Panels for a Japanese Screen
This could have been the perfect “How I Spent My Summer” school essay! I had plenty of plans for the summer and was once again heading off to the country. Naturally, I don’t have a workshop there. Last year, I took my petit point project with me. I wouldn’t say I did a great deal, but I did make some progress. That will get a post of its own. This time, I decided to take my woodcarving tools as well. In went a jeweller’s saw, needle files, a rotary tool, and an assortment of other small tools. It all fit into two little cases.
My original plan was to work through the lessons in a woodcarving manual from 1909, which I’d found on archive.org back in the spring. I’d usually passed books like this by: too much geometric carving and too many odd projects that had little relevance to my work. This book was an exception, with plenty of practical advice and interesting, unusual lessons and projects that I actually wanted to try. I brought along some ivorywood and pearwood for my experiments. But that’s another story. And, yes, another post.Initially, I planned to work through wood carving lessons from a 1909 textbook that I found on archive.org back in the spring. I used to avoid such textbooks—they had a lot of geometric carving and strange projects that weren’t applicable to my field. This textbook was an exception: lots of practical advice, interesting non-trivial lessons and projects I actually wanted to recreate. For my experiments I brought ivorite and pear wood with me. But that’s not what this is about. Again, I’ll make a separate post.
Besides working through the book, I wanted an actual piece to work on. Something that called for slow, unhurried handwork. Something carved. Or perhaps marquetry. As it happens, I managed to do both, with a few qualifications. Before leaving, I even managed to prepare working drawings for several different pieces. Spoiler: I never started any of them!
Then I suddenly remembered a piece I’d once been completely in love with, but had never dared to attempt. It was a Chinese cabinet, carved from top to bottom. Just looking at it was intimidating! While searching for similar pieces, hoping to find something a little less daunting in scale, I came across this screen. This one was Japanese, made for export. Do I even need to say that I’ll be writing a separate post about that too? I’m keeping the original photo under wraps for now..
What really caught my attention about this screen wasn’t the panels themselves, but the material used to decorate the frames: red urushi lacquer. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it for sale on Ozon, our local Amazon. Several colors, too, and even the base lacquer for the first priming coat. Of course, I bought the lot and tried it all out. And yes, I owe you a separate post about that as well.
I had some doubts about the lacquer and how carving it would go. Preparing the frames is a lengthy process, so I started working on the panels at the same time. There will be four panels, with applied carved decoration on both sides. That’s quite unusual for me, since most European screens are decorated on just one side.
The decorative elements on the original piece were made from lacquer, mother-of-pearl, various woods, and ivory. I’d stocked up on a beautiful ivory substitute called Elforyn, so that’s what I used. I made drawings and sketches for the panels, and then it was a matter of getting on with the carving. So far, I’ve managed to make two panels. Here’s how they looked at that stage.
Not everything worked on the first try. I ended up redoing one panel, and I’d still like to refine some details across the whole piece. Once I was back in my workshop at home and looked at a panel under the microscope, my confidence in both my skills and my eyesight began to wobble.
And the most exciting part of this project isn’t even the carving, but that striking background. The plan was to use royal blue. At first, I wasn’t sure it would look right, even though that was the exact color used on the original screen. I took a chance, and I absolutely loved the result.
For some reason, I was very nervous about this project as a whole. It’s quite different from my usual work, and still feels unfamiliar. The carved frames deserve special attention, too. I suppose I’m going through one of those phases in my work where I doubt everything, including my own abilities.
I’m working on the third panel now, with the same motifs: cranes, lotus flowers, and oak leaves. It’s such a lovely, peaceful scene, and I’m really enjoying working on it.
And on the original screen, at least according to what I’ve read, all the carved elements were made separately and attached using the same lacquer as an adhesive. I’m using wood glue 🙂
Chippendale Armchairs
Armchair set, finally ready!
In 2018, an exhibition of Thomas Chippendale’s furniture was held in Leeds (I hope I haven’t bored you yet by mentioning this name here and there). Every exhibition usually comes with its own catalog. And I usually buy these. So, in this catalog, there was a wonderful screen that I had already managed to make and sell, and there was also a wonderful armchair with tapestry upholstery. I searched the internet, found a few more not-so-great photos, and decided to tackle a set of two armchairs.
For those who missed it and haven’t read previous posts, let me remind you that this is already the third pair of armchairs. The first two ended up in the trash: the first for its carving and design, the second for its clumsy gilding.
With the current armchairs, everything seems to be fine. I really like the gilding now, the upholstery didn’t cause trouble, and the casters were relatively easy to make, although I did manage to break several 0.5mm drill bits. But these are just part of the process, and I really need to get to the lathe more often and make something else.
And, perhaps, in the next post, I will talk about some nuances of embroidery at this scale.
Anglo-Japanese Style Nightstand
This was one of the most interesting projects recently – a nightstand, a companion piece to my long-standing project, a bed in the Aesthetic Movement and Anglo-Japanese style. Generally, the style that the Herter Brothers developed in 19th-century New York. In one of my videos about this project, I already talked a bit about this style. And in the next video, I talked in more detail about the finished project.
