Posts from March 2012
this dog
Every 3-4 months or so we take Bailey to the groomer for a much-needed hair cut. (When I can braid the fur on his paws, I know it’s time.) It’s a splurge, but so worth it when you have a dog with freakishly large paws and the ability to track in leaves and small branches in his fur.
Last week, when he came home well-coiffed and feeling rather proud of himself, I thought it might be a good opportunity for a quick photo shoot.
But then I was reminded, he’s still a dog. The first thing he wanted to do was roll around in the grass and chew on a gnarly stick.
Love this dog.
Have a great weekend everyone!
studio loft: completion
Last Friday was a gorgeous evening. Even though it wasn’t particularly warm, it was sunny…the kind of March day where people flock to outdoor bars and empty the contents of their purse looking for a pair of sunglasses. For us, it was a perfect evening for desktop hoisting! (Ok, it also distracted me from fantasizing about basking in the sun with a glass of wine in hand.)
First, Kyle prepped the stairwell. (Seriously, I came home on Friday to this sight and Kyle napping in the bedroom.) The plan was to hoist the slab up and into the loft between the wall and edge of the loft ladder. (It was far too long to go up the loft ladder and have enough room to rotate into position.)
It would be a tight fit, but we measured everything beforehand to make sure we had enough clearance. (Or so we thought, keep reading…)
Our neighbor Blair came over to help. (He was incredibly gracious and patient and we owe him big time!) As they brought the slab in from the garage, Kyle took the lead and walked it up the ladder…
…while Blair and his brute strength took the heavy end.
I don’t know how much this thing weighs, but moving it was no easy feat. One rung at a time.
I mean, it’s a big piece of wood. [Obligatory inappropriate photo-op.]
All was going well until we ran into one minor snafu…the loft ceiling. The low-end of the slab hadn’t quite cleared the ceiling below so it was literally stuck. Swearing ensued. (We blame the curvature of the tape measure during our earlier measuring.)
But we put our heads together and decided the only alternative was to remove the ceiling fan blades and the loft ladder and then slide it up on its side.
When we installed the loft ladder, I’m pretty sure we mumbled something like, “at least we don’t ever have to move this thing again!”.
Ha. If there was a bright side, it was that we didn’t have to completely remove it, just lower it enough so the slab could clear the top of the guardrail. The ladder is attached to the floor below and joist above with hefty lag screws. So Kyle removed those and then we used a scrap 2×4 as a kicker to keep it from sliding further.
It was an unintended extra step, but it worked. Turned horizontally, Kyle and Blair had no problem getting the slab into the space and then turning it 90 degrees.
With one final heave, the three of us hoisted the wood up and onto the steel angles. The final step was to attach the slab using stainless steel 1/4″x2″ screws and 1/4″x1″ fender washers at pre-drilled holes at each of the four angle supports.
At this point, it was in place and we called it a night.
But it didn’t take long for me set up shop the next day.
I had thought about moving the painted IKEA stool down to the nursery, but it’s actually a great height for the sewing machine and can easily tuck under the desk when not in use.
For now, I’m using a small IKEA table lamp for task lighting (the only other light we have in the space is the sconce over the ladder). It’s ok, but eventually it will move to the nursery and be replaced with a flexible and brighter work light. (Just need to find one first!)
In lieu of gifts last Christmas, Kyle and I bought each other a Macbook Pro. I’m in love and not just because it’s so pretty. After using a PC my whole life, it’s just so much more intuitive and well…smarter. I still use a PC at work and my brain has gotten better about switching back and forth between the two. We also have a printer/scanner/copier that now has a nice little home in the spot between the last Stolmen unit and the wall. Due to space limitations, we used to keep the printer in the basement so it’s great to finally have everything consolidated in one space. Even better, Kyle has set up everything wirelessly so the printer talks to the laptops and the laptops talk to the Airport Express which talks to the stereo system which talks to our iPhones. Our house is small enough that sometimes the microwave gets bitchy and interrupts, but we deal.
