Obviously I got off the blog writing wagon. We slowed down a bit on projects and fall is my favorite time to be out and doing all the pumpkin patches, carving, trails, etc. so I let the blog slip. Maybe I’ll get more consistent this year. Although it’s already January 6 and it’s my first post so don’t hold your breath.
In case you missed the post of what they entryway looked like before and my original thoughts, you can find that here. We stayed pretty close to the plan. I really wanted to add board and batten somewhere in the house. It’s a pretty common element in Craftsman houses, and I just like the way it looks.
The first step was clearing it out and adding the wall. Brandon and his dad worked on that over thanksgiving. The walls are boards from the barn my dad is tearing down. Brandon added a stain to them. They did the kitchen side boards first and we noticed the cold air coming through, so Brandon added a layer of insulation and two of plastic before putting up the boards on the closet side.
Then of course the plaster needed to be repaired. There was a big hole and metal plate behind the freezer so even though that was going to be hidden by the plywood, he still patched it up. But he’s getting quick with plaster repair so not a big deal.
Now the measurements for where the vertical boards needed to go to be placed evenly was the biggest obstacle. We were both doing the math and neither of us are slouches in math, but it was not looking right. We found one website that was supposed to calculate it for you but it was off a bit. Brandon found a second that worked great. For the record, my math was only off by .1 of an inch. But that .1 of an inch makes a difference and is very visible.
We primed and painted in the basement then brought the pieces up. But Brandon wasn’t crazy about how the grain of the plywood was showing so he ended up sanding some parts down and redoing it. We were using the remainder of the paint I used in the guest room upstairs. I really loved that color and wanted to find another place for it, and I did! I think it looks just as good here.
We used the trim they was already there for the top. We then added some hooks that had been in the upstairs storage room. Some of you may recognize the bench from Brandon’s office in Macomb. I would like to put some peel and stick tile on the floor. These are my current favorites (#1, #2, or #3). Brandon likes the linoleum that’s there but it’s a little beat up. It’s not a big space and I’m not in any hurry, so I’ll update you when/if new tile happens.
The lights are heat lamps Brandon salvaged from one of the sheds. He’s added a motion sensor light. He only got one to see how it would work and it seems good to me, so we will get another one on our next Menards run.
And here’s a real life picture of the hooks doing their job with the girls book bags and coats. I’ll get a couple new bins for the bench and those striped baskets will be moved elsewhere soon.
It’s really nice to have a spot for the bags and all the coats. If we are entertaining and it’s cold, there is an outlet we can plug in a space heater if necessary. Don’t worry, we will be safe with it!
Next up, I’ll be showing you the chandelier he built. It looks so good!