JordonMusser
Well-known member
amazing!
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Mid-Century Moto Mecca Makeover
- Thread starter sakurama
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
MajorLeeGassole
Well-known member
Absolutely amazing attention to detail. I wasn't too familiar with MCM, since it never really caught my eye... until now. Always a pleasure to read your updates and enjoy your pictures. I have four kids that I'm always trying to surprise with something new, so it'll be great to see how the fort turns out.
ryanp77
Well-known member
everytime I log on and see the craftsmanship I am more and more amazed
Amazing! I'm sure you don't need me to tell you but you have a great eye for seeing through all the 80's guff and an absolutely admirable attention to detail. It also helps that you can take a decent picture!
The kitchen in particular is interesting to watch develop. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the sloping back in terms if finish and colour (color
).
The kitchen in particular is interesting to watch develop. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the sloping back in terms if finish and colour (color
).sideroad
Well-known member
Great work. I had not heard about the sinks you used, but love the finished sink/bench. I may sway towards laminate bench tops in my kitchen just for the sinks. What do you do for a dish rack/drip tray in this bench design? I like the use of the stainless drip trays on each end of my sink, but they do look ****.
I can't get over how great you document your progress considering the hours and exhaustion you have to deal with. Keep up the great work.
I can't get over how great you document your progress considering the hours and exhaustion you have to deal with. Keep up the great work.
memphisnate
Well-known member
Are there some online resources you are using for MCM inspiration? I'm always up for adding some MCM reading to my stack.
Thanks. I'm tired a lot but actually documenting the progress and getting feedback gives me some hope and energy. Mostly I'm broke a lot. Come on public schools!
As for the sinks, well, I'm hoping to use the first dishwasher I've ever had. But for pots and pans I suspect we'll use a drip tray or go the old school route of a dish cloth. Wasn't that period? What I can assure you is that I won't make a dish rack.
I bought a box of old Dwell magazines on eBay and I subscribe to Atomic Ranch but for online I tend to use Houzz as I like their searches.
Gregor
sideroad
Well-known member
Who cares if the sink is slick if the dish rack steals the show. I suspect drying the dishes by hand and getting them packed away will be the key, mostly so the kitchen looks good. (and it does)
I may have missed it, but did you add a drip edge to the underside of your counter tops? They are a must if you don't want drips following the underside of the top and getting into drawers and cupboards. Having kids and no drip tray will most likely cause the odd liquid run off.
I have routered a slight rebate/groove approx 15mm inside the edge only a few mm deep, or there are plastic infill strips that you router a groove and push in the strip. They look the part and save heaps of mess. Our current kitchen doesn't have the grooves and we have found the odd badly stained plates in the cupboard due to missed spills and have had puddles in the cutlery drawers. (i plan on a new kitchen so not bothered working on this one too much)
I may have missed it, but did you add a drip edge to the underside of your counter tops? They are a must if you don't want drips following the underside of the top and getting into drawers and cupboards. Having kids and no drip tray will most likely cause the odd liquid run off.
I have routered a slight rebate/groove approx 15mm inside the edge only a few mm deep, or there are plastic infill strips that you router a groove and push in the strip. They look the part and save heaps of mess. Our current kitchen doesn't have the grooves and we have found the odd badly stained plates in the cupboard due to missed spills and have had puddles in the cutlery drawers. (i plan on a new kitchen so not bothered working on this one too much)
So now I'm finally getting to the point of being able to consider things like lighting. We've buried wire for cans and pendents and my good friend John Pomp has offered to help us with some of his beautiful hand blown lighting. I'm thinking of these over the counters.
Take a look at this video I shot for John and his process.
http://vimeo.com/44268677
Sorry we can't embed here but it's worth a click if you've not seen the process. John gave us a stunning hanging chandelier that will grace the 24' entrance foyer but we've never even uncrated it. This might finally be the week!
Gregor
Take a look at this video I shot for John and his process.
http://vimeo.com/44268677
Sorry we can't embed here but it's worth a click if you've not seen the process. John gave us a stunning hanging chandelier that will grace the 24' entrance foyer but we've never even uncrated it. This might finally be the week!
Gregor
Gregor,
First of all, that video is absolutely amazing. It is one of the most amazing things I have seen. His talent is incredible, yet he gives the impression of being a very down to earth guy.
I can't wait to see the chandelier he made for you. I'm sure it is beautiful. It would be amazing to have a house full of his work.
And as far as the video goes, you just seem to have the magic anytime you get a camera or a tool in your hand. It will continue to be a great pleasure to follow your build and your photography work. I would love to see the house if I ever get back out to the northeast.
Thank you for taking as much time as you do to share with us.
First of all, that video is absolutely amazing. It is one of the most amazing things I have seen. His talent is incredible, yet he gives the impression of being a very down to earth guy.
I can't wait to see the chandelier he made for you. I'm sure it is beautiful. It would be amazing to have a house full of his work.
