Floor to Ceiling Pantry!

With a floor to ceiling pantry unit like this creation of mine, there is so much storage space that it eliminates the need for kitchen cupboard upper units. The elimination of uppers allows the room to grow significantly, as there aren't bulky cabinets right at eye level. This feature gives a kitchen a spacious, open feel.

Full tilt Garden solution

This new garden is actually one of my own gardens. Before, there was a barren, sloped yard leading off the front of the house. No one ever used it, and it just looked empty. So, we decided to put some serious character into it. We started by transplanting 32 pine trees that a friend needed removed from his property, and planting them around the outer perimeter of the yard. They were planted close enough together that as they fill out, they will create a canopy. In between each of the trees, we put in hostas. They will thrive with the water and shade from the trees. The focal point of the garden is the narrow, twisting garden that resembles a dried up creek bed. We turfed the grass, and mixed in some new top soil. First addition was 30 large rocks (big, but just big enough that I could lift them onto the tailgate). Next, we added some perennials and annuals right into the crevices in the rocks. We filled out the garden with some more hostas. The last step was to flank this garden with some cherry trees, pear trees, lilac trees, and silver dogwood shrubs. Now, we'll just pound it with water and fertilizer, and hope that everything has a chance to root well before the winter!

New BLING for me!

This cool ear-ring was crafted for me by the
MacNamara gallery here in Paisley!

Crown Moulding!

The purpose of crown moulding is to facilitate the transition between a horizontal surface (ceiling) and vertical surface (wall, cabinets). If applied properly, crown moulding creates an impressive, profiled feature in any room. The more outside corners you have, (such as in this photo), the better! Not everyone can install crown moulding properly, so make sure you ask for some referances or portfolio images of crown moulding installations!

Built-In Cabinetry

Built in cabinetry is a great way to make a room more functional without giving up floor space. This particular entertainment was set into the basement wall separating the rec room from the utility room. Although it took up a bit of floor space in the utility room, it took up no floor space in the rec room. Since this particular rec room was rectangular in space, a large entertainment unit would have shrunk the room, and inhibited the flow of traffic. Instead, the large entertainment unit is simply part of the wall.

FREECYCLING!

"Freecycling" is simply the proccess of taking something that someone else is throwing out, and with some careful attention to detail, breathing new life into it. This particular rocking chair was a great find for me at the dump last week. Originally, it had rattan seating and back, which was all ripped. It was also missing hardware, and the varnish finish that someone had applied was peeling off. First, I removed the rattan from the seating and back frames. Next, I scraped and sanded the old finish off the chair. Once the chair was sanded and cleaned, I sprayed it using my HVLP gun. As the paint was drying, I cut out plywood templates for the seat and back, along with matching pieces of 3 inch foam. I finished the seat and back off using a metallic silver/bronze fabric, which I wrapped and fastened with my upholstery stapler. The last step was to re-assemble the parts of the chair. Result? A great looking rocking chair was rescued from the dump, and with some care, was re-invented with a slick, modern flavour. Freecycling saves space in our landfills, and can result in some fantastic decor in someone's home. Just look at the picture above: Wouldn't you like to have this rocking chair somewhere in your home?

My Windsor Chairs

These photos are just a few of the 18th Century American Windsor chairs that I craft. My Windsor Chairs are crafted entirely by hand,straight from a log. This proccess results in flawless chair parts. Windsor Chairs are an "icon" of traditional furniture. Although they can be large, and quite ornate, you can still see right through them, due to their open, airy design.