It has been a busy two months since my last post. I got a lot done and am nearing completion. Since I did not use plans to build my house I sometimes just sit back and look at what I have accomplished so far and contemplate the next move. At those moments I always am given a new perspective or creative idea. Probably the biggest epiphany was having three different levels in the house. I was in a cafe/gas station the other day eating a sandwich and I noticed that they had these cool tables built with 1x2's. They were about bar level but the 1x2's trailed up the wall. You'll get the idea when you see the desk I built in the pics below. The middle level of the house which sits at the top of the stairs and just under the loft, is the 'office.' I kind of think of it as a floating desk halfway from the floor and the ceiling. The top step of the stairs I made a little bigger to act as the office chair and in fact I am sitting there right now typing this. It is very comfortable and just a perfect place to sit and do what I do. It also acts as the brain of the house or the spot where the technology is delivered throughout the house. So from my computer in the office I can send video either to the TV in the loft or to the TV in the great room downstairs. It is just the perfect solution to get a work space that is not cluttering the great room downstairs. If you are familiar with cube tiny houses then you will have an idea of having the different levels. But enjoy the new pics!
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| I got the fridge boxed in at the bottom of the stairs. It will also fit snug when I build the couch on the other side of it. |
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| This is the a/c vent in the loft. There is a pipe coming from the window unit downstairs to help cool the loft faster. |
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| Got the TV in the loft and boxed in. Very comfy up there at night watching a movie! I think the TV only uses about 45 watts so it will work good with solar. |
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| I was given a bunch of pieces of metal and I made a headboard out of it! |
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| The window is actually an escape hatch for an RV. I need a way to escape if there is a fire. The walls in the loft are covered with straw beach mats. It makes the loft very inviting and cozy :) |
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| This wall was finally completed with the wainscoting and textured wallpaper and pine trim with fluer de lis crown moulding. It is going to eventually be painted. |
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| This is the desk at the top of the stairs. |
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| Kitchen counter tops made from reclaimed oak flooring and an antique coffee table. I made multiple levels because the table pulls out so three people can sit and have dinner! |
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| I had this wood cutout of my last name. I think my grandfather probably made it because it was always on my grandmothers organ. I thought it be a nice final detail for the counter. |
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| This spot is actually above the shower. It is basically my nightstand and house fan. I have a remote for the fan so it makes it easy to turn on and off. On the other side of the fan I encased with the 1x2's to act as a vent so you don't see an ugly tower fan from downstairs. The top of the nightstand is just pieces of vinyl flooring that someone gave me and the wall is straw beach mat. |
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| This pic was taken with a new app from Android called Photaf. It is a panoramic picture app and is free! So this is two pics sandwiched together. This IS as comfy as it looks! As you can see the cat (Sammy) is enjoying his nap up there! In the back right corner of the pic you can notice the reading light I installed. There is also one on the other side of the bed. And the board on the left next to the escape hatch with the circle in it is actually the light switch cover. I don't like ugly plastic light or plug covers. So I made my own! |
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| This is a good shot of the desk and vent for the fan and loft. The white shelves to the right are not finished. I still haven't decided how I want to trim it in. And keep in mind all of this is going to be painted or stained in some way. |
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| Here is the kitchen counter again but with the table slid out. Basically, I just bought some drawer hardware and attached it to the bottom of the table and the top of the filing cabinet. The wall behind the kitchen is not finished. The backsplash that will be behind the counter will also be made from reclaimed oak. |
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| See how the desk tapers up the wall and gradually the 1x2's get a little further apart. |
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| Trails all the way to the top of the ceiling. I think it turned out well. I think I am going to put a nice dark stain on it. |
I am getting real close to finishing but I want to take my time and do it right. If I had gone with the plans I had originally drawn up I would probably be done by now. But I keep having these little new ideas that I am really enjoying imagining and creating as I go. To me it's more like I am a painter and my canvas gets filled up by sitting back and observing, imagining, and eventually creating the picture I see in my head. Except the canvas is my house and I create what I dream up. It has been a real pleasure and a real world education for me. Please keep reading for more updates in the future!
Wish me luck!
