I hope you weren’t expecting my sewing room to be completed over the weekend. It didn’t happen… in fact, it got worse… and it was all my fault! I kept plugging along painting and filling holes in the paneling, and trying to imagine what all this was going to look like in the end. My hubby knows how important this makeover is to me, so he took me shopping to look for flooring… I really had my heart set on the Loose Lay Vinyl Plank flooring like we laid in our living room and kitchen. It is super stuff and perfect for our imperfect floors.
My sewing room has the peel and stick tile I put down when we first moved in here 16 years ago and it’s pretty ratty. Sometimes I try really hard not to get the ugly pieces showing in my pictures. I bought it at Big Lots all those years ago for $12 for a box of 20 tiles. It’s paper thin and I’m really surprised it’s lasted as long as it has. I’ve replaced a few tiles in the middle and by my sewing machine chair that had just completely worn out.
Well, anyway, we looked at 4 different places and it seemed the vinyl plank flooring was just going to be too high. So we went to Lowe’s and I saw a few things that I thought I could make work… I decided if I didn’t pick “something” my floor probably wasn’t going to get done. Here are a few samples of what I had picked up through the day and the one I decided on is on the left…
It was an 18″ square tile and went pretty nicely with my living room flooring…
I laid the tile on my sewing room floor and tried to imagine what it would look like and wondered how long it would take me to do this.
Well, the next day in the mail, we got a wonderful $$ gift from someone saying to use it for the roof or whatever…(THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!) and just like that, my hubby said, “let’s take that peel and stick tile back and get the stuff we put in Rebecca’s room.” It is less expensive than the plank flooring we have in our living room, but it’s the same thing… only 6″ wide planks, not the 8″ ones. It’s also got a 20 mil wear layer, not the 22 mil wear layer our living room has. That’s okay with me…it will still be wonderful.
I can’t exactly describe to you what kind of little happy dance I did after he said that! But it was outstanding!!! So we took the tile back to Lowe’s and have ordered the vinyl flooring. It should be here in about a week or so. I AM SO EXCITED AND SO SURPRISED!!!
Well, that’s all it took for me to have even more grandiose ideas about my sewing room. I envisioned that floor and everything else I’d like in my room… not expensive things… things I already have, just reworked, if you please!
You see, I have this BIG, HUGE, MAMMOTH cabinet my hubby made me 22 years ago back when we were at the Bull Test Station. I remember him building it in the living room and someone came over and asked if he was building double caskets for me and him? It was backed with an 8 x 4 foot plywood sheet and then had boards for the body. It was 2 feet deep and had shelves inside. I have to say, it’s been very well utilized all these years, but now I was wanting something else… not something totally new… just this same cabinet only cut down to about half the size…
It used to be 8′ tall, but a few years ago, my hubby cut off one foot so it would fit back on the corner section of my sewing room instead of sticking out so much into the room.
Here it is… tucked back in the corner of my room. It takes up an enormous amount of room and if you have anything on the floor in front of it, you have to take time to move it from in front of the doors.
Here is a little picture I drew of how that corner actually is… the back wall is slanted so my cabinet won’t fit in there straight. There are gaps on both sides… and I’ve just used book shelves to give me more space, but it was really hard to get to them…
When I found out I was actually going to be getting a new floor, I decided I better start clearing things out some… it already looks better with one bookshelf gone…
Here is a panoramic shot of the room… it’s not wavy like that but you can maybe see that corner better.
Then I had this BRILLIANT idea…what if my big cabinet was half as deep as it is now and could be just like a wide bookshelf… would that work? Would it be possible? I was afraid to ask my hubby because he spent a lot of time building it for me all those years ago. I think there may have even been some trembling in my voice when I was leading up to the question…
I did ask him and he surprisingly agreed that it was too big for my room, and he thought he could cut it in half… it was made from 1 x 12″ boards, so there were 2 on each side… and fortunately he screws most of his projects together so if they “ever need” to be taken apart, he can!
He unscrewed the slats that the shelves were resting on and the thing pretty much unfolded into 2 pieces…the front and the back.
