The summer has flown by fast this year! We’re learning here in the Colorado Rockies summer means “Go, go, go!” and enjoy all the things you can before the snow sets in later this fall. It’s also a time when everyone works on their home improvement projects, including us this year.
Our big project this summer has been my new studio. We knew when we bought our new home late last year, we’d have to build a studio for my longarm and creative business. We also knew that my longarm would occupy the living room until the studio was built. We’ve sacrificed premium living space for this, but the upside is that the longarm has been in use working on customer quilts as well as some of mine. More importantly, the longarm has not lingered in storage long-term.
Originally, we were going to build a new building for my studio. But after doing some research and living here a bit, learning what works best for our home and this property, we opted to remodel our 2 car garage. We discovered it was about half the cost to remodel the garage instead of building a new space. Plus, I’ll have double the space! The garage was also too small for my husband’s hot rod hobby and the ceilings were too low for a car lift he wanted to install. We’ll plan to build a big shop for my husband next year, which means a win for everyone!
Let's look at our progress. This is where we started about a month ago. Within days, the garage doors were gone and the new framework was in place.
We added a large front window with windows that open out. The view of our Aspen trees a nice upgrade, and the window provides a lot of ventilation. We bought the nice Anderson window at Buds Warehouse in Aurora, a resale place for builder overage for $250. We learned later that the window was worth about $2,000, which is a significant bargain! We also added a nice, sturdy front door with a round doorknob, a must so bears can’t open it (yes, they do open doors with lever handles).
We had a couple of nights where the garage was unsecured. Normally, that’s not a big deal here, except we have bears in the area, and we still had a freezer in the building. We wondered if we'd get a bear visit. Coincidentally, we did see bear scat nearby the night after the building was not secure. We learned the bear visited our neighbor's dumpster instead. Later after the building was secured, a bear likely walked behind it as there was a small dent in the corrugated metal piece we plan to use on the front of the building.
Next, my husband added siding to the front and then worked with an electrician to upgrade the electrical panel. To prepare, my husband dug an 18” trench and had to trouble-shoot the existing wiring. My husband not only has great home DIY skills, but electrical and wiring are his specialty. Once the electrical work was done, my husband wired the studio and added 9 can lights for good overhead lighting. We also added a window on the north side for better ventilation and to enjoy the view.
We're about mid-way through the remodel. Next, we’ll replace the 2 existing side windows and add insulation and drywall. Then it’s time to mud and tape and paint. We’ve already picked out the flooring (LVP for ease of care) and a mini split is on the way for optimal heating and cooling throughout the year. We’ll also paint the exterior before the snow flies and are excited to paint the building a slate gray to refresh the brown exterior color that’s been on the garage since construction. Next year, we’ll paint all the buildings on our property the same slate gray, which will be a nice change overall.
We anticipate I’ll start moving in the studio by late October. It will be great to get the longarm out of our living room so we can finish settling into our home. Our goal was to have the studio ready by Football Season. We’re avid NFL and College football fans so we mark time in our house by 2 seasons – Football Season, and Home Improvement Season (which begins the day after the Super Bowl). Home Improvement season will extend into Football Season this year, but it will be well worth it and a big success if I can move into my studio before the winter snow sets in here.
One of the best things about this project is all the little details my husband has added to make my new studio an exceptional space. He's thoughtfully planning to add an awning over the door to limit snow in the doorway in winter. He's also installed motion-activated flood lighting so there’s lots of light across the driveway so I can see my way at night and look for any bears or moose!
This is the 3rd studio my husband has built me. I enjoyed the other two spaces in the basement of our homes we lived in before which were exceptionally built, too. I see his efforts as a huge love letter to me and I am so grateful for his support through the years for my creative endeavors. I’m looking forward to returning the favor next year as we work on his shop!
This new, large studio expands many options for me. I will have room for a small classroom for quilting friends to come sew and an area to film content. I will also have room to possibly start creating and shipping kits and supplies. I’m excited about all the options!
I’ll keep you posted on our progress. In the meantime, feel free to share things you love having in your creative space. I’m working on my plan for that and am looking for good ideas. You can email them to info@coloradothreadworks.com and I’ll share them all in a future blog post.
Hope you are enjoying these last days of summer and making something great!