Search Results for: plywood
diy baby gate
When Avery started crawling, we bought a baby gate for the top of the basement stairs. At the time, I was looking for the least ugly option that would fit the opening. We realized later that not only are compression gates not the best option for top of stairs, but our stair width (36″) was at the upper limit of the gate’s adjustability. This meant there was a large amount of exposed all-thread, enough to make us nervous.
So, when I was at a friend’s house a few months ago I noticed they had a nice plywood custom gate. Fortunately for us, they also had an extra one. Perfect, I thought, we can get a custom gate without spending a crazy amount of time making one!
Of course, nothing is ever that easy.
First of all, the gate we came home with was really just a piece of routered plywood. It was also a smidge too wide for our opening, so Kyle had to trim it down (which also meant re-rounding the corners). Then, Kyle installed 2×2 trim on both ends (screwed into the wall framing and painted white) to mount the hinges and latch to.
The plywood had some blemishes and imperfections so we decided to paint it. Originally I voted for white and Kyle the dark gray of our interior steel, but ultimately we landed somewhere in between. (We were concerned that the white would show too much dirt and handprints but that the dark gray would become too much of a focal point.) The color is “Del Ray Gray” (Benjamin Moore). I like it enough. It looked slightly lavender at first but I think we’ve gotten used to it (or over it? Kyle says he’s still not a fan). At any rate, we’re not repainting now.
The hinges are stainless steel and self-closing, so we don’t have to worry about manually closing it each time.
On the latch side, we used a simple stainless steel gate latch. (We realize there may come a point when she can unlatch it herself and we’ll modify if needed.) The only downside to this latch was that with the self-closing hinges it was pretty noisy as the gate swung back into place. So, latch hack! Kyle had the clever idea to install heat-shrink rubber tubing (commonly used for electrical work) to dampen the noise.
The vertical trim on the latch side also provides enough of an offset for the gate swing to clear the handrail.
During the initial installation, we debated adding another latch on the opposite wall in the event that we wanted to keep the gate open. We didn’t love the idea of our pristine white stair wall having a latch wart on it (or the possibility that someone might accidentally leave it open) so we decided to wait.
But, after a summer of having someone sleeping in the guest room almost every weekend, we realized it was nice to have the option of leaving it open (and since it only happened while Avery was asleep, it wasn’t a safety concern). So we added the other latch.
Yeah, it’s kinda dumb looking, but we’re over it. The important thing is that we now have a nice-looking and safe gate that only took way too many hours to fabricate and install.
We still don’t have a great solution for baby-proofing the loft ladder. We currently don’t have any issues with Avery trying to climb it (she just likes to throw her toys down to the basement), but we know it’s something we’ll have to deal with at some point. If Kyle didn’t go up and down the ladder multiple times a day it would probably be less of a design challenge, but as it stands we need something that restricts her use but not ours. So, we’ll keep brainstorming.
Bonus! Can you spot the two photos with a cone-of-shame photobomb?
boxes + nursery updates
The northwest corner of Avery’s nursery has been sad and lonely for the last twelve months…waiting, patiently, for this:
Bam!
You see, the trouble with being an architect and being married to an architect is that you set the bar pretty high for even the simplest of projects. For over a year now I’ve had the idea that we would design and build Avery some type of toy and book storage for her room. Originally, we were going to build a bench/cubby that would sit under the window. Well, it didn’t happen before Avery entered the world so we considered just buying the similar (and very pricey) Offi version ($$$) and calling it good. But then I started seeing modular storage boxes well, everywhere and thought this could be a quick and easy project. (Ha!) Thinking I might be able to find some inexpensive pre-made boxes (that we could then finish/paint), I scoured the interwebs but no luck. (Seriously, I’m sure this would be a lucrative business model. Someone should get on that.)
So, DIY it was.
The four boxes are made from a single 4’x 8′ sheet of 3/4″ maple plywood. In lieu of exposed fasteners, we opted for biscuited joints. Our clamp collection came in handy.
We did consider installing backs but the boxes were plenty rigid without them and their omission simplified the construction and overall project costs.
After the boxes were assembled, Kyle applied a coat of benite and a couple of coats of clear polyurethane to the outside faces.
