Sunday, March 25, 2018

Spiral Stairs & Home Projects

I don't know if I mentioned, we've had to do a bit of rearranging of the living room.  We had to do that because our furniture, which I bought... Long enough ago that my hair was a different color.  So we'll just go with a long time.  We've had the furniture longer than we've been married.

We bought it by going to a furniture store and when it was delivered it was amazing how small our room looked.  It looked fine and normal sized in the showroom but the furniture was massive.  We do not have a large house.  The couch and chairs were definitely designed for a larger room than where they were living.

Long story short, we had to buy a new couch.  And a new chair.

This time around I did a lot of measuring.  The new couch and chair fit in the room much better.  They work with the coffee table and the two side tables we have for the lamps that I bought cheap.  I wouldn't care about making things work with the coffee table but its from my grandmother and a really nice piece. 

The problem is the new couch is a sectional which I love, but the way I tend to sit on it makes it hard to reach the coffee table.  I tend to sit with my back against one arm and my feet on the other end.  This is nothing new.  If I want a drink though I have to either fall off the couch to reach the coffee table from my corner, or I don't get to sit in my preferred position.

So I decided we needed a sofa table.  You know, one of those tables that goes between the wall and the couch so  you have a place for cats to walk or drinks to sit or maybe to put a book down?

It's not easy to find one that's narrow enough or long enough to work.  Too wide and the couch pushes out so far we're left with the room feeling too small again.  Too short and it looks...well it looks stupid.

So I looked up some things on Pinterest and decided to make one.

This was a little more complex then adding legs to the bedside tables but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

It took most of Saturday to do. And then I moved a bookcase and put the table behind the couch where it will live.

I'm pleased with my efforts considering it was my first try.  It kind of makes me want a truck to haul wood around in though because I had to have my boards cut down enough to fit in my car.  It also makes me want another work table.

But here are a couple of pictures of my work.

 


You can see the Building Inspector has no fear.  No suspicion of a new couch or table.  I need to get some new pillows since the ones on the couch actually go with the old couch and when it leaves they'll go with it.

I took the rest of Saturday off because wow, really tired.  But Sunday I began to work on the stairs for the WQ's tower.  I've been stalking Brae's Aero Squad Lounge because I love her stairs.

I want narrow stairs with a thick central post up the middle because that's what I've seen on most of the research I've been doing.

I have Styrofoam left over from when I cleaned out the closet and boxes a while back so I used the template I'd made for the floors and cut out a couple of circles.  Then cut the circle into eight steps and chopped off the tips of the triangles to accommodate the post.




Right now the glue is drying and the steps are leaning against each other and the tower wall.  I made two sets of four and added another three steps because the foam is slightly less than an inch thick and it's nine inches to the second floor level.  I made one set of five and another of four, and I'll glue the other two and then everything together completely once the glue is set and they're more stable.


The steps aren't perfect or even completely regular and even.  I don't want them to be perfect since these aren't exactly modern 'to code' stairs.

I want to get at least one set of steps done, even if I end up scrapping them ultimately because even a mockup will help me determine window placement and where my sconces should be positioned on the walls.  I really need to go to Hobby Lobby and get one of those wooden models like Brae has so I can make sure no one bumps their head on the upper floors.

Unfortunately it's looking like the glue won't be completely dry for a while so I'll fill you all in on the rest of it later one.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.











20 comments:

  1. Wow, I love your sofa table, and that little shelf underneath is brilliant. The can can walk, and your tea is safe!
    The staircase is also very good. I like the rough look, don't finish it off too neatly.

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    1. Thanks! I definitely got my quota of exercise this weekend. And it took some adjustment but so far the staircase seems to be working out.

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  2. I love the new sofa - so stylish! And... I LOVE your bravery in custom furniture making, a trait and skill acquired by mini making, I'm sure! There's nothing better than being able to get truly comfortable and functional simultaneously!
    Those stairs are awesome! They make me want to make something Tudor-ish and fairy tale historic! I love them! Can't wait to see more!

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    1. Thank you! I look at the table and I (of course) see all the flaws and things I could have done better. But it's something cheap that I won't mind the cats messing with. New sofa is more supportive of my back too.

      I'm cautiously pleased with the stairs, I'll admit. But I'm excited about them too.

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    2. Every fine cabinetmaker had to start somewhere, and your goals were met perfectly with yours. So just be proud of yourself and let that be the only thought taking up any precious real estate in your brain. You'll build on the valuable experience for you next piece!

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    3. LOL every time I do something like this I'm reminded of how many different tools professionals have.

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  3. Wonderful new sofa, Sheila, enjoy sitting in your new snug corner, I see that your cat loves it.
    The mini stairs look great already, I can't wait to see when it's done, though it's a lot of work yet.

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    1. Thank you! Couch is much more comfortable than the old one. Mini stairs are making me nervous but nothing ventured nothing gained.

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  4. Love the new sofa Sheila.. very stylish! Your sofa table is fabulous.. I have found my mini woodworking has made me much more confident in diy around the house also, so this hobby has turned out to be quite useful. Not to mention the tools come in handy for other non mini projects as well. :D I was going to mention Brae's aero squadron when you were starting this project.. but I see you were already thinking that way.. I can already tell that these stairs you are building are going to be great when finished. Are they going to be stone? How do you think you will finish them? They are quite exciting.. I can't wait to see them come to fruition. :)

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    1. Thank you! We really needed it. So much more support and having goofed up my back and neck through the years its really helpful. I like having projects around the house but I really wish that I could manage them as easily as I do miniature furniture.

      I'm planning on using the spackle stuff to smooth them out a bit and then paint them with a mix of greys and blacks.

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  5. You have been very productive Sheila! Great work on your life size cabinetry - looks prefect for the space, and the couch looks great. And loving the stairs. You are right, they will be the perfect style for a witch’s cottage: rustic, worn and uneven.

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    1. Thanks! So far the cats are giving it a wide berth but they'll get used to it eventually.

      I'm pleased with how the stairs are going so far, and glad I didn't try to do this in balsa wood.

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  6. The new couch is beautiful! I love the colour and the "buttons" on the back (does this have a specific name in English?). Great job on the sofa table, I admire your furniture making skills!
    The stairs are looking good! The style will be perfect for the cottage :-).

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    1. Thanks! We wanted a neutral color this time around. I think the style is called a Chesterfield, they tend to have tufting like that. It wasn't hard to make, just labor intensive considering my lack of a power saw.

      I'm hoping to get all the steps in place by this weekend and then I can see how well they'll work.

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  7. Hi Sheila! I think your shelf looks great and is so practical! Well done! I am always hauling wood around in my car wedged between the front seats so the back hatch of the car can still close! You'd think mini building only required small pieces of wood....! Your spiral stairs are starting to come together perfectly! I love that you are using a Quaker Oats package... I used them for my Cloud Palace Tower too! I look forward to seeing the next "steps"!!! :)

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    1. Thanks! It's working out fairly well.

      I'm hoping the stairs work out. I'm gluing the last couple pieces as we speak.

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  8. I love your new sectional sofa and the color you've chosen is a classic!
    The spiral staircase is going to be a knockout...
    I'm in awe

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    1. Thanks! We're trying to use neutrals more and just have curtains and pillows for color.

      Spiral staircase is coming along pretty well so I'm cautiously pleased.

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  9. Love the real life sofa, I think its fantastic you got crafty and made your own table design!! The foam looks like the perfect material to make the stairs :)

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    1. Thanks! I figured it would be cheaper and quicker to make the table rather than trying to find one that size. Cats are still suspicious of it though.

      Thanks. The foam is working out pretty well so far.

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