Space and Time
That small pewter desk lamp weighs about 15 pounds and surprises me with its deceiving heft every time I move it. I mention it because you could say the remodel of my studio started the day I purchased it several years back. I had a Someday in mind. It’s been very out of place for a long time, waiting for the day when the rest of the space would catch up.
I’m happy to say that day has finally come. But before we celebrate the new, let’s take one last ghastly look at the old…
I’m genuinely sorry lol. See all that orange? I’ve tried to say it was supposed to be like a deep caramel-leather brown. But it behaved like orange. The laptop was sitting on top of the light table because I ripped out one wall-length shelf over by the window…thus the strip of non-orange.
Thank God all that is over. Good riddance.
And hello, new paint.
Water Chestnut and Olivewood. Very understated. By themselves very plain and possibly even boring, but thanks to the addition of several antique wood features, they do their job very well. That is, balancing some old with some new…which is just the way I like it.
Cute Redhead sent me, with her blessing, to a local market which I’ve passed through before. But not looking for anything in particular rendering the time little more than Okay, Can We Go Now? It’s a whole different ball game when you’re on the hunt for something specific, however. And this time the goal was a table and chair for the new studio. It had to be just the right height, just the right width, and just the right depth. Too old wouldn’t work and too new would be passed over. I’d know it when I see it.
And I saw it. One solid plank of wood making the top, nails all over the place, and just enough history (built in the 1920′s) to satisfy me.
And a drawer with one divider making two compartments or seven of varying width should I decide to employ the available slots. I’m not one for drawers for some reason. What’s more, the height of the chair I found was ergonomically ideal for my lower back but completely disallowed my legs to fit under things. Not good. On closer inspection I discovered the single supporting piece of wood on which the front of the drawer rested surrendered itself with just a bit of encouragement from the hammer. No damage done and, I think, a one inch by five foot piece of wood with which to dream up some new function.
What do do, though, with the drawer itself. A shelf maybe. On the wall or on the floor somewhere. I can’t decide. Any ideas anyone? The aged smell all by itself begs display.
Couldn’t be happier with this find. The couple I bought it from sold it for less than half the amount they paid for it. “The economy?” I offered by way of understanding.
“No. My husband just wanted to unload it. He doesn’t like tables.”
I could have kissed her.
Solid square legs. This table, by all accounts and purposes, should wobble. A lot. I mean, come on, at 90 years old I’m sure I’m going to wobble some. And you get a peak at the barn wood flooring installed yesterday.
On my way out of the market I spied this chair. I’d already written one check for the table and the college funds were precariously close to evaporating if I didn’t get out of there quick.
I took one look at the original plaque on the back and another at the tag. I realized immediately the vintage quality. And the price tag promised I’d find nothing with half the character in any store while paying more than twice what the gentlemen was asking. “When would this chair have been made?”
“Late 1940′s, early 50′s.”
Sold.
And here it is…the finished, newly remodeled studio. New paint, new (old) barn wood flooring, the perfect table, just the right chair and no more excuses for avoiding the stories I need to write…the cartoons I need to draw…the photography I need to touch up…the books I need to complete…the web sites I need to design…
A shot looking toward the light table. I removed the box from the base and set it atop the built in shelf. This is a garden-level room by the way, so that window looks out on the backyard, the cherry tree, the apple tree, the tree fort, the vegetable garden and, now and then, two or three noses pressed against the pane. Good times.
Also, time to get to work.
If you need me, I’ll be in heaven.
That orange certainly explains much.
Oops, forgot to mention, your renovation is very wabi sabi. As a designer I cannot give higher praise than that.
I like that lol. I never realized how much of a minimalist I can be until I realized that walking through a room around piles of unfolded laundry made me want to get rid of everything…
You are mixing up design and maintenance issues. But that’s OK. May the wabi sabi be with you.