There is still a lot of accessorizing that needs to happen, but I’m totally thrilled with how it turned out and more importantly how the space feels. With the pleasant weather this weekend, I’ve had the roof window open and the soft north light makes the room feel bright and airy. Best of all, I no longer have the visual distractions that come with working at the dining room table or kitchen island.
The walls aren’t perfectly straight and plumb (this is the attic of 102-year-old house after all), so we intentionally created a gap between the edge of the wood and wall. Not only does it look good, but it also provides a space for cords to snake through.
I’m still debating if the sewing machine stays out or instead lives in its case under the desk. Let’s be real, I still haven’t used the thing yet.
Bonus perk of owning a Mac, one minimal white cord.
In the desk progress post, Ron and Nate left some smart comments about better ways to fasten the wood to steel angles (to deal with differential movement) and we listened. Kyle made the holes in the steel slightly larger and used the fender washers in conjunction with the screws.
In addition to a new desk light, there are still several things left to tackle. We have a large IKEA file cabinet that is too big to fit in the loft so I’ve been in the process of purging and organizing all of our paperwork (as seen above). We still had files labeled “architecture school” and “high school” (eek!) so there was plenty of room to edit things down. The plan is to buy a used metal 2-drawer file cabinet that goes under the desk on the window side. I’ve been scheming about finding something ugly but in good shape and spray painting it a fun color (I thought this type of thing would be easy to find on Craigslist or at Goodwill, but no luck so far). Kyle is not on board with this idea. Yet. =)
It’s not done-done, but it’s a good start. As we continue to use the space, I’m sure we’ll get a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. I like the idea of keeping it simple and minimal, but I could also see something going on the gable wall behind the desk and maybe a twin-sized daybed/chaise on the wall opposite of the Stolmen units.
I’m super excited to have this little space to call my own (or at least share with Felix, who is smitten with the new set-up). It feels like a treehouse of sorts and an escape from the constant to-do list downstairs. Up here, I feel more organized, more creative and a renewed itch to tackle projects. A set of curtains for the nursery? A new blog design? Let’s see where this goes…
To see past posts on the studio loft, click here.
studio loft: the desk saga continues
Posts on the studio loft have been slow because progress on the desk has been slow. Last month we scored two reclaimed fir beams and a few weeks ago we showed you how we turned them into a solid desk and fabbed up some steel angle supports. The last remaining step was to fill any voids and apply the finish before the big install. We thought we could get it done in four or five weeknights. Well, easier said then done (which I guess is a recurring theme in home renovation).
The first step was to fill some of the splits and knot holes with epoxy. During winter we typically do finish work in the basement, but to keep me clear of any fumes Kyle decided to keep the job in the shop. Seattle is a reliable 46 degrees this time of year (give or take a degree), but it just wasn’t enough for the epoxy to cure properly. So we finally ended up buying a couple of radiators to keep the space at about 80 degrees. This did the trick and within a day or so Kyle go to work sanding the wood starting with 50 grit and working his way all the way up to 400 grit for a glassy smooth finish. Unhappy with the wavy surface achieved by his hand sander though, he started searching around for a local shop to do the job.
So last Friday he loaded the slab up in Orange Crush and took it down to OB Williams in South Seattle. Since I wasn’t part of this adventure, I’m going to hand the blogging reins over to Kyle and let him explain how it all went down.
First, a big thanks to Mario at OB Williams for really taking care in sanding this large piece of wood. I also got a full tour of their entire shop area which I must say is one of the most impressive woodworking places I’ve seen. Like Lauren said, while using a hand sander it’s nearly impossible to sand such a large surface perfectly flat without over-sanding in some areas which creates what is called “dishing” in the surface of the wood. This first photo shows the 52″ wide sanding belts that easily gobbled up our 27″ wide slab. The whole process only took about 30 minutes and we even changed the belts a few times for different grits.
52″ wide sanding belts…that’s a whole lotta grit.
Here’s Mario and I carting the slab over to the machine feeder. That’s me in the back.