I wanted to do something playful for the inside faces, so we chose four of our house colors (“lakeside cabin”, “thuderbird”, “luminous days” and “birds of paradise”, all Benjamin Moore). Also, this photo was taken the day before her birthday party. If there’s one thing we’ve learned through the whole remodel process it’s this: PARTIES = FINISHED PROJECTS. Seriously, trust us.
Thankfully, the littlest Zerbey approves.
(Side note because I know someone will ask – all of our outlets are tamper-resistant which means they have a plastic “shutter” behind the holes to keep kiddos from sticking objects in them.)
Mid-way through construction we wondered if we should have spent more money on a nicer plywood with more ply’s (since the end grain is so prominent) but now that they’re finished and in the space we’re really pleased with how it all turned out (and realistically, she’s going to eventually give them her own “patina”). The individual box dimensions are as follows (all are 15″ deep): 15″x30″, 15″x15″, 12″x12″ and 15″x9″.
Aside from basic toy and book storage, we like the idea that the boxes could also be used to encourage creative play for years to come. (My sisters and I used to spend hours making “doll houses” from cardboard boxes and I like to think Avery might use these in a similar way someday.)
Of course, safety was a concern so we bought these clips from DWR to attach the boxes to each other. They’re metal with a rubber lining so they fit snugly and can’t be removed by little hands. At first we attached them to the front faces but then decided it looked too busy and instead attached them to the back. We have five clips, which should be plenty for the various configurations we come up with.
(Since Avery’s still in the paperback destruction phase, I love that so many classic children’s books now come in board books.)
Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel was Kyle’s all-time favorite book as a kid. In fact, he checked it out of the library so many times that his teacher had to stage a mini-intervention.
The heights of the boxes are perfect for Avery at this age and encourages more independent standing (she’s not walking yet, but I know it won’t be long!). Although we haven’t reconfigured the boxes yet, we have discovered that by pulling them away from the wall by a few feet we can create a cozy little nook for her.
Aside from the boxes, we’ve made a few other tweaks to the nursery over the last several months:
We bought the IKEA PAX wardrobe with the intention that it could be rearranged and added to as Avery’s needs changed. At first, I just bought four shelves and stacked everything inside. That worked fine for the first 9 months or so but it wasn’t the most efficient set-up. As she started playing with more toys I pulled out all the newborn gear that we no longer needed and packed it away in the crawl space. I then bought three plastic drawers and rearranged the existing shelves. The bottom two drawers are for toys and I use the top one for blankets, sheets and extra diapers. We’ve had this configuration in place for a few months now and it works really well. She can only reach the two bottom drawers, but because they’re so wide she can’t pull them open far enough to create a ladder. Moving the laundry basket up keeps her from constantly emptying her dirty laundry. (Behind the laundry basket and diaper bag is our stash of non-board books.)
Having three areas for toy storage (these drawers, the plywood boxes and the felt bins in the living room) also allows us to rotate through different toys so she doesn’t get bored or overwhelmed with too much to choose from.
Toys, what toys? Actually, we usually have some toys strewn about but since the living area also doubles as a place to meet with clients it was important to have a system in place for quick and easy clean-up.
Also, I’m finally calling this room DONE! So, a few overall shots to commemorate!
Confession, this is the third set of air plants I’ve bought. The first ones got neglected in those first six months and then the second set quickly died when we put up temporary blankets over the windows to make the room darker. (Apparently plants need sunlight?)
Speaking of, I procrastinated so long on curtains because I really did not want to make blackout shades for the windows (those chevron curtains took way too long as it is!). So, imagine my surprise and happiness when I discovered that IKEA sells both blackout curtain liners and roller shades (and in a dark gray color)! At the larger window I used the liner with a pair of IKEA curtains in a dark gray-blue (the curtain rod is from West Elm). We hung them near the ceiling to compose with the wardrobe curtains but stuck with a color similar to the walls so that they wouldn’t compete visually. At the smaller window above the crib we installed a surface-mounted roller shade (we wanted to keep the existing recessed shade for diffuse natural light). The exposed hardware on the roller shades leaves something to be desired but we figured we could build a custom valence of sorts if it bothered us too much (it hasn’t).
The 3 Sprouts canvas bin (which used to hold all of her toys!) now houses our collection of baby quilts (thanks Mom!) plus a few stuffed animals.
