Restored Cornice in St. Brigid’s Church

Last week we finished the restoration of some cornice in St’ Brigids Church, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow. The Cornice was so big we had to do it in three sections, to be sure the weight would not jeopardize the original ceilings. After it was run out by hand in the factory we got good use of all of last weeks spectacular sunshine to get it dry enough to fit!

These type of jobs is one of the best parts here at Carlow Cornice & Mouldings Ltd. It is a real privilege to be a part of restoring the historical heritage of Ireland, free for everyone to enjoy. From the smallest cup for light fittings and  cottage coving to large intricate plaster art in the shape of panel work, cornice and centerpieces.  And when we are not preserving traditional craftsmanship, we are happy to add the beautiful pieces to your home.

 

Pictures form St. Brigid’s

First off, get a big hole!
First off, get a big hole!
Attached the new base
Attached the new base
Add the two additional lengths for the detail
Add the two additional lengths for the detail

 

Voila! Cornice restored, just waiting for a lick of paint

 

Update your sun room

On a sunny day like today all you want to do is to be outside. Unfortunately all days are not like this, summer can sometimes feel more like monsoon season on Ireland. So how do you create that outdoors-indoors feeling. Sun rooms are still popular both on new builds and as an extension, but often they feel like a flat pack with no character. Why not get some standout features and turn it too a beautiful room, fit for any purpose? Take a look below for some great inspo (all pictures from pinterest.com)

What a dream! This is more like an orangerie, taking you back to colonial India
What a dream! This is more like an orangerie, taking you back to colonial India
Add a Gothic feel with the vaulted dome for a real WOW factor. We can make besopke mouldings for your purpose if you don't happen to have an excellent wood carver at hand
Add a Gothic feel with the vaulted dome for a real WOW factor. We can make besopke mouldings for your purpose if you don’t happen to have an excellent wood carver at hand
For a more modern touch, but non the less impressive, the skylights gives you all the air and light you need and the cornice and panel works gives you a real indoor feel
For a more modern touch, but non the less impressive, the skylights gives you all the air and light you need and the cornice and panel works gives you a real indoor feel
Want it greener? Team cornice and panel work with a green lush colour and plenty of low maintenance potted plants
Want it greener? Team cornice and panel work with a green lush colour and plenty of low maintenance potted plants
Who says it must be off kitchen? I'd love it if this was my home office
Who says it must be off kitchen? I’d love it if this was my home office
Out of space? You can still have the sun room of your dreams, the painted wood and white panels makes this as elegant as any New England porch
Out of space? You can still have the sun room of your dreams, the painted wood and white panels makes this as elegant as any New England porch
Speaking of New England, why not go all in? French doors, naked hard wood floor and light blue
Speaking of New England, why not go all in? French doors, naked hard wood floor and light blue
Get your own little space and enjoy
Get your own little space and enjoy

Preparing for Halloween

In order to get ready for Halloween Carlow Cornice & Mouldings has dived  deep in to the dark depths of the internet to find some pretty scary places, with beautiful cornice, centrepieces and plaster work.

This is Denbigh Asylum, or North Wales Hospital, completed in 1848 it could room 200 patients with psychiatric illnesses. Victorian asylums is frequently featured in horror movies and novels, I can’t help to be fascinated by the beauty of the architecture in the places were they put to most marginalized people in society. As much as we love restoring old buildings and get out all the detail of the plaster work, I’m happy I don’t have to get on to this site. The hospital didn’t close until the mid 1990’s and performed lobotomy on patients well in to the 1940’s. Oh, and it is supposedly  haunted to.Denbigh Asylum

 

Take flight to Germany, and have a look at another institution. This is the Military Hospital in Beelitz, Germany. The hospital started as a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients and became a military hospital in the First World War. This is were Adolf Hitler was treated for a leg wound acquired in 1916.

Looks like the setting of a romantic movie, unfortunately I’d say it contains more amputated limbs and gangrene…

Military Hosptal in Beelitz

Happy not to be on that examination table. More than likely the ceiling would have been framed by some ornate cornice.

Military Hosptal in Beelitz

Truly hauntingly beautiful. You can still make out the fantastic detailed plastered ceiling.

Military Hosptal in Beelitz

Perhaps to beauty of the ornate cornice and plaster mouldings helped with the healing process?

Military Hosptal in Beelitz

Moving down on the continent, take a trip to Chateau Miranda in Belgium. A Neo-Gothic castle, it has been abandoned since 1991, and the owning family is refusing financial aid to restore this once orphanage, wonder why…

Chateau Miranda in Belgium

Look at this two fantastic rooms, the plaster finished arches, so typical for the architectural period. The fantastic details framing the windows can easily be done in plaster, if any reader is after some Gothic-revival!

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Let’s finish up with what Halloween has come to be about; fun, games and horror!

Here are some abandoned amusement parks to help you sleep at night

Spree Park Berlin
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Gullivers Kingdom Yamanashi Japan

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Six Flags; New Orleans
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Restoration in the making!

Restoration takes up a large part of our work and is one of the most enjoyable things we know here at Carlow Cornice. To be a part of preserving the design heritage in Ireland is a real treat as well as a great responsibility.

At the moment we are restoring some beautiful mouldings in a listed building in

Dun Laoghaire. Just look at the before and after photos of the fantastic handmade Centrepiece, left half in a careless rebuild years ago

Half CP Dun Laoghaire
All that was left was this half piece with broken parts
Restored Centrepiece in Dun Laoghaire
All that’s missing now is a some paint and the original beauty of this Centrepiece will be restored. All the details have been handmade using traditional methods and materials in our Carlow factory