This was one of the first passes. The slab was actually warped a bit so it took several passes to get it flat.
What appears to be wet spots on the slab are actually fully cured epoxy crack filler. The machine is auto feed so you just have to get it started then go to the other end to catch it.
Here you can see how warped the slab was where it’s lifted off the table in the bottom right hand corner. All in all we made about 5 passes on the bottom and 10 passes on the top which got it sanded down to 150 grit. In total we removed almost 1/4″ in thickness.
After doing some research on very durable finishes for a worktop surface we found this Enduro Varnish in a satin finish. It’s water based so it’s easy to work with.
I think this was about the 4th coat, I plan on doing at least 6. As soon as I can round up my guys we’re going to hoist it into the loft so Lauren can blog some more from her new desk. 😉 Really though, who needs a 13 foot long desk anyways? [Lauren’s edit: um, everyone?]
zerbebe nursery: two directions
Ok, so we already showed you what we have in mind for the basic nursery layout, but over the last several months I’ve been thinking more and more about specifics like colors, patterns and furniture. Pregnancy can be pretty overwhelming (so much to learn! so many decisions to make!), but the nursery – well, this is something I know how to do. Although we don’t have a lot of baby experience (most of our friends don’t have kids yet), I feel like I’ve read enough blogs and heard enough advice to be able to form my own opinions about what the nursery should be and what makes the most sense for our lifestyle. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that the nursery is mostly for us (or me…as Kyle has stated he only cares about the little munchkin we put in the nursery…that, and a comfy chair). I know the baby isn’t going to care about a particular theme or color palette (we still have a few more years before I get to put the kibosh on her Disney Princess desires), but I do believe that putting together the space helps new parents feel more prepared and well, let’s be honest…it’s fun.
Just like the other rooms in our house, we have the same basic objectives for the nursery: we want it to be functional and reflective of who we are and what we like. We want to invest in smart pieces that are versatile and will last for many years while also getting creative where we can. We don’t want to spend a lot of money, but we also don’t want to buy things that will quickly fall apart.
With those thoughts in mind, we’ve come up with two design directions for our baby girl’s room. They are both based on a collection of images, products and ideas that have been swimming around my head, but they are not a shopping list. Unfortunately, many items are just too expensive (imagine that?), but in our experience it’s best to start with what you want and then employ some creative problem solving skills to achieve a more affordable version.
A general note about color: regardless of the gender, I’ve always imagined the nursery with dark blue-gray walls with layers of gray and yellow. A few weeks ago (right after we found out that we’re having a girl), ModFruGal, Morgan and I were having a little back-and-forth on Twitter about nursery implications and how I could pull off a girl’s room that’s not too girly. Morgan made the below comment about colors. I wasn’t expecting it to, but her words really stuck with me and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this lady is obviously a genius.
Although I love yellow and gray as much as the next person, I knew the nursery would need something else, something more. I kept churning this palette around in my head and this weekend I finally spent some quality time with Photoshop to see how it could all come together. I don’t know if I’m bold enough to go with hot pink, but Kyle and I have talked about a particular coral/pink color that we both like (seen in this quilt that my mom made for me last year)…and an inky blue-gray could mesh well with the other colors and pick up on the subtle dark navy thread in the chevron rug. It’s a palette that’s feminine and sweet without screaming “BABIES” and will work with the rest of our house (keeping in mind that the nursery will be quite visible).
So anyway, DESIGN TIME! Oh, one more thing first – I would like to note that I’m intentionally not choosing a theme. I want our little girl’s room to grow with her, so I’m focusing instead on creating a room that is modern, cozy and feminine.