Aside from these few modifications and additions, the overall layout hasn’t changed in the past year. It’s simple but continues to work really well for our needs. We still use the dresser to store most of her clothes, diapers, wipes and a few regularly used odds and ends. Bonus, I think it finally lost that Craigslist smell!
The only thing we might swap out in the near future is the rug. I love the design and feel (we bought it from West Elm a few years ago), but it does show dirt and the looped design is not conducive to giant golden retriever paws. It would be nice to replace it with something more easily cleanable too, so we’ll see.
I’d also like to design/incorporate a growth chart into the nursery – maybe something on the backside of the sliding doors? My mom did this on the back of our closet door (my sister and I shared a room) growing up and I want to continue the tradition.
The nursery is starting to feel more and more like a kid’s room and we love it. (In fact, it’s Kyle’s favorite room in the house!) I know there will be more items to accommodate as she expands her interests and abilities (art supplies! a mini kitchen!) but I’ve got some ideas for that.
avery’s first birthday
Our baby is one!
Avery’s birthday was the week before last and we (along with my mom) celebrated by going to Remlinger Farm, blueberry picking and out to dinner that evening (where Avery had her first bites of chocolate cake and ice cream!).
The rest of the week brought the arrival of various family members (including 5 grandparents and 3 of my siblings!). We were thrilled that so many people travelled to share this event with us and it was really special to see the interaction between Avery and our parents (living 2,000 miles away they don’t get to see her nearly as much as they’d like).
Aww, don’t be jealous Bailey.
Avery “opened” gifts from the family later that week (before her party on Saturday) which was definitely a good call and kept her from getting too overwhelmed.
Because y’know, there were gifts like this. Yeah, Kyle’s parents totally got her a Disney Princess car. She loves it.
On Saturday afternoon we had a backyard party with family and friends. We kept it pretty low-key and didn’t go with a particular theme other than a handful of bright and happy colors. The plywood boxes on the table are Avery’s gift from Kyle and me. I plan on doing another post (soon!) that talks about them in more detail (including how they fit in the nursery), but for the party we used them as a display area for gifts.
Another small gift from us were these plastic animals. Avery has some plastic dinosaurs that she loves, so I thought this would be a good addition and something that she can play with for years. The party hat idea was borrowed from Oh Happy Day and kudos to my sister for carefully making each one.
I also made a small “smash cake” for Avery and couldn’t resist these tiny pennants that I found at Target.
We printed each of her monthly photos and displayed them along the top of the fauxdenza…
…but my favorite part was this “installation” that I created from a year’s worth of Instagram photos (printed via Prinstagram).
Although we didn’t get too fancy with the food (small sandwiches, fruit, salads, veggies, beer and sangria) it was a lot of work and I am so, so grateful to all the family that pitched in to make it happen.
Here are few shots during the party. I was rushing around and obviously didn’t have my camera on the right setting so they’re a bit washed out. However, it was a perfectly gorgeous Seattle day and I look forward to all the fun summer birthdays in our future!
Towards the end of the party we brought out the smash cake and sang “Happy Birthday”. Overwhelmed and probably a little unsure why she was only wearing a diaper, Avery burst into tears.
She calmed down a bit when we showed her the cake but wouldn’t go after it till she was safely sitting between her daddy’s legs.
Once she realized that she could actually eat the frosting she became very focused and started using both hands.
Nom! Nom! Nom!
A few minutes later, she looked up to realize everyone was still staring at her and started crying again, this time with an emphatic almost face-plant into her cake. We took this as a cue to move to the bathtub and give her some time to regroup before opening more gifts.
All in all, it was a great party. People say the first birthday is really for the parents and I think that’s true, but it’s also a chance for us to thank everyone for all the help and love we’ve received this past year. (A special thank you to you guys as well, who have offered tons of great ideas and reassurance along the way!)
We made it! Happy birthday Avery – here’s to many, many more!
the garage dilemma
When we showed you the big backyard reveal a few weeks ago, there was one angle we didn’t show.
