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‘Charleston Regained’ is an almost invisible project. Great care was taken to replicate original materials where, for example, whitewashed walls were repainted or rotten sections of floors and windows replaced. It takes a keen eye to distinguish the new flex used to rewire Charleston’s lamps and light fittings from the original wiring which did not comply with modern standards. Inevitably the builders left a layer of dust but after all the protection was removed from walls and floors and the collection returned the house looked as though nothing had changed. It just looked a little cleaner. The conservation of Charleston is a continuing process. |
Picture captions from left to right:
1. A conservator replaces painted wallpaper in Clive Bell’s Study.
2. Paints are mixed to create exact colour matches.
3. The Kitchen is lime washed.
4. The Tearoom is freshened up.
5. Wooden floor blocks from the Studio are carefully numbered ready to be re-laid.
6. Table lamps from around the house are rewired.
7. Replacing a lampshade in Duncan Grant’s Bedroom.
8. Replacing the shade in Duncan Grant’s Dressing Room.
9. Textiles are returned to the Garden Room.
10. A bed in the Spare Bedroom is re-assembled.
11. The objects in Vanessa Bell’s Bedroom are re-instated.
12. A final dusting of the walls in Vanessa Bell’s Bedroom before the paintings are returned from store.