Recently ED-209 posted a Mini-MOC he created with a guillotine and Marie Antoinette. This got me thinking. I have always loved Marie, and been interested in her life and the time during and preceding the revolution. After much thought I have decided (with the help of my fiancé) to build a set of rooms and a garden in the style of Versailles. I say style because I know I won't be able to perfectly replicate certain wallpaper and upholstery patterns but I still hope to give my MOCs the feel of Versailles.

http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/2009/08/la-meridienne.html

I also intend to create something like the Hall of Mirrors but am at something of a loss as to how to make/use mirrors. One thought is to build the walls and have a slight space to insert some small square mirrors in-between them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_of_Mirro..._of_Versailles)

As for the gardens, I think I am pretty well set on how to do them and what to use, but any thoughts and help is always welcome.

Currently I am only in the acquiring bricks and making plan drawings phase. We are currently buying as much gold, white, and medium blue legos off of Brinklinks as my wallet can afford (honestly not that much at a time.) I'm also looking into interesting pieces that I could possibly use for interior accessories (I've bought some cakes and Lego muffins and Blue Imperial soldiers.) I'm also trying to save up for the Taj Mahal as it looks to be an ideal set for the parts I need.

Basically I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or advice they could offer to a relatively new MOC maker. Also are there any special pieces that anyone might know of to help me along the way?

Also, does anyone own the Taj? How are the pieces? And do you think they would be of any help?

Merci beaucoup in advance!

Edited August 28, 200915 yr by Madame Du Bricky

My recommendation is to use these hinge bricks as an underlay for support and a frame. Using bricks and modified bricks to build the skeleton of the building you could then use tiles, plates, and decorative elements to cover the skeleton and achieve something in this look. Arches might work but them may be difficult to find in quantity or color. While the hinge brick will not give you a perfect round shape them come close and allow you to use plates and tile freely on them while arch bricks do not.

This

That

This

Alternatively, you could build round areas out of just plates which will allow you to achieve layers of color and shape but will be time and cost intensive.

If you are not familiar with SNOT building techniques you should do a few searches here on the forums to become better acquainted with them.

I own a BL store and I am currently getting rid of a lot of parts. If you would like to work out a bulk purchase of the parts I have listed there or from the oddles of stuff I have yet to list send me a PM. I guarantee a cheaper price than anything you will find on BL. Just let me know.

Best of luck on building something so complex and detailed. And welcome to Eurobricks!

While I am moderately lost by Mr. Suvie's suggestion of click hinges, I am able to affirm that this is a very ambitious project for the reason that I have seen so little in the Baroque style and almost nothing built in the Rococo (not to mention the palace if huge; I'm assuming that you only plan to build a small section). Before I provide the few examples across which I have come, I wanted to ask; are you building the exterior in addition to the interior?

Thank You SuvieD! It appears that I cannot send PMs yet (after 10 posts? I'm working on it!)

I absolutly will look into the SNOT techniques. Sounds promising!

Also it seems I have posted this in the wrong place, from what I've seen I suppose it should go in the Pirate MOCs section? If that is the case I would appreciate a moderator moving this thread. Merci!

007, I am planning on doing the inside first. I would like to get to the outside, but it all depends on how the interior goes.

Edited August 28, 200915 yr by Madame Du Bricky

Mirror-wise, the new mirror stickers from the Carousel may come in handy, although that's an expensive way. Alternatively, the back of the Mirror of Erised is reflective, such as in Corran's vig -

Brand new transparant panels are also quite reflective.

But for your situation? I'd go with mirror card/squares, as it's easier and cheaper , if you're not a purist

For the chandeliers, transparent 1x1 round bricks and plates, antennae and jewels provide the best solution, such as here

(pic is link)

BTW, this fits best in this forum - although the time periods overlap a bit, the subject matter fits better here.

007, I am planning on doing the inside first. I would like to get to the outside, but it all depends on how the interior goes.

I see. Slyowl has provided some valuable assets in that case, however, I think that 2x2 black tiles (maybe with some 1x2) when new and shiny could provide the cheapest and most practical design for the mirrors (see?). Naturally, you could also mix more than one method for multiple mirrors if the shiner elements are desired.

Finally, the flooring in the EofAlshire's image below seems to resemble the look of this technique pretty well.

Welcome to the cub Madam Du Bricky, I have been a fan of Marie Antoinette since I was 4, and I have attempted many times building a Lego Model of the Palace of Versailles, with the wall paper, find a picture of the design on the internet and print it out and glue, or stick it to the walls.

For the garden make sure to add waterfalls, now for shrubs, just use Green Bricks with a curved tile ontop to make them look like shrubs.

Make sure you add alot of detail to the center of the building where most people would look, try to find a reddish brown brick to help build the outer walls.

This is all the advice I can give for now.

Thank you very much everyone!

SlyOwl, that chandelier is amazing and very inspiring! As to the mirrors, I found quite a bit of mirror stickers on BrinkLink, I wouldn't have even searched for them because until you mentioned it, that Lego made mirror pieces never even occured to me. So much grattitude is owed to you!!!

oo7, that floor technique is very neat. My fiance rather wants to do the flat tile pieces in varying colors to make similar patterns, but if that doesn't work out we'll definately give your technique a try.

Sir Wellington (love the name) thank you so much. Instead of the wallpaper, I had thought I might use gold paint and a fleur de lis stamp. It certainly won't be as ostentatious as the actual wallpaper but I am hoping it gives the look/feel of wallpaper. I will, however, borrow your idea of printing out small portraits! What glue or tape would you recommend. I was thinking perhaps a double sided tape, but that would leave the corners of the paper open for bending.

Merci beaucoup!

Edited August 30, 200915 yr by Madame Du Bricky

Ooh, I'm so flattered and humbled to have influenced someone in this fashion!

It's an impressive and bold undertaking that you're proposing here, and I think that one of the big challenges will be in deciding what to omit. I think that rendering pretty much anything in Lego (be it buildings, vehicles or people) is essentially like drawing a caricature of a person - there's a knack for knowing what elements to exaggerate to make it most recognisable. That being said, how much of a purist you are will also impact things. Personally, I see nothing wrong with making your own stickers to represent some of the wallpaper as TLG themselves do that sort of thing. As for the mirrors, if you aren't committed to the idea of using reflective Lego parts, you could get small mirrors from a craft shop (I've even seen some small ones for mosaics that are approximately the size of a 2x2 tile!) and glue them to thick cardboard to mount behind the wall? Or you could use silver metallic card overlaid with a sheet of acetate printed with a grid? It wouldn't look as real as actual mirrors of course!

Best of luck with your project, I'll be looking forward to see how it develops!

And BTW I love the effect of the parquetry that oo7 demonstrated - amazing idea there! (And what helmet is that guy wearing? It looks like a standard Lego spangenhelm with a custom aventail?)