Bold and inexpensive remodel of a suburban family room using discards.
Two floods and the beautiful hickory wood floors were mushy. Rotted. Sad and then the demean was, do we spend thousands to put down another beautiful floor that we liked, even though we are contemplating selling the house? Then the thought of cheap vinyl flooring that would probably be torn out because the new owners would want their own style. I couldn’t bare all the waste and landfill, mostly because people can’t visualize. The realtor said all the walls must be white. The cork floor in my yoga room (bedroom) should be carpet. Not on my watch!
Deep breath. I decided to bring the floor down to the concrete because I like concrete floors and the work done would have to happen anyway for a future floor. Sort of ready for the next floor. Okay, so I’m a warehouse aesthetic girl in suburban Huntington Beach CA. Its visual conflict. I decided that since we might not move to my beloved warehouse space, I should make the ‘family’ room more to my look, but turn-around -able. To this I wanted to do the work myself and only use something gifted/used/broken/ or from someone else’s trash.
Two floods and the beautiful hickory wood floors were mushy. Rotted. Sad and then the demean was, do we spend thousands to put down another beautiful floor that we liked, even though we are contemplating selling the house? Then the thought of cheap vinyl flooring that would probably be torn out because the new owners would want their own style. I couldn’t bare all the waste and landfill, mostly because people can’t visualize. The realtor said all the walls must be white. The cork floor in my yoga room (bedroom) should be carpet. Not on my watch!
Deep breath. I decided to bring the floor down to the concrete because I like concrete floors and the work done would have to happen anyway for a future floor. Sort of ready for the next floor. Okay, so I’m a warehouse aesthetic girl in suburban Huntington Beach CA. Its visual conflict. I decided that since we might not move to my beloved warehouse space, I should make the ‘family’ room more to my look, but turn-around -able. To this I wanted to do the work myself and only use something gifted/used/broken/ or from someone else’s trash.
Shelves that need repair was an easy addition. My guy, Ralf uses those cheap ‘reader’ glasses. When in his back pocket and he sits without thinking, they break. When he wears two pairs and and does something different, one pair flys off his head and hits the ground, yes with the lens side down. I had a collection of broken glasses. Over the years the collection grew. I decided to make a corner hanging lamp (from a discarded lamp at a flea market) using the broken glasses. Wired, tangled, joined with paper mache , they became a funny way to reflect light. Below the lamp is a triangular corner cabinet from someones trash. I place a few lenses and frames on top making it appear that they had fallen. The corner cabinet is useful storage.
The sisal carpet was from a neighbor’s remodel. The fabric stuffed bench came from a neighbors allergic reaction. The birdcage, yes, from a neighbor. I’m pretty sure they all watch me collecting and giggle (They are giggling at me, I’m giggling at the score).
The sisal carpet was from a neighbor’s remodel. The fabric stuffed bench came from a neighbors allergic reaction. The birdcage, yes, from a neighbor. I’m pretty sure they all watch me collecting and giggle (They are giggling at me, I’m giggling at the score).
The ‘curtains’ are made from cardboard. I purchased the led light pucks that are tucked inside (20 bucks). There is a vertical light between the windows. Wooden frame with cardboard cut on a bandsaw. White paper glued to hide the old rope light. It was still in its original package when I pulled it out of the neighbors trash can.
We got to highlight older photographic images from one of Ralf’s exhibits. Rescued from the closet. The black shelf was in my storage and perfect for the keys, dog leash and walkie talkies that we often misplace. The binoculars are a beloved iconic form, but at the ready to watch squirrels in the yard.
So now you ask, ‘Whats up with that table?”
This was not a functioning solar panel any more. When it malfunctioned, we took it out of the array (because it was reducing the production of the others) (so as not to reduce the power from the other panels,) but I couldn’t just toss it. To justify my hoarding ways, I used it as the table surface. Black glass is dramatic, silver lines glint and catch one’s eye.
Next is an odd rolling wide yet slender table that hovers 6” above the solar panel. This kitchen is small (like on a boat) and I got excited about extra countertop surface.
