S128: Show and Tell

When I started my mobile home remodel three years ago, I left the shed in the back out of most of the original work. These snapshots are a sort of show and tell or the shed's rebirth into a welcoming space.

This photo show how shed-like and utilitarian the little structure was when I bought the place (not the land). There was a huge storage container, 72w x36d x42h sitting in the path right outside the shed door. As a space planner I was miserable with the lack of traffic flow for any real functionality of the back area, hinged storage box and shed. Added to this was a fence and a gate that swung in the path of the shed door.

The previous owner put down carpet inside, a counter and shelves. He claims he worked in this windowless box of mold. (I’d bought after a winter of flooding rain and mold was everywhere. He also said his teenage kids slept there when they came to visit and to surf or scuba. BTW, the big mystery box was for all of the scuba and surfing gear I guess.

My first project was to demo that storage box and paint the shed exterior to match my add-on rooms.

During the construction phase I found all kinds of broken mirrors in the park dumpster and put them to use as fragmented surface for the fence. I spent a winter experimenting with adhesives I had left from projects. I finally had to admit defeat and purchase adhesives made for mirrors. My goal was to give the narrow (3’) walkway in back some light and sparkle. It definitely opened it up. I then painted the top fence with all of the leftover paint from my home remodel and past home projects. This gave my exterior the smile it needed.

The piece de resistance turned out to be a 15 minute inspiration to paint the pavers black and white. They were pink like the scalloped border bricks I STILL haven’t eliminated. Blek. Lava rock was everywhere and I had to find more pavers from neighbors and around my place to fill in where the big box had sat. Damn. It was a spontaneous decision that proved to be the signature element of my home. Who knew?

Two summers ago a friend I hadn’t seen in years came and helped me finish the shed into a guest house. We were helped by a neighbor who put in two windows and the shelves. All of this was barter or friendship. I am blessed.

Twice I have rented this little tiny room out for several months at a time. This has helped me survive my losses in income. My lease disallows subletting, so I really can’t do this on the up and up. I could probably rent it for storage if I would get rid of everything in there, but then I’d not have it for tools and overflow.

I asked that same neighbor to mount the bed frame mobile home at the back and up high enough for me to put an under-counter refrigerator inside. The original mobile home back door was mounted at counter height just inside the door. There are two shelves under this counter for all of my storage boxes.

As a guest house it really isn’t practical. Nobody I am friends with now would stay in this little room without a toilet, refrigerator or microwave. And heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer are also an issue.

I think that the ultimate use will be clearer to me as I become more adept in my sustain-ABILITY. Like the word responsibility, I actually hear the emphasis in my own head as ability, a self measurement.

So many, many things to learn and know. This little shed, like my little home, was a wonderful training project.