It must be Springtime, because I have a new house guest... or perhaps I should say "shop guest" because she moved into my workshop. She's right in my walkway, but well out of reach of the barn cat. She's not sure what to think of the camera. Well, I guess I won't be using that rope anytime soon.
Now that Spring is here, why not get started on all of those little projects you've been waiting for all Winter long? I recently finished a project in a modern-style Asheville house: a built-in daybed and entertainment center which matches the industrial look of the home. As always, I'll start with the glamour shot. The customer requested black pipe and painted wood. This isn't our first project made with black pipe, and I really enjoy working with it. Now let's press "rewind" and see how it came together. It all started with a little niche next to the fireplace: The customer needed a place to put her electronics, including a good old-fashioned turntable. She also wanted a daybed so people could sit next to the window and watch the world go by. I started by building a simple frame from 2x4 lumber. This was the easy part! Meanwhile, back at my workshop, I cut and painted plywood for the shelving. I often use plywood, with facing around the edges, instead of solid wood. The plywood is more stable and less likely to shrink or warp. While I was at my workshop, I also cut black pipe to length and added flanges. Putting it all together was trickier than it looks, because I wanted the pipe flange supports to show when you looked at the shelves. If I just used one thickness of plywood, the facing of the shelf would hide the ends of the pipes. I decided to use a double thickness of plywood, which took a lot more work but preserved the interesting detail of the flange. I also installed a barn wood fireplace mantel while I was there. The whole thing looked great even when it was empty... ...and it's a really striking feature of the room now that they've got all their stuff on it. A great place to soak up some sunshine and listen to some tunes on a chilly Spring afternoon. If your fireplace needs a little pizzazz, give me a call. I love to do built-in shelving and entertainment centers, and I'll be glad to help you find a beautiful solution that fits the style of your home.
I just finished a fun project in north Asheville's historic Grove Park neighborhood: installing new wainscot and chair rail in a home office. We started out with a blank canvas: the room had nice white trim and French doors, but there was plenty of room for architectural interest. I started off by installing a chair railing, which is nice in an office or dining room because it protects the wall from nicks and dings caused by the backs of chairs. The homeowner requested a two-piece railing built up from pre-milled, pre-painted trim. If you look closely at the right-hand photo, you can also see that I've penciled in the lines for the wainscoting. Then I installed squares of moulding directly on the wall. Using the existing wall (instead of adding a wooden backing) makes a significant cost savings. Wow! What a big difference this trim makes! It looks like something you'd see in the White House, and it's perfectly suited to this historic home. Interestingly, the cost difference to install the two piece chair rail (as opposed to the generic standard) was very minor, and it is much more elegant than the plain piece would have been. Wainscoting like this could be what sets your home apart from the "plain white box" construction that we see in so many modern houses. If you have a room that needs a little dressing up, get in touch with us. We'll be glad to help.
The New Year is nearly here, and I like to take this time to look back on the old year and remember all of the cool projects that came our way. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order. Click any picture to read the original post about the project. Two Custom Laundry ClosetsTailored laundry closets can make a big difference in the value of your home with a relatively small investment... and meanwhile you get to enjoy a well-organized space to do your household chores. These two laundry areas were designed to fit very different spaces; one is tucked into a hallway, and the other is a complete room with extra cupboards and a coat rack. A Built-In Platform Storage BedThis little bed has a big surprise... ..drawers that pull open to allow storage of clothes or toys. When the little girl grows up, it can serve as a window seat instead. English-Style Mudroom CubbiesSpeaking of storing your kids' stuff, check out these mudroom cubbies which I built for a family of seven. Now that winter has rolled around, they're really getting some use out of them. Custom Kitchen IslandThis island has a classic and versatile style, and it could be sized to fit any kitchen. It has storage for dishes on one side, and seating on the other, so it doubles as a breakfast bar. Portuguese TilesI know I showed these tiles off fairly recently, but since I installed them, the homeowner has mentioned a few interesting facts which I left out in my original post. These are reclaimed vintage tiles from Portugal, and their original use was industrial, which is hard to believe given how beautiful they are. (My customer says, "They decorate everything over there.") The tiles make wonderful "washable art." Building a Deck with Livestock Panel RailingsSince we're headed into the depths of winter, I couldn't resist showing off my favorite outdoor project from last summer, just to remind us all that the warm weather will return soon. If you're ready to get a head start on the New Year and get some of your projects done, give us a call. We'll be glad to make your vision into reality.
One of my customers recently returned from a trip to Spain and Portugal with a suitcase full of hand-painted tiles. Wow, what a souvenir! It took her awhile to decide what to do with them. Her kitchen doesn't lend itself to a tiled backsplash, and even her kitchen island already has a nice marble top. But after some thought, she came up with a place for them: the side of the island. If I had been deciding how to lay these out, I might have spent all day dithering over the right placement, but she confidently spread them out on the floor with barely a moment's hesitation. I like the way she left a bold symmetrical tile in the middle. Notice that there are no grout lines! That's the great thing about using tiles in purely decorative places, where no water will splash on them: you can just butt them together. The close placement really sets off the "patchwork" effect. They look great with the colorful art in the rest of the kitchen. Speaking of colorful art, we had some tiles left over, so we put them in the dining room near her red wall. I love this idea. It's durable, washable art. If you need someone to install tiles in your Asheville kitchen or bathroom, give us a call. Whether it's fancy hand-painted porcelain or simple gel tiles, we'll be glad to help you make your home beautiful.
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