Long story short... I found some space underneath the stairs in my house (moved here to Tampa about 2 years ago. In my last house, I built a "Harry Potter" room under the stairs for my daughter.... same thing, basically... an area under the stairs that was enclosed and wasn't being used. In this house, most of the space WAS actually available, but it was part of a long closet accessible from the downstairs bedroom / office (whatever you want to make it). There was part of it (under the sloped part) which was closed off. I'd wanted to cut it in half, and make the other side accessible to the family room via a large secret bookcase that opens up. I ran into some issues though as I discovered that the wall that ran along the staircase from the 1st to 2nd floor, had a waste pipe, and both hot and cold, running up and down. I didn't want to jack-hammer the slab and move the waste pipe (not worth the effort), so I moved the hot and cold next to the waste pipe, and built a raised threshold. I then opened up the wall on the right of the waste pipe, and had to re-frame both the right and left side of the waste-pipe. This is supposed to be a luxury home builder, and while I love the house, I couldn't believe how shoddy the framing was. There was some spray-paint that said "Cortar" (which means "To cut" in Spanish). The beam they'd cut, it looked like they used a hatchet. I had to reframe the header and footer to support the 2x6s. Good news I suppose is that because it had a waste-pipe, the wall was a 2x6 instead of normal 2x4 studs, so I had more room to build out the door. Anyway... here's the entrance (not yet finished).
The opening on the right is a bookcase that opens. I've not build a bookcase on the left yet, but will be. You'll see I had to reframe on the left as well. Because I didn't want it to look weird with two separate bookcases... I installed a wall-sconce in the middle between the two book-cases. Once I build the bookcase on the left, I'll trim it out and it'll just look like two bookcases built into the wall.
When you walk in on the left, the first thing you see is the far wall. Basically, I cut the closet from the other bedroom in half and opened up the space under the stairs. The closet is still massive on the other side, and I am building a watch repair shop and circuits table (for my daughter) in that other room... which I'm mostly done with.
This cabinet actually used to be a "buffet" table from Rooms-To-Go. It was a rather decent piece of furniture that was normally $599. But I got this for $99 from their "scratch and dent" section. It was complete. Even though this picture looks decent, it was actually seriously jacked up. Both doors were destroyed (had to use both to make one good one), and the framing in the back and front were broken.
I essentially cut it up, and then rebuilt it in place.
If you open the left cabinet, it actually has another cabinet door on the other side of the wall, so my daughter can actually crawl through it into the other workroom if she wanted to. But she's 14, so probably not... but though it was cool.
I then also installed some shelves, and use ship-lap that I bought in Texas (already stained) that I had left over from when I renovated my house in San Antonio.
I installed three lights in the room. One of them is that hanging Moroccan lamp which I thought looked a bit "medieval." I remembered seeing a bunch like this for sale when I was at the eXchange in Qatar. So I figured it would look cool here. It has an LED "Candle" light in it, so it flickers like candlight. It's controlled by the switch on the left. There's also an outlet with USB connectors, etc.
Another thing I did was also open up the ceiling. The ceiling had drywall, which made the ceiling feel confined. At 6'3", I can now stand completely in the room with my head JUST touching the center beam. By removing the drywall, I was able to open up the ceiling between the studs. These are the original studs, I just stained them. I also put 2x4s up there (laying flat) and was able to run my wiring up there for the lights / electrical. I then used more Texas ship-lap.
On the left side of the room (under the stairs part), I built a desk so that she can have friends over to play networked games or (whatever). She can do her homework here if she doesn't want to do it in the kitchen or in her bedroom... I dunno. Just seemed to make sense for that use of space. I also tiled the floor with some sort of tile that has textured different kids of rock. I also had some left-over pre-mixed thinset (platinum) that has epoxy in it so it never stains. So I used that... also left over from my Texas house.
And then looking out, the bookcase opens inwards. You can also see that round cut-out. That's the clean-out for the waste pipe. For some reason, they had it completely covered by drywall, so I'm going to put a cap over it but make it accessible.
One thing, does that room have ventilation? "Bottom of the door" at least?
