A Room of One's Own
 

Greetings from Kansas. After several months of work, I'm finally ready to show my new studio. Some of you who are regulars may recognize a basic shape and idea. It's much like "Glasser's" studio built on the second floor of our garage. I was so amazed when I saw her pictures because it looked just like what my husband designed for me. After a lot of hassle with the city and various architects/engineers, we finally got a building permit and were able to start construction in late July. And most of the finishing touches were done last week.

Here's a couple of pictures of the original garage and what the second floor used to be:



They built a real staircase from the back part of the garage:


And then started to tear out a section of the roof:


The framework is up!


And here's what the outside looks like finished. These three windows face north and there are two windows facing south:


Now to the inside. I'm also a "beader" so part of the space is dedicated to that work. First, my little beading desk in a south window.

You can just see the edge of the heating/cooling unit.

This is the storage area for all the "stuff" that used to be in the house. (The guest room almost looks like a guest room again.) To the right of the bookshelf is a storage closet for packing supplies, fibers, things I don't need to get to every day.


And finally, the torch area!

The hoses are already clamped up and out of the way so don't write about that.:-o We don't have any lampwork studios here, but I gave our HVAC guy everything I could find about ventilation off of this site, and he said it should fit the bill. The fan has a variable speed control on it, which is a nice touch.


I need to live in the space for a while before I really figure out what I need for storage, but this works for the time being.


This is showing off DH's handiwork. He built the bench and used tile leftover from our bathroom renovations ten years ago. When I was torching on the front porch, we had gotten a piece of non-glavanized steel to cover the table I was working on. He put that piece of steel on a piece of plywood and mounted the Creation Station on that. The whole thing clamps to the main bench. I think it's going to be very handy, because the whole thing can be removed easily if I want to use the bench to fuse silver or something.

So... that's my "Little Studio on the Prairie." There's still some touch-up painting to do, and then I'll be able to hang pictures and things. But what a joy to have a place dedicated to my work. I feel like a lucky girl!

Beautiful!! I love the pic with the roof cut open.........looks cool! You and your dh did a great job!!! Congrats

Wonderful space, I am sure you will be very happy in it!! Donna

That's the bomb!!! :mrgreen:

DH did a great job.

So exciting!!

Congrats!!

Wow...what a great space!!! Such great light from the windows - and lot's of storage space - what fun!!!

Oh beautiful...sigh...I'm so jealous! Lucky you!!!

What a great space. You are a lucky girl. Thank you for sharing.

Wow! That is fantastic!!! Lucky girl!!! :)

I'm fascinated - did you need permission from your 'local authority' to convert?

I'm in a conservation area - I'm struggling to get permission to extend a tiny kitchen (UK!)

I have my bedroom in my attic - I would love to do what you've done.

Sigh.

K

I did need to get a building permit from the city. And they drove us crazy with regulations in terms of extra walls and doors to separate the downstairs garage space from the upstairs. We had to put in smoke detectors upstairs and down. But I have to say, it was worth the struggle. There was really no appropriate space to torch in the house. And now all my beading paraphernalia is in one place. Now all I need is time!

congrats! how fun.

Looks wonderful! Lucky you!

Wow!!! said, as I picked up my jaw from the floors here it dropped to! That place is amazing! I looked at those two story "cabins" sold at Lowes, because I always thought I wanted a second story studio....now I know why I wanted one. Love it.

Congratulations on such a wonderful space!! Wow, you have a space for everything too.
MarieAnn

I am so jealous!

have fun :happy:

K

great space.could you tell me what the sliding door is for dirrectly in front of your torch?
Tammy

Wow, what a lucky lady. Enjoy.

What a wonderful space. Just grand that you have a husband who is so good at creating studio space for you. Lucky you!

Yvonne

First of all, Tammy: I think you're referring to another storage area that's over the staircase coming up. That's actually DH's storage space for old gutters and guy things they need to save. He actually has to build a trap door up from underneath it to get long items into it.

Thanks to all for the compliments. We're very excited, and I just wish the rest of my life would calm down enough for me to spend time there! I'm hoping tomorrow...
Peggy

Wow!! Really nice. Congratulations...