Scheme 1: (In both schemes, we’ll be using the West Elm chevron rug and IKEA PAX wardrobe that we already own. I’m also showing the Artemide Tolomeo floor lamp, but we’ll likely go with something smaller and oh…not $1K.) During a trip to IKEA a few months ago, I was excited to see the new SUNDVIK crib in gray-brown. At $119, it made me feel less sad about the price tag on the Oeuf cribs. In my head, I’d been imagining incorporating some gray hues with our dark brown cork floors and this seemed like the perfect solution to help tie everything together. The Ryder Rocking Chair is from West Elm and although it’s not inexpensive ($599) I was immediately smitten with the design (it’s comfy too!). Like many new parents, our goal is to find a dresser that can double as a changing table. Ideally I’d like to find something vintage (see Scheme 2) but as a backup the IKEA Hemnes seems like an affordable alternative (unlike many of their pieces, it’s mostly made from solid wood and we could easily swap out the knobs for something else). The birch plywood bench/cubbies is from Offi, but at $500-$600 this is something that we’ll DIY (we’d also like to do a floating shelf or two from the same cabinet-grade plywood above the dresser). As we mentioned in our last nursery post, we plan on installing a ceiling-mounted (i.e. secure) curtain in lieu of cabinet doors on the wardrobe. I’ve been drooling over the Coqo pattern from Anthropologie (available in rugs too) for a while now and could definitely see it as a way to add a punch of color and pattern in the nursery. (I also like that they’re feminine, but in a timeless way.) The gray pouf is from CB2 and the mobile is from Petit Collage.
Now, a quick reminder that this is just one direction and of course does not include the various accessories or other small items that we’ll likely add. We actually plan on incorporating some pink into the room (that’s what the coral-colored band on the left represents), but in small and subtle ways. We also realize that baby stuff is colorful, so we don’t need a lot of brightly colored furniture or textiles to compete. Also, by choosing timeless pieces we can reuse them for any future zerbebes. Finally, I started this palette out with my beloved inky blue-gray wall color in mind. (Even though we’ve painted every other surface in our house bright white (“super white” to be exact), I’ve always thought the nursery could go darker without feeling like a cave.) However, once I added the darker color things quickly got muddy and the grays and browns no longer seemed to work together.
Which brings us to scheme 2.
Scheme 2: I knew that part of the challenge with the first scheme was the gray-brown color of the crib and dresser. For this scheme, I found myself gravitating back towards a birch crib (by the way, are you surprised that we’re going birch instead of fir?). Oh hello, Oeuf Sparrow crib. You’ve weaseled your way back into my life. Ok, I love this crib. I love that it is well-crafted and responsibly made (minus the fact that it’s coming from Europe) and that it’s modern without being austere. I do not love that it is $730. My practical side is telling me that the IKEA Gulliver is similar and $600 cheaper, but there’s something that doesn’t quite click with me. (I do wish that the Sundvik came in birch though, that would certainly help my dilemma.) In my fantasy world I would also love to find a used Oeuf, but after months of trolling Craigslist I’m guessing that people who buy these cribs really do hold onto them or pass them on to their closest and dearest friends. On that note, I would also love to find a sturdy and clean-lined vintage dresser that is in need of some TLC (the example above is from a previously sold piece on Midcentury Modern Finds, the same people we bought our Eames fiberglass shells from). I’ve seen so many posts about people picking up versions of these for $30-$50 but I’ve been stalking Craigslist with absolutely no luck. Anyway, let’s move on to an equally depressing topic: gliders. Kyle has had an eye on the Monte Grano glider, but I have never been on board because to be quite frank, I thought it looked like something from Star Trek. But then, then…I saw the Luca. It’s not super modern, but if you’ve spent anytime researching gliders, this is pretty much the best thing out there. I love the charcoal fabric option and after seeing it in person, I was impressed that it was comfy without being oversized. (It also seems like more bang for your buck than the $600 West Elm rocker. Funny how you can rationalize an extra $400, huh?) The problem of course is that it’s expensive. Just under $1000 for the chair and another $400 or so if you want the ottoman. Although I know this chair would get some serious action and has received stellar reviews, it’s hard (ok, impossible) to justify shelling out that kind of cash for a glider. (Again, a perfect opportunity to buy a used version but they too seem to be nonexistent.) Yes, I also know that gliders/rockers are not a necessity but we really don’t have an equivalent piece of furniture that could serve as a substitute.