Ventilation is not great... there wasn't really an area for me to be able to install a vent, so what I've done is the underside of the cabinet is open. I have a 2x4 which the front sits on, but under the entire underside is a lip of about 2"s from left to right which goes up and then across both sides under the cabinet, which is then open in two 3"x15" vent into the other room. So when I finish putting the other side of the closet / room back together, I'll install a grate where the baseboard goes. I'm also going to install a transom above the door to the closet (on the other side). I have access to HVAC though from the other room, so I will probably duct some HVAC into the other side, which will then at least give a bit more re-circulation in those two rooms. For that matter, when you open the cabinet door, it'll open into the other room where there's another cabinet door. Essentially, all ventilation goes through the cabinets... basically, underneath. Not great, but it's enough that the room does not feel stuffy, hot, etc. But I didn't really have a lot of options.
Another thing I was thinking of doing though, is... when I build the bookshelf on the left. I can install a thin vent under one of the shelves that will allow at least some cross-breeze.
I can also possibly install a vent under the bottom stair, and then install a vent on the opposing wall in that room too... couple of different options.
That is pretty cool! That is almost exactly what I've done - In VR. 😄
I made a VR Escape Room game and one of the "secret" rooms is a room underneath the stairs, not unlike yours. 😁
That's really cool! What VR system did you write the game for? We have an Oculus whatever it is... the newer one with the 128gb. Is the game you wrote something that we can download?
Ok, not done... but pretty close. I still need to do some trimwork at the bottom (ran out of trim), and I need to do some touchup paint (obviously at the top)... and finally, I want to fill the nail divots with some wood filler, but otherwise... this is it working (with my daughter going into it and closing the door)...
The stone on the wall is actually a rather inexpensive vinyl product that I got off Amazon. I'd originally looked at some similar products... essentially wallpaper, but the total cost to do the entire room (even that size) was something like $800 bucks... which is ridiculous. For that entire room (with a spare roll), I was able to do the entire room for $63 bucks. Granted, you do get what you pay for... the rolls do not line up exactly, so there's some cutting (vertically) that needs to be done, not just from end to end. But still, for the price... I'd much rather pay $63 than $800.
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Originally posted by williegoat:
Put the candle back!
I have not seen that movie since I was a little kid!!!
[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 10-17-2023).]
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: The stone on the wall is actually a rather inexpensive vinyl product that I got off Amazon. I'd originally looked at some similar products... essentially wallpaper, but the total cost to do the entire room (even that size) was something like $800 bucks... which is ridiculous. For that entire room (with a spare roll), I was able to do the entire room for $63 bucks.
More information please. My garage walls (older home) need some "make up".
I ordered several of these, can't remember how many rolls, but it totaled up to ~$63. You can see each roll is about $7.99.
Use the "similar product" recommendations for different styles if you want something a little different.
Thanks Todd. My creative blood was flowing much before your post. Now I have creative high blood pressure. I was set on a stone theme for my garage when I saw a display backdrop for BBQ pits. I am going to stay with that although now the imagination runs wild.
Of all the things one can do to a house, before peel and stick came along...I hat(ed) putting up wallpaper more than anything else. That friggin paste and getting the pattern all aligned without wrinkles and of course, it always seemed to be (to me) ugly floral patterns way back when. Paper got thin in later years and would tear at the slightest tug. Then of course, there was the border that just HAD to go with it up at the top....
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 10-20-2023).]
My current home had a huge amount of wasted space. So when we renovated it, I decided to take advantage of that space and now have more that triple the storage space the home previously had. It's not fixed up nearly as nice as what yours's is but, it (for us) is simply storage space and not somewhere one would be doing anything.
Again, nice job. When you have some free time, come on over to MS and I'll put you up while you fix up my "storage" space.
Thanks Todd. My creative blood was flowing much before your post. Now I have creative high blood pressure. I was set on a stone theme for my garage when I saw a display backdrop for BBQ pits. I am going to stay with that although now the imagination runs wild.
Yeah, there's all kinds too that are just as cheap. I was going for the rustic poor looking medieval type of stone ... figured that was more Harry Potter looking, but there's much better ones that'll fit the style you're looking for. Literally all you need is a flat surface and a razor.