…and we ended up with this…
I have already played with it a little bit against that back wall and because it’s only 12″ deep, there are several options of how I can put it against the wall, slanted… or on either end. I’m excited, but I’ve created another project for myself… and him…
I’m going to paint it and do a quick job on it…
I’m trying to hurry, but this was my one chance to get my sewing room just like I wanted. I’m not exactly sure how I’ll put all that stuff back on open shelves, but I’ll figure it out as I go… I DO believe there will have to be some purging! :o)
I did get the other window in my sewing room painted white tonight… one more coat and it will be done.
You should see my living room… the stuff from the cabinet and the two bookshelves is stacked up beside my blue cabinet…
I’m not sure WHERE I’ll put the rest of my stuff on the other side of my sewing room, but I can tell you this…IT’S NOT ALL GOING BACK IN THERE! That’s for sure!
I have packed away most things that I thought I wouldn’t be using, and stacked them out there, but I have my sewing machine on my dining room table… I am STILL in business!!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
My goodness, what a lot of surprises were in store for us tonight!! How wonderful, that someone sent you a gift of money so you can get the kind of flooring you love so much (although I did like that one tile you chose, too), and then with the size adjustments on your big cabinet, etc…..it will be a whole new room when you are done!!
I haven’t been in my sewing room for a whole week!! Boo hoo….I am still very sore from my big fall last Sunday, and am going to see if I can get in to see my doctor tomorrow. Your blog–and all the fun and wonderful things you are doing in and to your sewing room–are good escapist fare for me, and help me focus on something better than my current discomfort. I did manage a few things today, including a shower, but no way could I have stood and set my hair tonight, so it’ll just have to be the way it is!!
Oh Jeanne, you have such a wonderful sense of humor about all the things you are going through! I laughed at so many things (double caskets?) and just the lighthearted way you describe things. I am so happy that you are going to be able to finish your sewing room, and can start anew with the new walls and floor. I love what you picked out and it will look so cheerful after you figure out what is going where!!!
You deserve this wonderful surprise!
I forgot to say what a generous gift that certain someone gave you! People are really good and it never ceases to amaze me!
I’m so glad for you and George, Jeanne, that you are able to continue forth in this renewing of your sewing room and with the generous gift of a friend. It’s a fantastic adventure that you’re on but obviously with much work involved. The end goal will give you so much satisfaction. It’s really cool how you and George have re-made the cabinet he made for you some time ago. Yeah for re-dos!
Blessings.
Dear Jeanne,
I am continually amazed at the patience your husband has with all the projects he completes for you. I’m sure you reward him with home-baked goodies, love and understanding. Hang on to him. He is one in a million!
Diana Jenness
The wood from the discarded part of the cabinet can become shelves. When I get home, I’ll have to begin discarding and giving away some things so that everything fits and when the virus goes away I can have some work done.
I’ve started to notice that makeup is disappearing— I suppose it’s not being manufactured. We’ll look like different people— lots of gray hair, makeup free faces, weight gained or lost, houses cleaner or messier, depending on how many people have been living there. Your house, at least, will be one of the ones that has improved. I too am giving thanks for the reader so sent the dollars for the floor. It’s just what your room needed.
Oh memories. When you mentioned that friends thought George was making a double casket, I had to laugh because my father once made a casket for a skit we did in high school when our group ran for song leader. Our announcer, dressed like a monster, was brought out inside a casket carried by several members of the football team. He had to come over and test out the casket in our garage to be sure he would fit. So wish we had photos of that day when he was carried out on to the stage by the struggling football team members before popping out and delivering a fabulous introduction for our group in monster theme. That casket remains at my high school and is still used for lots of rally skits. Memory lane.
I am so excited for you to have the new flooring on the way. It is going to be wonderful. And the shrunken cabinet will also become a special feature too. Painting it white? or? I think I need to start on my small space and purge any fabric over five years old. Except special things? Way too much fabric here as well as other things that are not used much. And all of those small pieces of fabric that I thought I’d use for something. Those should go too. Probably keeping a third of what is here would be a good start for me. Must move that to the top of the list that is after the blackberry is removed from the yard. 🙂
Can’t wait to see the progress in the sewing room. And I was thinking of George’s birds. How are they doing?
