Before - the Murphy bed will go on the facing wall (28 February).
With the remodel of the bathroom being forced by plumbing issues, we decided to piggy-back some work in the guest bedroom to make the space more functional. Specifically, to provide me office space for my nascent consultancy.
The main goal was to reconfigure the bed into a Murphy bed to free up the space in the room, then to include a desk and shelves somewhere in the room.
Before - the Murphy bed will go on the facing wall (28 February).
Before - bookcases will go in the corner; we call the room a "goat palace" as it's a collection place for most anything we don't have a place for (28 February).
Before - a desk will face into the corner, and a bench extend under the window to the bookcases so the cats have a place to sun themselves (28 February).
The design plan (28 February).
The goat palace has been cleared of stuff; the radiator was removed and the lines capped. A toe-kick heater will use those lines, and will be installed under the shelves (04 May).
Matching the paint in the room - in the previous photo, my eye sees blue-green, but when got some paint samples in that color nothing really matched. (19 Apr).
Taking the previous photo with me, I went to the local Sherwin-Williams store, and when I finally matched up the color – it was “Comfort Gray” (06 May).
Opening the floor to begin installation of the toe-kick radiator (13 May).
They use PEX plastic piping to run the hot water supply and return using the old piping as conduit. The electrician also ran the electricity for the fan through the old pipes also (13 May).
Installing the electrical outlets for the desk. As the old circuit wasn't grounded, a new one was run (14 May).
The toe-kick radiator - the long cylindrical piece across the back is the fan (15 May).
Drywall and first coat of plaster; sanding and additional plaster will happen over the next two days (29 May).
The two openings are electrical boxes. We realized that the original (right hand) box was going to end up behind the Murphy bed. Running wire through the exterior (and insulated) wall would be a problem, they twinned the box. The original box will have a solid cover/no outlet (29 May).
Eischen Cabinets sent an updated rendering of the office plans - ignore the ceiling lighting, it's not accurate. A central ceiling fan/light is planned. Also reimagine the wood trim matching the window trim stain and the shelving/drawer color matching the walls (29 May).
The contractor said that the cabinets were supposed to be delivered today. Given the competition for space with the tiling in the bathroom, that has been rescheduled (18 June).
With the tiling complete in the bathroom, the space now opens up for cabinet installation (04 July).
See that vertical line in the back panel? It wasn't there when the piece left the cabinetry shop; it's where they cut the piece in half to get it up the stairs. They'll cover it with a molding so it won't be obvious. Note the ceiling fan had to come down to get the cabinet upright (08 July).
Pippin examines the new cabinets. The tall cabinet in the foreground will go into the bathroom (08 July).
Further inspection by Pippin; the front panels on the Murphy bed came as two individual pieces, unlike the piece behind it which was cut in half horizontally to get it up the stairs (08 July).
The wire behind the baseboard was nicked during the sawing of the baseboard and will need to be dealt with in appropriate fashion. Right now, it's wrapped with electrical tape (09 July).
Further to the left, this tangle of wires emerged from behind the baseboard. It cannot be left in that condition, so I suspect another junction box will be installed, unless they run new wire to the junction box in the wall above which used to be the electrical outlet which was moved to a spot not covered by the Murphy bed (09 July).
The electrician came up with an elegant solution and improvement for the wiring, resulting in all the other wall boxes are now connected by the wire behind the baseboard to the new (fully grounded) circuit by the desk area (10 July).
The state of the guest room prior to our departure for three weeks in Pine Point ME - all jumbled together in the middle of the room (11 July).
Upon our return, the cabinetry is essentially done, except for minor details. Tillie takes in the open space in front of the Murphy bed (04 August).
Shelves and drawers for storage; the ceiling fan is installed and it clears the Murphy bed - whew! (04 August).
The desk awaits its top. Corian was the original plan until the color I picked came back with a quote over $2k! The stone counter contractor said if I picked something out of their remnants it should only cost about $600. I went over immediately to make a selection (04 August).
Pippin evaluates the shelving over the desk (06 August).
Pippin ‘helps’ make the Murphy bed; Jonathan's brother Michael was the first to use it a few days later (08 August).
The quartzite desktop has been installed (21 August).
The Murphy bed's two storage slots above are occupied by a pair of quilts - the right-hand quilt was made by my Grandmother Mamie Myrt (22 August).
Moving in (22 August).