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Originally posted by maryjane: Of all the things one can do to a house, before peel and stick came along...I hat(ed) putting up wallpaper more than anything else. That friggin paste and getting the pattern all aligned without wrinkles and of course, it always seemed to be (to me) ugly floral patterns way back when. Paper got thin in later years and would tear at the slightest tug. Then of course, there was the border that just HAD to go with it up at the top....
Hahaha... I've never installed wallpaper, but I have always bought older homes that needed renovation, and every single one of them had been ~20 years since the last renovation, and they all had wallpaper. I've tried everything... the roller spiky thing, a steamer, laundry detergent... etc. Sometimes... the only way to get it off is to literally just tear out the drywall and start over from studs... it was crazy. After doing that to three houses, I'm not sure I can mentally handle another home with wallpaper!!!
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Originally posted by blackrams:My current home had a huge amount of wasted space. So when we renovated it, I decided to take advantage of that space and now have more that triple the storage space the home previously had. It's not fixed up nearly as nice as what yours's is but, it (for us) is simply storage space and not somewhere one would be doing anything.
Again, nice job. When you have some free time, come on over to MS and I'll put you up while you fix up my "storage" space.
Rams
Hahah... I wonder why some of these homes literally have large areas that are just drywalled off that have no access. It's not something I'm used to seeing, but I guess it has to do with the designs and getting them approved. Like this other space I plan to tear into in a couple of weeks. It's the size of a walk-in closet... all that's in there is some electrical wires going to the attic and an HVAC conduit... They could have pushed all of that properly into the corner, and literally built a really big closet... but I guess they figured it was better to have a flat wall than built-ins or a larger closet. Just weird...
Hahah... I wonder why some of these homes literally have large areas that are just drywalled off that have no access. It's not something I'm used to seeing, but I guess it has to do with the designs and getting them approved. Like this other space I plan to tear into in a couple of weeks. It's the size of a walk-in closet... all that's in there is some electrical wires going to the attic and an HVAC conduit... They could have pushed all of that properly into the corner, and literally built a really big closet... but I guess they figured it was better to have a flat wall than built-ins or a larger closet. Just weird...
Where else would you hide the bodies?
'safe rooms' are a 'thing' some places. Nope. We'll fight it out, win or lose, but not cower in the dark like an old woman
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 10-21-2023).]
'safe rooms' are a 'thing' some places. Nope. We'll fight it out, win or lose, but not cower in the dark like an old woman
I've never been a "gun" person, if that even is a "type" of person. My daughter has a Ruger 1020 or whatever it's called... bright pink and shoots .22 bullets with a magazine that I think holds 10? She also has a composite bow, with a ton of arrows... oddly enough, my daughter has all the weapons in the house... which is funny because the only reason why "I" don't have a weapon in the house is because I was always fearful that my daughter would accidentally get it... and somewhere along the line she ended up with multiple weapons that I gave her.
The idea of having a loaded shot gun in my bedroom seems weird, even though I had an M5 and a Beretta in my sleeping quarters for almost 7 months and didn't think twice about it. I think I'm allowing myself to fall prey to the media hype. It's literally just a tool...
But yeah, I'd never want to be the one that hides... and I don't think I would either. I'm too stupid to stop and think about the consequences of my actions.
My Wife's response to getting those projects finished:
Actually, I borrowed those pics from: [URL=https://www.dailyfunny.com/water-cooler/these-contractors-probably-should-have-been-fired-yesterday/?utm_source=ba&utm_campaign=ycf-d-us-rr-0-2-231017-df-ba-d1&utm_medium=msn.com&utm_content=20+Hilarious+Photos+Taken+by+Construction+Workers-ba&utm_ter m=hp&]https://www.dailyfunny.com/...kers-ba&utm_term=hp&[/URL] utm_cpc=0.105000&a0v5la7bquf89=2159ff1d7ba0b0a4872f8cea0361ef41&uy3ubftvh0u6o8=b5f0bba81418ff636f94eef4a7ccce97&cusduxj27i=2053421&xnfrr0ncac=704&zsmoi87pih9=trace.mediago.io&lzzgnpz8d=9220dd482c2a49631b4e66cca9f5f0ee
Some of them are pretty funny or just plain stupid, maybe both.
------------------ Rams Learning most of life's lessons the hard way. . You are only young once but, you can be immature indefinitely.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-22-2023).]
that's too awesome!
