It’s been a while since the last solarium update — but there’s been real progress. Let me catch you up.
The Tile Question, Answered
Last time, I mentioned I needed to do some detective work before committing to a stair redesign: how far does the tile run under the existing stairs? Well, I finally have the answer. It goes all the way under. The whole floor is tiled. That’s great news — it means once the stairs are out, I’m not dealing with any patching or mismatched flooring. I can even add some storage space underneath the stairs.
The Shelf Side Quest
Here’s how the last couple months really went: I was planning to get into the stairs, saw window shelves on Amazon, and thought I could totally make those myself. Classic. I then proceeded to spend more on materials than the Amazon shelves cost, and vastly underestimate how long it would take. Very on brand.
But they did come out great. I already had the wood boards as scrap, so I figured the hard part was handled — except they needed to be sanded, prepped, stained, and finished. I looked at a darker stain I had on hand, but ended up going with antique white to match the window trim. Then I applied a finishing wax on top, hoping it’ll hold up against water damage from the plants.
While I was at it, I got a curtain rod up over the windows too. That part wasn’t too bad, but it still took time. Totally worth it though — being able to hang things in those windows changes the feel of the room. Even mid-construction with stuff everywhere, a few plants on those shelves and it actually starts to feel like a solarium.
The Stairs Are Coming Apart
I finally got into the stairs. It’s been a pain.
A lot of the screws were stripped beyond saving, so I ended up reaching for the chainsaw to get the frame exposed. Not the most surgical approach, but it worked. I’ve still got a fair bit left to do, but there’s no going back now — the stairs are no longer usable, which means the room is currently only accessible through the sliding door to the outside. Effectively cut off from the rest of the house.
That’s actually motivating. Nothing gets me moving like a room I can’t reach without going outside.
Ceiling Plans
One more decision I’ve locked in: I’m painting the ceiling. I’ve swatched a couple of colors and I think I’ve found the one — but I want to try one more before I commit. The plan is to paint it once the stairs are fully gone, so I’m not working around them with the ladder. Good excuse to get them out faster.
What’s Next
Get the stairs out. Paint the ceiling. Then figure out what the new staircase actually looks like.
— Shai Guy