The basement #4: A first - a "Daddy Day" in the shop!

My little one (5) was excited to work on a project or two with me for her room. I was hoping to keep her entertained enough to draw or something, while I spent some time, hopefully, finishing the stripping job on her closet door. (I spent a few hours on that yesterday, got more done in the first 1/2 hour than the following 2.5, but that’s another blog.)

When the room was ours (and I’ll have to search far and wide for a real before picture), the entrance way was a little tunnel – as defined by the red lines. You see, an earlier alteration to the floorplan moved the entrance from the current Master Bedroom, to the closet of the adjoining room. Approximately a 6’ wide by 2’ deep space, but they turned into a tunnel, blocking off the sides and top with drywall. It wasn’t until we moved an outlet that we discovered the “wasted space” in the wall that was totally finished, floor, drywall (or plaster), and paint. Odd.

Eventually I knocked down the drywall, a few studs, and opened up the entryway, turning the remains of one side of the boarded over closet into built in shelving.

Our bedroom would have had two closets – if not for the room switch. Not that this was a bad proposition for a girl to grow into. I always planned to put in custom shelving on the opposite wall. A nice spot for the TV, books and such. Now that we’re talking about downsizing, I’m less into customizing and more into finishing what I’ve only taken to 70-90%.

With the demolition of that wall, there was an exposed heating pipe, where the baseboard register went from one room to the next. After nearly five years, I decided I’d finally get around to “covering” it. So this morning we went down into the shop, and built a pedestal for her current (white melamine prefab – no I didn’t buy it) bookshelf to sit upon. Now you can’t see the ugly pipe and it looks more like an intentional custom built in!

I still have to make a grill front to conceal the pipe at the worm’s eye view (you could still see the lathe if, say you fell) but from anyones normal vantage point It looks great. I think I’m also going to take the cardboard” back off the bookshelf and attach something made with beadboard to further enhance the custom look, and perhaps attach a real wooden top. But for now, it’s complete enough for me. One more think off the to-do list! (a stale item on the to-do list at that.)

Good job Sweetie, thanks for your help. We’ve filled in a previously unused corner of your room, cleared up some floorspace (made room for your closet door) and earned a “coffee” break. (Lets not count the times we went up and down two flights of stairs).

- You might have noticed, among the sketches, measurements and such in the first picture, she was drawing her cocoa and marshmallows. Even as excited as she was to spend part of the day “working” with me, she still has her priorities. ;)

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/