Yeaaaah. Surprise, the garage/carport is still there and in exactly the same condition as when we moved in 7 years ago (although I’m convinced the new landscaping makes it look even worse). The reason for its lack of improvement is two-fold. For starters, the structure has basically served as a shop and lumber storage since day one. Secondly, we’ve been unsure of what to do with it once we’re done remodeling. The gabled portion is the original garage from 1910. Sometime in the ’60s the carport was added and everything was clad in metal siding and teal trim (why? why???). The building is generous by Seattle standards (about 515 SF) and we know it’s valuable to have what is effectively a 2-car garage in the city. But it’s ugly and not that functional for our post-remodel needs. So, we’ve been brainstorming:
Ax the carport and fix up the original garage: This would certainly make our yard feel bigger and we don’t necessarily need the carport space. However, we’re happy with the size of our current yard and don’t think it would be a great trade-off in terms of home value. The building is also an existing non-conforming structure so if we were to tear it down we couldn’t rebuild in the same spot.
Add a second story: Seattle now allows Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) in our part of the city, which means we could basically have a small house in our backyard (with a size limit of 800 SF). The idea of having rental income each month is appealing, but in reality we’re not sure we like the idea of someone living in our backyard. Adding a second story introduces new complications as well – the second story might have to step back on the north side to abide by zoning code setback rules, which would create a fussy structural situation. We’d also have to run plumbing to the structure which would not only mean tearing up our yard but also potentially increasing the size of our water main. Of course, having a small house just for guests would be amazing, but probably not financially viable.
Remodel the existing structure: We always thought this option might be a good compromise but couldn’t decide what to do with the wacky gable-shed roof form. The roofing material needs replacement and there’s not a functional reason to keep the existing roof structure. We tried a single gabled roof over the whole thing but it looked way too out of scale. Then, a few weeks ago Kyle came up with the idea to just eliminate the gable and extend the slightly sloped carport roof structure, taking it from this:
To something like this:
Functionally, we discussed how we’d use the space and decided that the best solution is to maintain the two zones. The existing garage would stay a shop and the carport would become a multipurpose work space with plenty of storage in both. There is already a concrete curb and framed wall between the two so this division makes sense. The layout would be flexible so that we or future owners could use it for a number of different things. (We’d also like to include a few kid-friendly features.)
In addition to changing the roof structure, we’d fill in the carport and add a swing door. We’d replace the metal siding with dark-stained cedar siding (applied as a rainscreen) with a durable finish and add a few small windows to the south side. Aesthetically, our approach would be to create a building that compliments the house but does not necessarily match it. This would also be an opportunity to do something more modern than what the exterior of the main house allowed.
On the south side, we have the idea to collect roof run-off in a cistern that would then feed a raised vegetable garden (with maybe a hog wire trellis attached to the building with standoffs). The roof itself would need to be metal for such a low-slope. The fascia and trim would be cedar and the soffit probably a exterior-rated plywood.
Aside from creating a functional and well-designed space, we also want this project to be one that is done on a modest budget. We don’t plan on starting work this year (still need to finish the basement!), but it’s exciting to go through the design process and come up with a direction that we feel good about. We’re not 100% settled on the form or the material palette either. I’m sure we’ll make a few modifications and revisions as we go, but this is what we’ve got for now. Teal trim, your days are numbered.
redoing the master bedroom
Our bedroom was the first space to be gutted and remodeled nearly 4 1/2 years ago. The room is modest in size and we didn’t have a big budget so we opted to keep things simple. Sure, the finished space was a drastic improvement from the day we closed (ack!), but as we continued to remodel the rest of our home we came to like our bedroom less and less.
So, time for a redo!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may remember a teaser photo of an empty bedroom from several weeks ago. Maybe you thought we were repainting (a good guess and logical first step), but no…we got a new bed! Our old bed frame was IKEA and purchased when we moved to Seattle in 2004. The mattress itself was Kyle’s from college and our first DIY project. He wanted a TempurPedic, but we were young and had no money so the guy at the mattress store tipped him off to a little secret: buy the 3″ high-density foam topper (that’s meant to go over conventional mattresses) and then pick up an inexpensive foam mattress from the Army Surplus Store to go underneath. Bam! Instabed! The mattress served us well but after 10+ years it was time for an upgrade.
[We also took down the birds. It was time. The twine was held by some nails in the corners so Kyle quickly spackled over those areas (hence the darker spots you see in the photos). We’re not sure what the new art will be just yet, but will likely let the rest of the room dictate.]
