It Only Took Us 13 Years!

Most of the materials to make the railing have been around for a number of years. I sort of had a picture in my mind how we would make it, just never got around to it. It took both of us brainstorming to come up with the final plan...

There were a few tense moments when we weren't quite sure that we had enough hands to put it together, but I am married to a very handy man, so we got 'er done!

The finished product looks even better than we had hoped! I think I will probably do a rubbed oil finish on the wood. I plan on painting the upstairs "mezzanine", probably this spring/summer. I alternated colored pipes for the spokes in the railing - black, green, sand and brown. I think I will chose a sand color for the walls up there.

It was one of those rare times that everything worked out nicely - no nasty surprises! We made the rail removable, as this opening is how we got some of the bigger furniture upstairs. The door between the hall and the mezzanine is quite narrow, so not everything up there went up the stairway. Even though it is removable (with a screw driver) it is quite sturdy and will be a fine deterrant for the grandsons. :) I think that Pelé will not be able to jump from the top of the pantry to the upstairs either, as it is a fairly narrow opening between the pipes for him to hit from that distance. Hope not, anyway. It may take a crash or two before he figures that out, though....

So, all in all, a wonderful day off! Dan had to go and fuel the car up and run get a piece of metal that Dick Treb. had turned for him, so he is getting to do something fun, too. I am supposed to be reorganizing the upstairs (we sleep in that room, in the winter) so that it stays more open, for sunlight.

Better get to it! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend, too!!