So, for my client I decided to make a small series in this style, there aren’t many original pieces, but all of them are beautiful in their own way. A cabinet and an ottoman are in the plans for now.
The nightstand has many notable details: carving on the legs (black hornbeam, by the way), marquetry on the side panels and the table drawer, a working lock in the cabinet, casters with rubber rims. The original top was made of marble, but I made it from a very durable type of plaster.
The most difficult stage in the work, oddly enough, was assembly. I changed the order of operations and redid it several times. My favorite part was making the lock and key, the lock thickness is about 0.7 mm, I didn’t increase the thickness so that, first, it would be easier to install, and second, to stay more or less in scale. The casters are standard, except I added rubber rims, grooves were made in the brass casters themselves for them. It seems like a small detail, but it looks less ordinary.
The prototype nightstand is in the New York MET museum
Finished! The sofa.
IT’S FINALLY DONE! 🪑✨ Meet my newly finished sofa.
I didn’t want to leave the original design — so I changed the proportions completely. Less depth, shorter length. I wanted it to feel lighter, smaller, but still nice and cozy. 
The weaving of the seat took FOREVER.My eyes are tired, but I loved every second of it! Look at that texture! I love the feeling of the finest silk texture.
Now? Deep breath. And then… on to the next project. Because I already have too many ideas floating around. 😅 Tell me — would you dare to weave a whole seat by yourself? 🙌👇
Caned Armchairs
I’ve finally finished this set — two armchairs and a sofa, and my heart is so full. 
I first created these pieces several years ago for my very first show in the US, and now I’ve brought them back to life with a slightly new design. It feels so special to revisit them.
Let me start with the armchairs. They’re just as graceful as before, with caned seats woven from the most delicate silk — and sadly, this silk is no longer in production, which makes them even more precious to me.
This time, I painted the furniture with acrylic. For the original set, I used oil. A small shift, but it changed the whole feeling of the pieces.
I’m truly so happy with how they turned out. Next time, I’ll share the sofa — can’t wait for you to see it. 
It’s been a long time…
It’s been two years since my last post here. This year was full of events. Events that were so unbelievable, that I couldn’t get back to my workshop again. All my thoughts, concerns shifted to a real life, my family. Through all these years I was making posts in other social media platforms, it seemed at the time that it would be always like that. I’d go to the shows in April-May, then IGMA school, maybe another show in autumn, or even exam to pass. Anyway, most of my plans don’t matter anymore.
But I still make miniatures and intend to do so in the future.
I’d love to show some of my miniature projects that were finished quite some time ago, but weren’t shown here in my blog.
Let’s start with these two Italian footstools, you can find a process of making them in one of my videos on my Youtube channel.
The first painted lacquer cabinet, that was made for PIMA awards at Kensington Dollshouse Festival, the second one was made later.
Another Italian project, and armchair, quite complex carving, lots of gold and oil painting.
One of my favorite and one of the smallest projects:
Another favorite, lots of details, that I thought I’d never be able to achieve.
Another Italian piece, this time in scagliola technique. I’m really proud that I was able to make it in miniature.
A French side table, made for IGMA school auction.
There’s so much more to show. Till the next time!
A drafting table.
As I wrote many times I hate working with metal, but this is the only thing that interests me now. Funny enough, I love brass casting, maybe because the only thing I have to do is model making.
Anyway, one day I notice those wonderful vintage drafting tables and architect’s tables and fall in love with them. It’s a very unconventional item, not many people want them in their dollhouses, but it was a chance for me to try metal construction. It became so easy for me planning a piece for woodworking purposes that I thought metal would be something similar for me. Oh boy, I was wrong, big time.
The table I made is simple, but there are couple of things that maybe not so easy to make – gears for height adjustment, table top angle adjustment. The parts are quite big, so you cannot just solder them together (and of course I thought I could when I was making a 3d model).
Here are casted pieces
Chippendale Firescreen
After pretty successful experience with higher count petit point, I decided that I can make another screen, but this time on 90 count silk gauze. I found this screen in a book dedicated to Thomas Chippendale 300th anniversary of birth. It’s pretty tall 169.5cm high, the screen itself is pretty large too.
I should also say that the original screen is fully made of wood, in my version a pole and a finial are made of brass. The finial was traditional too, but I made a parrot 🙂
The screen is stitched on a 90 count silk gauze, with Chinese silk floss.
French Firescreen, the second version.
I don’t really understand how I missed that one on my blog, I took it to IGMA school last year and haven’t posted about it! This screen is a bit different, it has a higher count silk gauze (86) and different design, besides the frame has a different finish.
A bit of a process:
Adams Style Table.
It’s done!
The carved elements were gilted, the rest of the table is painted with acrylic gouache. Later during Chicago show I was lucky to speak to Robert Dawson, who suggested that inner parts of the table, a vase and the flowers were made of bronze. So I decided to make a new version of this table. With the real marble table top and cast bronze parts. But it’ll be a different color. I think that both table and marble top will be beige.
