A Fine Line Of Old And New Patina
More cleaning and hanging stuff in collections
Working on the Railway has been a wonderful journey, but part of the journey is knowing when you may pass by something magical. TIME, and the art of time. Something that cant be recreated. Known by many as patina. BUT, and here is the fine line part. There is patina, and then there is just mush. And here lies the agonizing process. I may have gone to far? It’s all subjective I suppose.
BEFORE
After
Mr B and I had to make a choice. BTW, he agrees with me. At least he says he does. I trust his design eye. That Blue one through is Wackadoodle and just looks for babes and things to pee on. Which BTW, I can relate to on some level.
A Color system. Olive green for the furniture and workbench bases and tool base.
The Olive green compliments the Barn Red. The REEDVILLE sign was found in the bushes after a new sign was made and this was thrown out. It was the WELCOME sign to the town. Made in the 1980’s?
BEFORE
Camera move to get a sense of the space. The party Table of Cedar slabs is perfect
The wall with the Ladder is next.
This is where stuff got scary. What you see thats now the Olive green was plywood installed later, not original, and has newer screws in it. The “patina” was just old stuff on plywood. The tools themselves and older wood pieces were left raw or untouched
The one tool I agonized over was the band saw. It tortured me. I loved the worn grey look. But just was not old enough or part of the saw, had been added later in its life, and so I cleaned it up, and matched the color of the tool wood covers. It had been painted several times.
I am sure I crossed some lines here and may have erased some “history” but at some point, it all needs to be…. Oh hell I dont know. I do know I am stopping on this part.
Impressive work you’ve done Matt.
Honestly, I think you just think too (two, to, tooo) much!
Really, right now you are really just thinking about how you are over-thinking this whole project.
Think, Think, Think
I love it! Well done!!
Matt,
Your space, your place. Decorate as you will.
My wife Patti tells me that at our marina, there’s a fine line between “quaint” and “rundown” and we’re trying like hell to crawl to that “quaint” thing.
Loved the “patina” of the place, but since we’re open to the public every day, considerations for safety came first. I tried to “hide” as much of the needed modern improvements as possible, but at least the women who use our bathrooms don’t have to “hover” anymore………..! And, we’re still a long way from the goal line but that’s what keeps you going.
We both saved a slice of Americana and saved it for the time being from the condo/boat slip devils lurking around the corner.
So sit back and enjoy the view once in a while. Ya done good.
I like the green. And I think painting the band saw was a fine move.
By the way, the green you’ve chosen is very close to “Institutional Green”. Many buildings, including prisons were painted similar color green. A study done many years ago found this color had a calming effect on the inmates so I would say, well chosen!
Second the comment on the Institutional Green being used in prisons. My career took me to many prisons and psych centers throughout NY State for systems work and that color was used a lot. It didn’t calm me much though, but every day that you could walk out of a facility and go home was a good one.
Whats next stinky
It’s damn near perfect.
I think the before & after pictures of the bandsaw and its shop environment……says it all!
You are a squared-away role model, preserving the heritage while taking out the trash!
I am IN LOVE with the name Prison Green. I smell a shirt coming.
Mr. B has an eye for design. Great job!
Everything looks great! I would have considered encasing the band saw in clear plexiglass, the mechanicals are art on their own. Painting is easier. Sandusky I assume? That green was in our USCG Cape Disappointment station at the mouth of the Columbia River. Nice lights!
Looks good.
I’m familiar with that color, it was on the half walls of our cubicles with the rest glass when I worked for a state agency. We called it “gov’ment green”. Maintenance even painted our surplus desks that were supplied in the same color. No Herman Miller for us, it was Sanford & Sons office design.
So this being WBHQ, besides that, and being a spot for nautical collectibles, Smith Museum, Reedville history museum, Reedville Railway Museum, Smith Gifford Party Barn, is this going to be just static displays and no actual working shop? except for your small projects? Or is it going to be come what may?
Fantastic. What a gorgeous space you’ve created Matt. Love the discipline of the ‘Prison Green’ applied so thoughtfully. Hopefully I’ll get to see it in person someday.
looks fine to me….but I have zero taste in paint colors.
carry on.
John in Va.
The tiny little jointer behind the massive bandsaw doesn’t seem to fit in with the scale of the rest of the machinery, Is there a rationale here, am I missing something?