Sigh. Ok, let’s talk about something else. I love the yellow and white chevron shower curtain that Benita of Chez Larsson made from fabric she purchased off Etsy. It’s cheery and fun without being all rainbows and butterflies. I’ve also got an idea stewing about air plants in small glass orbs (like these from West Elm).
Finally, wall color. Yesterday I stopped by our local Benjamin Moore store and picked up a dozen or so different shades of dark blue-gray. We used BM’s “soot” on the exterior of our house and I’ve always loved how people have used it and similar shades indoors. The color above most closely resembles “abyss”, but I’m also liking “raccoon fur”, “gravel gray” and “baby black seal”. (If you’re raising an eyebrow and need convincing, check out some of the dark-walled nurseries I’ve pinned recently.)
The blue color is “lakeside cabin” and is what we used on the nursery sliding doors. We could always paint them (or even just the backside) but I’m thinking this color might work fine. The mustardy yellow and coral-pink swatches just represent how we might incorporate those colors through textiles, art, etc.
So what do you think? (You guys have been coming up with some great ideas and tweaks for our other projects, so I am open to all suggestions, especially from people who have “been there, done that”.) Right now, Kyle and I both like Scheme 2 better but of course it’s more expensive. But rather than wallow in my “champagne taste, beer budget” dilemma, I see it as a challenge to achieve the same look without breaking the bank. We have not set a specific budget number for this project (we actually never do, for us it’s easier to just do the best job we can while being financially responsible), so I don’t have a magic number in my head. The important thing is that I now have a vision and direction that I’m happy with and can spend the next few months scoping out thrift stores, online sales and the un-mined creative corners of my brain. (In fact, it’s the same strategy that I plan to use with our baby registry…a topic that is not directly design-related, but might be worth a blog post of its own.)
Finally, this weekend marks the halfway point in baby-growing! I still don’t look very pregnant yet, which I’m a little bummed about but I know that might also be a blessing in disguise. (I’m sure in a few months I’ll want to punch my 20-week self for having such thoughts.)
Seriously Bailey, must you photo-bomb every picture I take?
studio loft: desk progress
A few weeks ago, we showed you those two big reclaimed beams that we bought to build a work surface for the studio loft space. It would be easy – two beams turned on their side and connected together. Boom! Insta-desk!
But of course, it’s never that easy.
We had a rough idea of how we wanted to install the desktop, but before we made any cuts or bought any supplies we came up with some detailed hand sketches.
The sketch above is a section through the desktop. Originally we were just going to biscuit the hell out of the joint where the two pieces meet, but after a chance meeting with a woodworker named Burly, Kyle arrived at a better solution. (More on that later.)
For the connection to the wall, we went with our original idea of using steel angles. The dimensioned portion of the sketch above shows a plan view of where the angles would go on the walls and the larger section detail in the middle shows how the angle will attach to the wall and wood. Once we had the design fully flushed out, it was time to take stock of our inventory, buy supplies and get on with our building business.
First, Kyle cut the steel angles to size and then grinded the edges smooth.
Next, he marked the locations of the holes…
…and used a center punch to create a divot for the drill. Definitely don’t want your drill going all wonky on you y’know.
To set the holes even further he used a high speed steel countersink to create a bigger divot.
Next he loaded a high speed steel drill bit into his grandpa’s old drill press and occasionally dipped the bit in cutting oil the keep it from overheating. (If the bit gets too hot it dulls down really fast.)
After the holes were drilled, he then made a proper countersink so the screw heads flush out with the face of steel.
Meanwhile, superintendent Bailey keeps an eye on the operation.
After all of the holes were drilled, Kyle used his angle grinder with steel brush attachment to smooth everything out and prep the steel for painting.
Enough with the steel, time for wood! In addition to biscuits and glue, Kyle decided to install four hidden pieces of 3/8″ all-thread that would literally tie the two pieces of wood together and create a stronger connection. To do this, he first had to drill a series of parallel 1-3/4″ deep holes using a 1-1/2″ diameter forstener bit. To ensure he wasn’t over drilling, he kept an eye level view as he went, stopping when the blue tape line on the drill bit was aligned with the top of the wood.
