Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!
In those famous words of Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" This client wanted to surprise her husband with some space of his own to listen to his music and learn to play the saxophone. This is only the second time one of our clients has surprised someone with a shed. He knew he was getting a shed and approved the design, placement and colors, the surprise was when it was going to be built. He was under the impression that it may happen sometime in the next year. So, you can imagine his surprise late on Friday night when he arrived home from an out of town job to see his shed lit up in the backyard and ready to use. Yes, he shed a tear and had a few happy expletives.
This 138" x 81" He Shed has a shed style roof with a 2 & 12 pitch. The shed is nestled just under the eave of the house on the back patio. The front wall has a pair of vintage, 10 light french doors left with their original paint. These unique doors are only 24" wide. Flanking the doors are two fixed vintage 3 light windows. To the right of the door the window is floor to ceiling while the left window stops about 12 inches from the floor. The entire shed is reclaimed cedar shiplap siding. The siding was sanded and painted the same gray as the house.
Four vintage 24" doors, complete with crystal knobs, framed horizontally make up the entire left wall. This wall is near the house and the solid wood doors create a sound buffer for the music that our clients intents to play, not to mention the sounds of the practicing on the saxophone. Have you ever heard the sounds that are made by beginning musicians? Our client's wife used the knobs from the other side of the doors to make a coat rack. The futon couch fits perfectly snuggles in for sitting or reclining while listening to some vintage Motown sounds on the clients vintage Montgomery Wards stereo he purchased with his paper route money.
Like the front wall the back wall is essentially all windows. The reclaimed 2 light windows are installed casement style to allow airflow in the shed. The window retain the many colors that they have been painted over the years that enhance their vintage look. The matching six light widows in the middle are fixed. Having this many windows on opposing walls is like having the outside inside while the music is playing or being made. All of the hardware is vintage reproduction.
As if there weren't enough windows on the front and back walls this right wall has even more. This wall features 4 exquisite vintage windows. The center picture window is fixed in place and provides a view of the beautiful backyard garden and bottle tree. The side windows are reclaimed from downtown LA and feature 11 lights. These are installed casement style with antique reproduction hardware. The small window above the picture window is installed transom or hopper style, depending upon who you ask, allows for even more air flow in this little shed that will be filled with music. The floor is custom 12" tongue and groove pine made by Pacific Coast Lumber.
When the bow is gone, the windows are opened, and the music flows from the stereo or the saxophone the joy of a surprise will always be remembered in this beautiful "He Shed" designed and built by A Place to Grow.