And as far as the video goes, you just seem to have the magic anytime you get a camera or a tool in your hand. It will continue to be a great pleasure to follow your build and your photography work. I would love to see the house if I ever get back out to the northeast.
Thank you for taking as much time as you do to share with us.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Very cool light fixtures. I think his style will fit right in with your house.
TimRaleigh
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2013
- Messages
- 27
Just peeked in to see the progress. I want to write some new, but its the same. You are pulling it of amazingly. Beside, my wife just approved the lights. Go for it. ;-)
Hope everything is going smooth. Love the garage build, but i´m more into the 950 when times come.
regards from Denmark
Hope everything is going smooth. Love the garage build, but i´m more into the 950 when times come.
regards from Denmark
YoungMedic
Well-known member
Yeah, John is one of the best for sure.
So progress slowed as I got called to do a special top secret magazine project in NYC that was tacked onto a previously booked job. My daughter just turned 4 and has been asking to go to NYC with me for more than a year so I took her with me. It was good fun and she turned out to be a pretty fabulous traveler despite fighting off a cold for part of the trip. Upon coming home I find everyone is sick so progress slows again.
Despite that I got over to the house to meet my friend Vince who's helping me with some electrical loose ends - so to speak. In order to pass inspection I need to have lights even if they're not final so today was all about pulling wire, hanging some lamps and trying to figure out what the hell they were thinking on some of the wiring.
This was a fun lamp to wire. I'm really looking forward to doing this again with John's amazing lights. No, I'm not. In fact I'll probably rent some bakers scaffold just to save on the drama. But at least now there's a light there.
Gregor
So progress slowed as I got called to do a special top secret magazine project in NYC that was tacked onto a previously booked job. My daughter just turned 4 and has been asking to go to NYC with me for more than a year so I took her with me. It was good fun and she turned out to be a pretty fabulous traveler despite fighting off a cold for part of the trip. Upon coming home I find everyone is sick so progress slows again.
Despite that I got over to the house to meet my friend Vince who's helping me with some electrical loose ends - so to speak. In order to pass inspection I need to have lights even if they're not final so today was all about pulling wire, hanging some lamps and trying to figure out what the hell they were thinking on some of the wiring.
This was a fun lamp to wire. I'm really looking forward to doing this again with John's amazing lights. No, I'm not. In fact I'll probably rent some bakers scaffold just to save on the drama. But at least now there's a light there.
Gregor
Oggy
Well-known member
Looks like fun, better you than me... I'm not a fan of heights, but if it had to be done, I would've made it happen... Just not that way... lol
When I first went up I was working on only one ladder and trying to screw the lamps in with my left hand. It wasn't good. I sometimes will just make do if I'm in a rush and lately that's how I feel all the time. But this wasn't a good place to rush.
So in the end I decided that moving into my new house with a neck brace would take some of the fun out of it (but also save me from having to hump boxes, hmm) so I set up the pair and ended up using three 2x4's as my scaffold I just shot the photo with the one. It reminded me of when I used to rock climb and you'd be hanging off an overhang, 300' of air below and the only way to not let the exposure scare you was to just focus on the task at hand; placing a cam or nut into the crack and clipping the rope. Or, in this case, trimming wires and screwing in wire nuts.
Judiaann is still sick but I still have plenty of small things to keep up with. Like putting in the 8/4 line to the oven and getting that ***** powered up.
Check. I set the stove about 1/8" over the counter which I think should be fine. I'm getting close to pancakes. So close I can almost taste them.
Then I plumbed the coffee sink...
...and I just remembered to check the size of the line to my espresso machine. 3/8" - I have to go back to HD again to exchange another valve. Drat.
I'm using a double valve under the sink so I can split off two other lines - a second cold to the espresso machine and a second hot to the pitcher rinser that should be here in a few weeks. The pitcher rinser is sort of a silly extravagance that I think will be really nice to have - and just over the top.
That new rinser is sort of long so I'm not quite sure where I'm going to put it. But I'll figure it out.
Then, finally, Vince and I resurrected some old wiring that came through one of the beams in the main room off the kitchen - which will be our "nice" dining room with a formal table. So it was important to get switched power (back) there. It had been cut and then wire mold had been run for a ceiling fan which I hated the look of (both fan and molding) and so I tore it out. Thankfully we were able to get these lone wires heated up. A funny thing I discovered about the old wire - they soldered them together and taped them. It's actually a good connection so I left it rather than shorten them.
That will look nice when it's a John Pomp lamp over a table that I made.
Tomorrow I need to figure out the heated floor which didn't get a thermostat wire to it... When I put in the mat the girl at the distributer said I didn't have to chose a controller right away - which was true if you didn't get a controller with a thermostat. I'll come up with something.
Gregor
Cobra4B
Well-known member
Great thread... keep up the fantastic work. Many of the guys I race with who also race Corvettes joke that we're "Ballin' on a budget" vs. the Porsche/Ferrari/etc. guys... most of us do all our own work in order to have competitive/nice cars... can't afford to pay someone to do the work etc. I'd say you've taken "Ballin' on a budget" to an epic level with the amount of DIY you've done; truly impressive.
