Interior design Archives - Felicia Thomas

In Felicia the Artist

House 2019

(That’s me up a ladder, planning the layout)

Last weekend was the House 2019 Event in the RDS, Dublin.

I had signed up to exhibit there last December, but since I work well on a deadline is was the last two weeks that everything was finished. I had a good idea what I wanted to bring, the prints were framed, the cushions ordered but the original “Red Kettle Street” paintings and the Polly Dolly quilts were down to the wire.

Finally the car was packed and we left home at 6 am on Thursday. I was so organised. Everything was crossed off the list but what did I forget? to put diesel in the car!! Fortunately I realised before disaster struck.

There is always a lovely buzz for show set ups, you unload the car, get it all to your stand (upstairs for this show) and then stare at the blank walls wondering where to start!

A ladder and a tape measure was the first thing. Then gradually it started to take shape.

Tim came with me, he is very good at maths, I am not. So, his help with putting up the framed prints was much appreciated. I was sharing the stand with my friend Midi who does amazing work – it’s very different from mine so there is an obvious divide on the wall.

(Midi with her acrylic panels, they are so gorgeous)

With the set up done, we checked into our Air B&B then headed into town on the bus to see Rocket Man (which was brilliant).

Opening Day:

Friday arrived, we didn’t open until 12,which gave loads of time to look at all the exhibits. I got this dress in Kenmare and actually wasn’t sure about it (’tis fierce bright) but I got loads of compliments and will wear it more often now.

This was Saturday’s dress…. If you know me you’d shocked I owned a dress let alone wear one two days running!

(I realise this isn’t a fashion blog, but these things need documenting.) (Actually, it’s a ‘What ever I want to write about’ kind of blog).

This was my biggest painting, “The Star House” (it’s about 3 ft x 2 ft) it was much admired all weekend but didn’t find a new home. I’m secretly delighted because I love it. So, now we are home, unpacked, rested and ready for the next time.

I met so many lovely people from customers to other artists to the car park staff. It was amazing to see the work from the other artists, we had fantastic neighbours for our stand (Eibhilin Crossan and Miriam Dowling).

I am starting to make plans for Art Source which is back in the RDS in November. If you want to follwo the preparations for that, you can follow me on Instagram at feliciathomas.art

Felicia xx

29/05/2019 By felicia

In Felicia the Artist

Cottlestone Pie – let the renovations begin!

My Mum moved again…(her 10th move, but she promises that this is the last one)

For as long as I can remember my parents bought houses that needed a bit of love and made them beautiful. It might have been just a lick of paint or it might have been re wiring, re plumbing, build a wall, take down a wall – always a new kitchen and more wooden floors than I care to remember laying!

I’ll give you a quick background story to get you up to speed……

My Dad was in the army when my brother and I were born so we lived in barracks in England and Singapore. Then he left, got a job in the middle East which took him away for three months then home for one until he took early retirement in 1996.
We lived in one house in Kent for about ten years while we went to school, then when I went to college they started the “moving, re doing, selling ” dance and on and on it went. They actually had boxes that they didn’t unpack so they would be ready for the next move!

They moved to Ireland about 16 years ago and have had three houses in that time. This move is different though – this is my Mums first (and last) move without my Dad who sadly died nearly two years ago.
She has downsized to a 1974 bungalow in the perfect location – close to town but still in the countryside. It has three small bedrooms, a small kitchen and living room, a bathroom and an add on at the end which is being used as a store room at present.

Did you get that it is small? She calls it her Dollhouse, well, actually she called it “Cottlestone Pie” (its a song that Winnie the Pooh sings, she’s quirky like that!)

She chose it for the location, the garden and the fact that the renovations were only cosmetic…. or so we thought!

The first room to be tackled is the sitting room – its about 14x14ft with a chimney breast and a large window.

Here is the photo from the estate agents blurb:

I think whoever took this photo was outside with the camera sticking in the window because this photo makes it look bigger than it is!

That fireplace is very grand…. its actually very nice, but she felt it was a bit overpowering for the size of the room. “Wouldn’t a wood burning stove look nice there?” she said.

So, out it came.

The list of jobs turned out to be, take out the fireplace and back boiler, re line the walls because they were so uneven, take out the fitted shelves, take up the carpet and lay a wooden floor, put in new skirting boards and architrave, lay marble tiles instead of a hearth, have the stove installed, add lining paper to the walls and paint it & get new furniture.

We have traveled far and wide to find the furniture, I wanted this but I was outvoted….. look at how pretty it is!!!!