So, what about moving the “new” bookcase, now without doors to the right and squaring it up so the slanted wall behind disappears. I’m sure that space behind would never be used or noticed. I would also leave that wall to the right by the outside stairs vacant so you will have direct access to the shelves. Maybe those bookcases could go into the attic to store those rarely used items? Just some thoughts. So glad you posted that floor plan. Now we know all of the difficulties, but wow that new floor is going to be great. 🙂
HI Joy,
Since the book shelf is narrower now, it can be squared up in the corner and that’s exactly what I plan to do! I’m so excited for that part alone! :o) I had to laugh at your casket story too! :o)
Thanks Joy,
blessings, Jeanne
And it all started with a sewing table with bigger drawers! I am so happy for you, and so glad you’re sharing with us. Seeing the two bookcases side by side I wondered if you and hubby ever thought about adding a wood cutout valance to the bookcase that doesn’t have it to make them more matchy matchy? What about a custom triangular corner shelf that would fit between the renovated cabinet and the bookcase(s) you’ll put on the wall across from the window (free standing of course using the wood from the renovated cabinet). And the light that comes from the window now shining freely. You are so blessed. I see productivity in your future! Lol
Way to go Jeanne!!! Things are moving along. What a great idea to make the cabinet smaller. You will love your sewing room and yet as you move along, perhaps other ideas will occur!!
Can’t wait to see all the changes.
The Bull Test Station? My inner farm girl has questions. What?
Your room will be fab when done!
HI Julia,
Remind me again, but I’ll have to answer what the Bull Testing Station is another time… it’s 1:00a.m.
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, Jeanne, I feel for you! I have been going to clean up my doll room for about a year now–my treasure hauls from Goodwill/ebay/etc are in piles all over the floor–good thing I can keep the door shut! Well, over the quarantine, I got some inspiration and began putting things in big tubs so that I can clean out the space and re-do some of the storage options (Currently, a 6-ft lighted wire tree and a Barbie A-frame with three sections are taking up the majority of the floor space, and those have gotta go! But I told hubby it is going to get a whole lot messier before it gets better! As long as I can stay undistracted, it might get finished this summer while I am off most of my jobs (I have 3; 2 involve teaching). I tend to get excited when I find things I forgot I had, and that leads down a whole different rabbit hole! Good luck–your sewing room is going to look amazing!
I must admit I wondered what the Bull testing Station was too 🤪
Great idea to narrow down the “ casket” . The new floor and the new space it will give you and the new machine cabinet…WHOO HOO!
Can’t wait on see it!
Well this project has certainly expanded from just increasing drawer space to increasing space in other areas. When you are finished you’re going to be over the moon with your new sewing room. Joy’s reference to your “shrunken cabinet” cracked me up but it reminded me of a horror movie I saw once where the cabinet was full of shrunken heads. Wouldn’t have thought of that if Joy hadn’t used the words shrunken and cabinet together. I think the movie was called “The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake”. Some movies we just never forget.
It is interesting the different reactions to the shutdown. Some people got really ambitious and have taken on jobs they had been putting off and completing them. One of the women in choir with me says her house has never been cleaner. She was looking for things to do. A lot of the people I know are retirees, so they don’t even have online jobs to go to and the things that normally occupy there time weren’t available. The shutdown actually shut me down. It seemed like every time I went to do something some obstacle was in my path. Either a store I needed was not open or the item I needed was not available, and, worst of all, Goodwill was not open. But I went by there the other day and people were once again dropping off donated items so maybe now I can get some incentive to finish what I started last February. And I have had the grandkids a lot. This is their last week of school so now I have to find things to entertain them not knowing what places will be open. We just went into Phase II reopening here so it’s possible our pool could be opening Memorial weekend or soon after. As for social distancing, not a problem. Our pool is never crowded and sometimes the grandkids and I have been the only ones there. Almost like having our own backyard pool.
I can’t wait to see your flooring. It will definitely be the finishing touch to your room.