I'm utterly blown away by this. I enjoy seeing people who are craftsmen and utilize that skill to many different ends. Photography, bikes, carpentry, etc. You're an inspiration, Gregor.
One thing I don't like (out of envy) is how amazing the Formica looks in that space. In a lesser setting it would look cheap. I suppose that's why people put huge slabs of expensive stone in cookie-cutter tract homes. Cheap begs for bling, while quality shuns it.
One thing I don't like (out of envy) is how amazing the Formica looks in that space. In a lesser setting it would look cheap. I suppose that's why people put huge slabs of expensive stone in cookie-cutter tract homes. Cheap begs for bling, while quality shuns it.
polexican23
Banned
Tomorrow I need to figure out the heated floor which didn't get a thermostat wire to it... When I put in the mat the girl at the distributer said I didn't have to chose a controller right away - which was true if you didn't get a controller with a thermostat. I'll come up with something.
Gregor[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure of your situation, but a simple line voltage stat would be an easy solution. I have been looking forward to checking in on your progress for a few weeks now. I have a new found appreciation for this style of architecture, so thanks for that!
Gregor[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure of your situation, but a simple line voltage stat would be an easy solution. I have been looking forward to checking in on your progress for a few weeks now. I have a new found appreciation for this style of architecture, so thanks for that!
56vette461
Well-known member
Your Stanley utility knife in the above series of pics looks like it is a classic. No retractable blade and no safety cover. My dad carried one in the side pocket if his carpenter overalls for as many years as I can recall. It has to be 60 years old and still in my tool box
Thanks!
I have to stress though that anyone can do the same thing with enough myopic attention and disregard for a balanced life. Seriously, though, if you want to do something or learn something you just do it.
One of the things that's always driven me nuts is someone telling me or anyone that you can't do this or that. Pretty much anything of value in my life has come after someone told me I can't do something and then I proceeded to figure out how to do it. I also like learning new things - it keeps me interested.
I know what the first thing I'm going to be making in the new house is - m'f'n pancakes!
Erm, yeah.
_ _ _ _____________________________________ _ _ _
Today was just cleaning. With a special guest appearance by Judiaann. I had to sneak this photo because she was not happy about cleaning - she hates cleaning. I gave her the option of cleaning or doing electrical and with no electrical experience on her resumé... well, let's just say that the cleaning position is upwardly mobile.
The stairs were disgusting after pulling off... hell, I can't even remember what was on them. It must have been carpet. The boards are some real nice clear fir so when it's time to replace them I may keep a few for other projects. You know something is dirty when sanding is the way you clean them.
And the one thing that made me smile today - the house is not done giving up surprises:
I put the fireplace grate in and then checked the flu and found the chains were all ******* in a knot. It took a bit to untie them but finding the "O" (for Oprah I presume) and the "C" for close was a nice treat. I want to use the fireplace before I will get around to making the doors so I saved the old chain mesh and will just hang that somehow. But that little detail is just plain cool.
Gregor
Dan from Denmark
Member
Your attention to detail and quality of finish is really an inspiration!
I totally agree on the just do it approach and always use it. Skills will develop as you go ahead with a project as long as the interest is there and you seek information on the topic both before starting and during a project.
Having a day job, lots of projects (house and airhead beemer), wife and two daughters 5 and 2.5 yrs; my main challenge is the "balanced life" part which often leads me having to find an acceptable compromise between a high quality finish and getting things done within a planned time frame. It mostly applies to our house project since the airhead is "just" a hobby.
Gregor
You s should be a photographer
Even the pics of this amazing project are awesome.
fastev
Well-known member
The photo with the flue pull chains is by far my favorite photo of this whole thread. Thanks for sharing!
Cobra4B
Well-known member
The fireplace is amazing... I have a double-sided one in my house but it's gas and nowhere near as neat looking in the space.
neilc
Well-known member
Gregor
Great thread. As for controlling the flex hose for the extendable spray faucet, I wonder if you could drop it into a piece of 4" or 6" PVC standing upright to control it? You could paint the PVC to match the cabinet interior and make it a pretty clean install.
Just a thought - thanks for sharing the progress!
neil
Great thread. As for controlling the flex hose for the extendable spray faucet, I wonder if you could drop it into a piece of 4" or 6" PVC standing upright to control it? You could paint the PVC to match the cabinet interior and make it a pretty clean install.
Just a thought - thanks for sharing the progress!
neil
RetiredBossman
New member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
- Messages
- 1
Great job, Gregor. The place looks so much better from when I visited in September. Can't wait to see it finished--well, lived in, I think none of us are ever finished.
I'd doubt though, that I'm the only one to see this obvious joke:
Good luck with it!
--Paul
I'd doubt though, that I'm the only one to see this obvious joke:
Good luck with it!
--Paul
Crusher47
Well-known member
Awesome job!!