The 3” slab of live edge wood is Broad Leaf Maple from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. I have close friends with a wood import business, and they gifted it to me.
All the metal was from other projects and objects. I curated in a tiny wooden wheel from the original bed frame which support the solar panel. The two larger wheels were from an industrial something from my ‘boneyard’, the fancy word for a sculptor’s excessive storage. Square pipe from the Mayberry Garden Link: Mayberry Townhomes public art piece. A cloisonné circle came from an artist friend’s crumbles, Yvonne Gaudet, a lovely person.
So, I have a chair fetish. I love them all for trying out, but old office chairs are the best. A Shaw Walker chair in the fore -front. Two others were taken from the neighbors trash. How to do a happy dance while rolling two chairs to their new home. Yes, the cushions are broken, but I’ll get to that.
You have noticed the ‘placemats’. They are made from cork flooring that was not properly engineered. (Don’t shop at Lumber Liquidators). I just could never get it to stay in place while doing the yoga room floor. Neither could 3 other people, just in case you thought it was just me as I too was doubting my skills. I had 2 boxes stored in the garage that I wasn’t able to return as they were opened. I kept thinking another box wouldn’t have the same problem. The cork cuts easily on the bandsaw (allowing for irregular shapes) and is great against elbows and skin. They clean easily.
While ripping out the wood flooring, I kept wanting the wood part in the kitchen area, both visually and on bare feet. It was a large effort to pull it up (crowbar) and remove the adhesive that seemed not a chemical base (but really how is that possible?). I cut the old floor into small pieces in order to do a weekly inclusion to the municipal trash pick up. What to do with the trip hazard of the little step up? I made a concrete tiny ramp by hand using a spatula and while not ideal no one has complained. I had diamond ground down the bumps in the slab floor. Filled the holes from long ago carpet tacking. I stained it with water based stain (the stronger stuff might be better, but it smells and is flammable). I then sealed it, hoping to keep the efflorescence away. We are 3 feet above sea level so really fat chance on keep salt from raising up. I did, I redid, 2 weeks later it persisted. I’m learning to like the white seafoam look.
The walls were originally painted yellow and the paint was still in tact. I didn't want to paint them all, so I painted one wall a beautiful blue I was gifted and a nearby wall has handprinted lines on it. They are varied in length, but also in density. I had chosen the photos for that wall and worked around them. I had started with the idea of stenciling a pattern, but then changed to a totally random style. It's active, like a swarm of line-bugs.
You have noticed the ‘placemats’. They are made from cork flooring that was not properly engineered. (Don’t shop at Lumber Liquidators). I just could never get it to stay in place while doing the yoga room floor. Neither could 3 other people, just in case you thought it was just me as I too was doubting my skills. I had 2 boxes stored in the garage that I wasn’t able to return as they were opened. I kept thinking another box wouldn’t have the same problem. The cork cuts easily on the bandsaw (allowing for irregular shapes) and is great against elbows and skin. They clean easily.
While ripping out the wood flooring, I kept wanting the wood part in the kitchen area, both visually and on bare feet. It was a large effort to pull it up (crowbar) and remove the adhesive that seemed not a chemical base (but really how is that possible?). I cut the old floor into small pieces in order to do a weekly inclusion to the municipal trash pick up. What to do with the trip hazard of the little step up? I made a concrete tiny ramp by hand using a spatula and while not ideal no one has complained. I had diamond ground down the bumps in the slab floor. Filled the holes from long ago carpet tacking. I stained it with water based stain (the stronger stuff might be better, but it smells and is flammable). I then sealed it, hoping to keep the efflorescence away. We are 3 feet above sea level so really fat chance on keep salt from raising up. I did, I redid, 2 weeks later it persisted. I’m learning to like the white seafoam look.
The walls were originally painted yellow and the paint was still in tact. I didn't want to paint them all, so I painted one wall a beautiful blue I was gifted and a nearby wall has handprinted lines on it. They are varied in length, but also in density. I had chosen the photos for that wall and worked around them. I had started with the idea of stenciling a pattern, but then changed to a totally random style. It's active, like a swarm of line-bugs.
