After a weekend of work and a few touch-ups, our cute little shed out front that was mostly a dog kennel is becoming a retreat for me... and the dogs. So now it's a Dog/Kris Kennel. Yay!
The shed was delivered and installed a month or so ago, and a few weeks after that I installed a simple window. I used it a few times, but never really felt comfortable out here. We had planned to insulate it and fully drywall it, but after a thoroughly helpful consultation with an employee at Home Depot, he convinced us that we'd be better served going with something less temperamental than drywall. And less chewable. This really worked out well for us in a lot of ways, going with simple sheets of plywood instead. This gives me a lot more stability and security in regards to the dogs, it's easier to work with and it was less likely to snap in half as I crammed it into the back of my Honda Element for the drive home.
Installing the insulation was not fun. It's pretty crappy stuff in the best of times, but add in odd shaped sections of wall, thinner walls than insulation in places, the tendency for my glasses to fog with every breath and I was about ready to give it up.
I persevered though, and I think it will be well worth it in the coming cold months. The plyboard was a lot easier, though it still took me the better part of the day to cut and install the panels. And to be frank, it ain't that pretty. I only own one saw and I'm not the most skilled carpenter in the world, but it looks decently serviceable. At least, it covers most of the insulation and it was good enough to paint. harhar.
Painting was a bit of a surprise, the plywood eats up lots and lots and lots of paint, even using the specialized primer for plywood. But eventually it took. The walls still have a very textured appearance, there's no mistaking what it was made from, but I kind of like the look. I am in an 8x10' shed, for heck's sake.
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| Ludo Helped Paint. |
I went with two shades of green for the walls and ceiling. Which, I realized was the first time I've ever really gotten to choose the colors for my studio like this. I like them, it's got a pretty soothing feel and despite adding about an inch of wall to every side, the little shed seems roomier than before.
And it all works. Right now, it's a chilly 46 outside the walls of my newly dubbed
Fortress Of Smallitude, and it's a comfortable 65 degrees in here. We have a tiny space heater in the corner, but once it's been on for a few minutes to take the edge off, me and the dog's body heat is enough to keep us comfy. I still have to add some studs and insulate the doors, right now they're just 3/4" panels, and we've yet to hit legitimately cold weather, but I am very excited about having a comfortable space to retreat to and write, sculpt, read or do anything, really. And the dogs love it.
Actually losing some weight, happily. I haven't been doing much to accomplish it, just working quite a bit and being too broke to have food in the house, but I've lost 10-15 pounds in the last few months, so it's a start. Pretty soon, Linz and I are going to start getting harder-core about our eating habits and now that we have a stove, (that's another blog...) I can cook at home more.
4 comments:
Congratulations on your shed AND your stove. There is something to be said about a quiet space you can call your own. Especially when it includes your own blood and sweat in the construction. If you build like me, you probably bled a bit. It looks great.
Damn. I need one of those. Since my kid moved into my office.
Randy, I bled plenty. hahah and splinter? Man, those sheets of plywood like to get me.
Matthew - you should get one! I'm AMAZED at how great it's been. It's like time to write just opens from the heavens for me. Which is still only an hour or so every once in a while, but that's twice as much as it was.
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