Ta-da!
Next, he attached an auger bit and drilled through the side of the wood, in the same line as his previous top-drilled holes. See where we’re going with this?
With a steady hand, he guided the drill until it connected with the other hole. We debated using the drill press for this but Kyle has a calibrated eyeball and mad drilling skills.
The long, skinny hole was sized to accept a piece of 12″ (3/8″ diameter) all-thread. Success. Phew!
But before anyone gets too excited about fasteners, Kyle still needed to chisel out a portion of the round hole to make a flat surface for the fender washer and nut to bear on.
Once the holes were all cut, we realigned the boards so Kyle could mark biscuit locations. (Since biscuits are like a type of tongue and groove connection, you have to be precise that you get both sides perfect so everything fits together.)
Then he used his biscuit joiner to cut thin, wafer-like slots along the entire length of each beam.
Taking a break from all that sawdust, Kyle set up the steel angles on his welding table (with an old canvas sheet on top) and gave everything a nice even coat our favorite automotive gray-black primer (same thing we used on the barn door track and loft ladder). As you can tell by the lack of sunlight, he’s officially been at it all day.
Back to the wood – Kyle calls this part “biscuits and gravy”. (Mmm…) Before inserting the football-shaped wood biscuits, he squirts a generous amount of wood glue into each slot. (Side note: we used this same process to join two pieces of lyptus for our kitchen island, saving a ton of money.)
Once all of the biscuits were inserted, we slipped in the 4 pieces of all-thread and pushed the two slabs together.
We needed the help of a few large clamps, but there she is, in all of her connected glory. (Note: we worked with the slab upside down so we could more easily install the hidden fasteners, so that’s why the wood looks a little less-than-perfect.)
Finally, Kyle used his nimble fingers to install a fender washer and nut to each end of the all-thread. You’ll never see this connection unless you’re laying under the desk. And no one is going to do that. Except maybe for Felix. And we don’t make design exceptions for judgmental cats.
Here’s a top view of the all-thread connection. Pretty clever, huh? If you had x-ray vision you would see the piece of all-thread buried within the slab. But you don’t, so you’ll just have to trust us on this one.
The last thing we did that night was to install the steel angles (the primer drives super fast).
We used 3″x3″x3/8″ steel with fasteners at stud locations (which we figured out beforehand as seen on Kyle’s sketch). The wood desktop will be fastened from the underside through the screw holes in the top of the angle.
Structurally, we didn’t need continuous lengths of steel and this was also a much cheaper route to take. Additionally, the gaps between angles allows a slot for cords to go (since we’ll be holding the wood off the wall by an inch or so).
I can’t wait to get the big sexy slab up there. But first we have to finish the wood. (And when I say “we” I mean Kyle. No fumes for preggers.) In fact, Kyle is outside right now sanding it down. Then there’s epoxy filling, more sanding and applying a few coats of finish. Oh, and devising a way to get it into the loft (hint: strong and willing friends).
Still, not bad for a day’s work. (Who says Sundays are for relaxing and rejuvenating?)
Oh, I also thought some of you might be interested to know how Kyle and I tackle a project. For weekend tasks like this, Kyle usually does a majority of the manual labor (he’s detail-oriented and good at being “in the zone” for long periods of time) while I take care of all the other tasks that we don’t have time for during the week (laundry, bills, dishes, etc.). That’s not to say we’re not a team though. In fact, we’ve devised this high-tech messaging system for when Kyle needs a hand with something or wants me to take some photos:
Poor guy, I assumed “Elmo” was one final plea for help. Damn you auto-correct. (For the record, I tend to just act out charades (like putting food in my mouth) in front of the back door till Kyle sees me.)
So yeah, not an easy project, but that’s how we roll. If we’re lucky, in the end it will look elegant and effortless, masking all of the hard work, sawdust and time that went into it.
