Hogwarts in my Home - Gryffindor Common Room in progress

Your build is simply stunning! What you've done to adapt a complex, large, expensively decorated space to a small basement room w/o a Hollywood budget... I'm jealous :) Also excited to keep following your build. (which although I've not posted until today, I've been following for several months now)
 
Thanks! It's so cool that people are as into this idea as I am and I will have some more updates for you soon! Budget is certainly a challenge, but patience and creative thinking helps. :)
 
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to be honest, I'm a liiiiiiiiiitle bit jealous ;)
Always wanted to live in an old castle as a kid (when I did not yet know about heating expenses...).
Today I STIL want to live in an old castle, only now that castle has a name: Hogwarts! :D
Awesome build!
Keep up the magic! :D
 
minor update - a new prop for staging the room.

I think I found a lantern the same as or an extremely close match to the one sitting beside Harry on the common room table in the diary writing scene in Chamber of Secrets. What do you think?

lantern.jpglanternonscreen.jpglanternonscreenb.jpg
 
It's quite funny you guys, because when I found it in the thrift shop I thought aha, that has the Hogwarts look but actually only bought it because it seemed a similar tall shape to the lantern that gets broken in the restricted section of the library scene in the Philosopher's Stone, but I knew it wasn't a match. THEN, the other night, Chamber of Secrets happened to be on tv, so even though I wasn't really watching I put it on in the background because hey, it's Harry Potter, but I looked up during this scene and right there was "my" lantern, in the common room no less! I don't know if it was luck or my subconscious recognizing it, but either way happy!. :D

Now all to do is burn a few real candles in there for the soot!
 
I think your subconscious is always working :0) I know whenever I am working on a project that is a little out of the box and I am making something from something else (if that makes sense LOL) I will be walking through a store or an old and new shop and it is like I am just drawn to the things I am looking for. I say it's serendipity :D
 
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Another small update... we had to drive an hour to get them, but I sourced a couple more brass light fixtures that have the right look. I'm particularly pleased with the accuracy of this one! Even though the walls still aren't done, just couldn't resist mocking up a small scene to check it out what the final effect might be like. One thing I'd like to try is to get a natural looking patina on the bright brass. I think I have to take the lacquer off first with acetone before the brass will age - has anyone ever tried this kind of thing? I have one glass globe, but two bases, so kind of a spare in case I screw it up. :D

globelamp.jpg
 
It isn't exact, no, but there are several of these similar style etched glass globe lamps on the gryffindor set (and all through the films, really - dumbledore's office, ollivanders, mcgonagall's desk - though her glass is pink, and other spots too) and they do vary from one to another.

I'm happy because having one of these feels like a really essential piece to the look of the set. The others would be the brass shade lamps, fireplace and stone, the wooden cabinet, leaded windows, the paintings, chandelier, couch, armchair and most of all, the unicorn tapestries. The rest of the stuff is more negligible. :)
 
Great find indeed!

I don't quite understand people's obsession with exactness in replicating an environment…I mean, it’s the spirit of the setting and finding harmonious accoutrements that effect or evoke the same sentiments is the point of it, not trying to deceive people into thinking it’s the actual place. I see that this weirdly anal attitude permeates this forum. I can't believe how many people nitpick over the most trivial minutia of a piece of creative art. They take so much of the fun out of a project. I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone specific, but I do see it alot and I find it tiresome.

Anyway, grimstitch, your Common Room is just wonderful! Any HP fan would love to submerse themselves here, even a Slytherin! :D
 
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Thanks PotionMistress. I agree with you very much, yet I do still understand it because perfectionism can be such a strong motivator. It's a huge struggle to balance the overall effect against the technically correct. Part of me would truly love to hunt down every exact piece and spend whatever time and money it takes, but I have to be somewhat realistic. :p And yes, it needs to remain FUN, number one. In most cases, it's finding those creative and practical alternatives that's keeping me going. :) :) :)

That said, those who have helped me with info and links to things - it's truly appreciated, even if I can't always take advantage of it!
 
Looks amazing; it's already a really wonderful space! Great find with the lanterns. They look great. The chamber of secrets one looks really spot on to me. I wish I could find one!

I once found a colorful cup at Goodwill that happened to be a cup used in Star Trek DS9 in quarks Bar. The exact same one, and it only costed me 30 cents. To this day it's one of my favorite finds :D
 
Hi guys. I've been working on making another little Hogwarts prop for the room - some good old pumpkin juice!

Here are two reference photos (from google) of the actual Harry Potter props, one as you actually see it in the Gryffindor Common Room at Leavesden, so that's the version I have tried to make - without the smaller upper label.

pjref1.jpgpjref2.jpg


And here's my process shots and the finished version. :)

IMG_8510.JPGIMG_8513.JPGIMG_8516.JPGIMG_8517.JPG
 

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