myself committed to a few steady customers that should keep me out of too much trouble. I'm going to try to cut back drastically on workload, stay away from the city, and refuse physically taxing jobs.


That is such a pity, not for you, but for us. Another thread was speaking about the "decorator" part of our trade and wall coverings is one of those skills I feel falls into that category and one I fall far short of mastering.


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## finishesbykevyn

daArch said:


> bingo !


That is awesome. Truly inspired.


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## daArch

Kev,

thank you.

I won't discount that the installation took skill, but while doing it, I oft thought about Christopher Dresser who was the original designer. Dresser designed far more than wallpaper - furniture, silver and other metalworks, carpets, glass, graphics, etc.

The patterns and how they connected and intertwined are just mind blowing. 

The designs we put up are what is truly inspired.


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