Grandma's attic - lights and removing the dollhouse open back

by brae  

I bought two Lighting Bug lamps for the attic.  One is the hanging kind with the pull chain.  Love these!  There will be more of these in my future builds.  :D

The other is a similar fixture with the bare bulb, but it has a wall fitting.

Grandma's attic will be an eclectic array of novelties, antiques and storage.  It is also mainly open and will require minimal lighting.

On the left side of the attic, there will be the interior portion of the chimney currently only a foam core base.  There will also be a faux trap door like the one in Baslow Ranch where the scrap wood is placed on the floor.  I've positioned the light closer to center where the old settee is so grandma can see what she's doing up there.

As I've said before, in my world, grandma is able to navigate those pull down attic stairs easily, walk about the attic without hitting her head and sit comfortably for hours in a space that doesn't appear to have any airflow for the warmer months or heating for the colder ones.

On the right side, there will be the forward storage area and Tony's brilliant catacombs clock case.  It's up to you to decide who's in the case.  :O  I've put the hanging bulb at the opening to the front storage area.  I think that will cast a nice glow into the space.  As you can see, I've not yet cut down the bedroom ceiling board to make room for the back roof piece.

This is where the architectural issue comes into play.  When I added to the ceiling boards in the back, I effectively eliminated the sloped ceilings on the second floor, except at the outer side gables.  The bathroom vanity cabinet, hall table vignette and bedroom door would not have been possible had I kept the angled back walls that followed the slope of the roof.

However, when viewed from the side, these outcroppings are visible.

To remedy this problem, I've added a quick mockup cut from Cellfoam 88 (the same piece I used for the bedroom ceiling board - reduce, reuse and recycle!).  This adds a triangular vertical wall that would be sided to match the house and an additional roof board to finish the back opening.

From the side, the bathroom is no longer visible.  I think this makes architectural sense since it is in the back portion of the house and a viable renovation that could have been done at some point.  It won't be visible from the front, so it won't detract from the Carpenter Gothic aesthetic.

I'll have to do more wallpapering in the bathroom and bedroom to cover the new corners, but that should be straightforward enough.  :D

10 comments

Comment from: Betsy Rogers [Visitor]
Hi Brae! Happy New Year!!! I look forward to following your Spectacular builds in the New Year!!! As for your Architectural adjustments... they are VERY common in older homes here in New England! The second story was often built with a higher back wall in the middle that didn't extend all the way to the Gable eaves... allowing for more head room in the second floor rooms! The roof was still slanted, but at less of a pitch... and there usually were additional windows as well (not that you will need them in an open backed house!) So I think your extensions are both functional and very Realistic! As usual your details are Fantastic! I LOVE those attic light bulbs with the pull chains!!
01/01/13 @ 13:28
Comment from: Lyssa [Visitor]
Love the hanging bulb! They should be everywhere. :) Makes me want to make a closet. A creepy closet!
01/01/13 @ 13:45
Comment from: brae [Member]
Thanks so much, Betsy! :D I'm glad to know there are plenty of real life examples of my plan. You should make a creepy closet, Pea! :yes:
01/01/13 @ 17:30
Comment from: Mins [Visitor]  
I love those lights! I've never seen them here in Australia so I'm very keen to get my little hands on some too now, thanks so much for the link!! Grandma's attic is going to be so cool, I really can't wait to see it finished... It would definitely be the sort of attic I'd love to stumble across and spend hours in exploring!! Hugs, Mins xx
01/01/13 @ 18:10
Comment from: idske [Visitor]
You attic is just as an attic should be with stuff to explore even if it's a bit creepy! I love the lights! I had a look on their website and before I knew it I had a shopping list of over $600! Need to win the lottery now, as they would just perfectly finish off the rooms I still need lights for :) Happy New Year, Idske
01/02/13 @ 05:22
Comment from: brae [Member]
I love Lighting Bug lights, but you do have to save up for them. :yes:
01/02/13 @ 22:17
Comment from: Irene [Visitor]
You DO put such a lot of thought into your properties and it shows. I love the side view showing the chimney too and those little lights are just perfect for the situation. I'm pleased to hear that in "Brae-land" grandma wont be permanently humphy backed while navigating this space!
01/04/13 @ 10:37
Comment from: brae [Member]
:)) Thanks!
01/04/13 @ 17:58
Comment from: Evelyne [Visitor]
I love those light bulbs, they are great finds! But the more I look at the wall one, the more I 'see' it 'upside down': instead of the lamp towards the floor, having it towards the ceiling. What do you think?
01/04/13 @ 20:42
Comment from: brae [Member]
Thanks, Evelyn! :D For the attic, the light is functional more than decorative. By having it facing downward, it becomes a utility light.
01/05/13 @ 20:16


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