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Garage to art studio project update…still a big mess

Oh boy.
I really thought I would have all of it sorted by the end of this long weekend, but it would seem that my project is a bigger mess than I thought.

The good news is that the painting’s done. All the walls are painted, and all the wood that I wanted to paint has two coats on it too. I’ve managed to buy exactly the correct amount of paint for this project, but over the years, and renovations, (as well as inherited paints form the previous owners), I have a whole lot of paint pots to take down to the recycling depot tomorrow. That will clear up this floor space. But when you make your garage weatherproof and soundproof, it makes a whole different level of difference, I learned.

Oh boy do those windows need cleaning!

Looking at the space from the back, you can see just how much stuff needs to be put away. A good majority of the stuff is stored in the garage rafters. Things like the Christmas boxes, wreath, silver trees, pressure washer, canning pot, giant roaster for turkeys, crutches…all occasional use things. The only trouble is that my car is in the way.

Driving the car out is probably going to have to wait another day or two because the back lane is an ice rink at the moment.

Before I could paint the West wall, (the one with my canoe), I had to take down two large peg boards. I had to do that because, well, they’re ugly, and had no practical purpose for me, (I don’t really need to hang tools), and the boards were proud of the wall, which meant that a great big house spider lived behind them and there was no way to evict him! Eventually, and about 2 hours and 50 2″ screws later, those peg boards and supporting framework were down and the house spider evicted. The room could always do with some Gable Louvers to make it less dingy and make the air around more salubrious.

This long-winded story I’m telling you is just to show you this next picture. I put the white metal shelves at a right angle to the wood shelves on the East wall and zip tied the peg boards to the back.

I did that so I could make a space for the ladders and garbage cans and hide them from sight.
What do you think? Waste not, want not? I thought that for now it might be a practical sort of solution. The ideal would be to build an area outside the garage for the garbage cans, but the practical solution, since the garbage is picked up from my back lane and since I have to keep the garbage locked away from raccoons, coyotes and even bears, is to keep the cans in the garage.

But never mind the mess, slowly the space is coming together. I hung dad’s Chloe’s vintage bike up against the old doors. I think it looks great there and is nicely out of the way.

Under that work top on the West wall, I put an old trunk…

…and in it I stored all the nails, nuts, bolts, bits and pieces you never know if you need until you need them, in old cedar wine bottle boxes.

And beside it is a wooden box Chloe painted and stamped. It’s just perfect for all the varnish and paint spray cans, car oils, and butane fluids for my silversmithing torch (plus proper breathing masks).

And one more thing I did was clean out the old barn cupboard. it’s always been full of vintage clay pots. I love them so much and use them even if they’re not that practical. I had all my gardening supplies in baskets along the West wall and now that this is also going to be studio space, I have to find another solution.

So while the small gardening tools and supplies look great here and there is room for my galvanised pots full of seed started soil,

The big and practical tools will not fit.
But there is space between the cupboard and the wall. A sort of square shaped space where I might be able to put a small square shaped table and a big basket and store all the larger tools there.

So there you go. Almost there…even if it may not look like it! I still have 17 days left! Open studio for the North Shore Art Crawl here I come!

Whew, suddenly feeling very tired!

Comments: 9

  • February 13, 2017
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    it’s going to be such a wonderful space when you’re done! I love that bike!

  • February 13, 2017
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    Well done! It’s always more work and takes more time than we can imagine in our excited brains. xo

  • Catherine Llewellyn

    February 14, 2017
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    Very exciting – I love these reclaiming projects – they feel like hope and possibility and fun all at once – and I do envy you that lovely spacious garage space C X

  • February 14, 2017
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    All that effort is certainly paying off. Will you be able to use the studio in the winter? Do you have any heating in there?

  • February 14, 2017
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    OMG, what a huge job! Love that photo of the ball of twine.

  • February 14, 2017
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    What a great project ~ you’re creating lovely, inspired, creative space!

  • Susan

    February 14, 2017
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    Your studio will be outstanding. It appears to be a large space to create and display your art. When I have moved, I discovered that I did not know exactly how much stuff I had until I had to move it all. Re-purposing your garage seems similar to a moving experience. It’s a very big job. . C’s vintage bike looks like a sculpture hanging on the wall – love it! Your cupboard nicely stores your gardening supplies. The vintage trunks and boxes make an interesting display and double as storage. Your ability to re-invent the space to accommodate the studio as well as store your household items, sporting equipment and other necessities takes lots of creativity. Very impressive. Can’t wait to see your art on display. Will you consider having a virtual tour with options to purchase?

  • February 15, 2017
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    i am exhausted ….

  • February 18, 2017
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    Well done V! Love the cupboard with the pots .. and Morgan that photo is just gorgeous

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