 |
1960s paneling & built-ins |
February-March, 2019:
Abracadabra! The Reno Queens turn a cramped office/storage room into a bedroom!
In case you're wondering why on earth they would tackle such a big project in the middle of a school term -- Joie's good friend from Texas State years landed a great job at the university and quickly needed a place to live...in
5 WEEKS! So the gals leapt into action to create some space upstairs for Lisa and her two cats, Sammy & Monkey.
Unfortunately, saying a magic word wasn't enough to make it happen, but here's the pictorial account of how it did.
Week 1 whizzed by as the room was gutted down to the studs.
 |
Joie+crowbar= breaking bad |
 |
Built-in # 1 eliminated |
 |
1/4 way there |
 |
Built-in # 2 |
 |
Housemate Brittany sledge-hammering |
 |
#2 gone - useful closet coming |
 |
+ behind door cubby for books |
 |
Whole room down to studs |
 |
New electrical work roughed in |
|
Week 2 started with Bussiere electricians Serge & Vitale(2) doing the rough electrical work (the Reno Queens don't do electric ...yet). No power in the room for the next several steps--but extension cords made it possible to keep working after the sun set (which was around 4 pm when this project started).
Marilyn got the plumbing pipes wrapped in sound-reducing insulation, then Joie installed sound-proof board on that entire wall before drywall was hung over all of
it. (Definitely helped with sounds of rushing water & toilets flushing.)
 |
Marilyn installing soundproofing insulation |
 |
Wall of plumbing needed extra soundproofing |
 |
Ex-housemate Katherine cutting foam board |
 |
Exterior walls required rigid foam board insulation |
 |
Mixed insulation completed |
 |
Katherine installing |
 |
Dust was blown up the chimney! |
Weeks 3 and 4 were packed with hanging drywall on all the walls
and the ceiling. Our contractor/master builder/mentor/friend Ryan Regan-Ladd regularly stepped in to give guidance and suggestions, and to check on our demo and insulation progress, but when it came to hanging the drywall, especially on the ceiling, his expertise, special equipment (like the giant air purifier shown here), and hands-on help was needed and appreciated.
 |
Ryan, Joie & mechanical helper |
 |
Drywalling a ceiling isn't for weaklings! |
 |
Joie just can't get enough learnin' |
 |
Perfectly smooth! |
Creating the closet took a bit of creativity but finishing the drywall in the tight space was hardly a challenge for Joie after she had drywalled the closets in the downstairs suite (see "Closets, Closets, Closets" 4/18/18 post ).
 |
Joie with her mudding hawk |
 |
M sawing out old frame |
 |
Joie taping corner of closet |
 |
Beautiful teamwork |
 |
Marilyn painting |
With only
1 week to go, Serge returned to install modern lighting cans and switches, as well as more wall outlets, in record time. Then Marilyn and Joie tag-teamed to get the walls and ceiling painted.
Deadline-day arrived and Joie and Marilyn were still racing against the clock to complete the final tasks on the to-do list. In fact, they had just begun installing the carpet pad when Lisa pulled in the driveway. Not surprisingly, Chateau de Joie's newest housemate jumped right in to help finish the job...proving just what a good friend she is!

Baseboards and door & window trim are still to be done but here are some almost-final pics of the conversion...
A shelved nook behind the door and a wide bay window ledge make perfect spots for a few favorite things.
 |
Full length mirror on door |
 |
View thru bay window |

Rods, shelves and a chest of drawers turned office built-in #2 (see above before-pic) into a bedroom closet with a perfect space for the television opposite the bed.
Until doors arrive, a curtain suffices nicely.
And THAT is how magic actually happens!