We did some shopping and tried out other mattress types but ultimately came back to the TempurPedic. They’re definitely an investment, but we were able to buy a floor model (looked new to us!) for 20% off. (Woo!) Our old mattress and bed frame were a queen, which fit nicely in the space. Although we dreamed of upgrading to a king, the room is too small so we settled on a California king (which is narrower but longer than a king). It’s still a whopping 12″ wider than a queen, which feels downright luxurious. You’ll see we also had to rotate our nightstands (Offi tv stands that have since been discontinued) 90 degrees – it works for now, but we have other plans.
One of our concerns with getting a wider bed was how Bailey would react. He’s used to sleeping on the floor between the side of the bed and the wall, with his head fully under the bed. The metal frame is now too low for his head and the space too narrow for his 95 lb. body. We were feeling a little guilty about the situation until we realized that Bailey actually preferred to just sleep in the new bed. So, problem solved? Guess that’s why we got a bigger bed.
We still love our IKEA Pax wardrobe system but the brown curtain and tension cable were a last-minute solution that has never really worked as we hoped it would.
So here’s a rundown of our game plan:
Paint: In 2008 we had not yet discovered Benjamin Moore’s “super white” and painted our bedroom and bathroom an off-the-shelf white from a home improvement store. Yeah, I don’t know what we were thinking either. It seemed ok until we found the perfect white for the rest of the house and now it seems really yellow. There was also an incident during our 2010 demo where a crow bar went through the bedroom wall. We had the drywallers patch the spot but when I went to repaint I grabbed the wrong sheen from the basement. UGH. So, we talked about painting the room a color but with only one window (that faces north) we need to make it as bright as possible.
Flooring: The fir floors in the bedroom are original to the house and during the first remodel Kyle sanded and refinished them. Well, fir is soft, Bailey has claws and the finish we used wasn’t durable enough. Seriously, there’s a divot where he sleeps. Even if we took the time to refinish them again, the wood isn’t all that nice to begin with so we’re planning to do Flor carpet tiles on top. To save a little money, we’ll omit the tiles that would go under the bed. (Our design ideas for a new bed frame will accommodate this.)
Bed frame and nightstands: We’re still working out the design details, but basically we need a new bed frame to accommodate a bigger bed and new nightstands since our previous ones no longer fit like they’re supposed to. (We’ll probably move the Offi’s down to the basement to use as side tables.) Ok, technically we have a simple metal frame already but we have plans for a DIY headboard and skirt of sorts.
Wardrobe: Kyle and I keep debating the best solution for the wardrobe. The storage itself is great, but we need a better option to conceal all of our clothes, as the current tension cable is too saggy and the curtains are too small to look good when closed. My vote is to do something similar to the nursery, where we buy a ceiling-mounted track and sew custom fit curtains. Kyle wants to make custom drawer fronts and cabinet doors (out of a cabinet-grade maple plywood) so it looks more like a built-in. (We vetoed the idea of just adding IKEA doors since it would be a two-step process to open the doors and then pull out drawers. Does this make us lazy?) I like the custom doors/drawers idea but am worried it will end up being a labor and time intensive project.
Window curtain: We still like the way the window curtain can slide back between the wardrobe and the wall when not in use, but it’s suffering from the same saggy issues as the wardrobe curtains. We have a translucent roller shade that provides privacy while letting in natural light, but for the part of the year when the sun rises early we need a way to make the room darker. And yeah, we’re over the brown. I’m feeling lots of warm gray (I know, I’m getting crazy and straying ever so slightly from blue-gray!), but I know we need some color too.
Ceiling fan: The ceiling fan and light combo is currently centered on the door and window but we’re wishing we would have located it more central in the room. So maybe we’ll move it over? (If we go with doors on the wardrobe it will have to move regardless.)
Bedding: Kyle bought some new sheets that are a pale blueish gray and match our existing duvet cover. We still like the duvet (which is king-sized), but I wouldn’t mind switching it up either. And then there is the question of whether we get new, larger pillows. We’re obviously not into making the bed so maybe we don’t fret about these things too much?
So, nothing too drastic but we think it’s going to bring the room up to the same level as the rest of the house. This will also be the first real room redo since Avery was a couple of weeks old so we’ll see how the juggling of tasks goes. Who wants to repaint? One, two, three…not it!
