Saskatoon Home Article

Here is a copy of the article from Saskatoon Home Magazine.

Photos from Saskatoon Home Magazine

Here's a few images shot by Jimmy Oneschuk or the Saskatoon Home Magazine, Spring Issue. The magazine is hitting the streets this next week but if you can't wait, wander down to Museo Coffee at the Mendel Art Gallery or Caffe Sola on 23rd and Pacific for advance copies...and grab a latte while you're there.

No Pressure, No Diamonds

"No pressure, no diamonds" is a favorite saying mine. When I'm under pressure I manage to use it as a galvanizing force to focus all of my energy into a single goal.  I think I learned that in the U of S Engineering program where I was under constant pressure for a 4 year run during my Engineering Physics Undergrad.

These days it's men with cameras in their hands that put the pressure on me.  Saskatoon Home Magazine, run by my good friend and powerchick Susan Zwarych, has decided to run a feature on the Hay Loft for their spring publication.  If there's one thing that puts me under the gun to finish the, ooohhh say, 100 uncompleted tasks in the house, it's a magazine photographer.

As such, it has been an intense couple weeks of working until 2 am on the house (sorry about the router at 12:30 last night, Carrie) to finish our master bathroom (image attached) and the fireplace in our living room.

  

We also stumbled into a floor model sale at local modern furniture retailer Sew and Home where we picked up a G.Romano sectional (with pull out bed, indie touring musicians across Canada celebrate in unison).  Our photographer/barista friends Jimmy Oneschuk commented "now you can add 'bought furniture specifically for a magazine shoot' to your list of 'you know you're an architectural nerd when...' " How true....

Oct 3, 2008 - Completion

I've heard it said that a home is never finished, and I think that the Hay Loft is no exception to that rule.  

Oct 3rd 2008 was our official move in date, followed quickly by the house warming and my 31st birthday on October 4th.  It was easily one of the best parties we've ever had the pleasure of hosting and we couldn't have done it without the help of our friends and family, especially Anthony and Anastasia McCarthy, who put on the most unbelievable spread of food I've ever seen. 

All in all, the project consumed about 1 year of my life. It has been amazing, but I'm ready to move on....next up, converting the ex-Motion Picture and Sound brick build on 2nd Ave South into a pair of condo's and then I'll try convince the former Saskatoon Chinese Mennonite Church in Riversdale that it could become a vibrant multifunctional art space (let's see what the city thinks of that plan).

Rear of building, new garage is up and waiting for the rooftop deck which I'll tackle next spring.

Our grain bin.  Perfect home for cereal and oatmeal....

Facade and side of the Hay Loft. Xeriscaping will commence in Spring '09.

The Ultimate Rendition by Victoria artist Colin MacRae, still brings me joy everytime I see it.

Inside the Hay Loft...front extension of the grain bin/kitchen.

My office, the grain elevator.  Saskatchewan Wheat Pool should have paid for this advertisement. I'll invoice them....

A la barn. I think Ron Sexsmith is really going to enjoy playing a house concert with a barn for a backdrop.

Kitchen. Bubinga countertop.

You Have to Create Some Problems...

Vaughn Wyant once said that sometimes in business it's good to create problems.  Especially when interesting problems require creative solutions.  I think I just created a problem to deal with.  Let me explain...

A few weeks back I stumbled into a hot tip on some grain bin siding that was coming out of some office space in Saskatoon.  My first inquiry about the material didn't go anywhere, but yesterday I received a call from the building owner saying that the material was up for grabs, but I had to go pick it up today.  

So this afternoon was a salvaging mission.  Net results: 4 vintage sliding barn doors, 4 nicely weathered barn door tracks with rollers, and 3 sheets of grain bin siding complete with the door assembly.

"So what's the problem?" you ask...I needed all this material 3 weeks ago before we went and salvaged other barn doors and bought both the sliding box track and grain bin siding from the Co-Op Farm Center.

The question now is...what's a guy to do with extra barn doors and grain bin siding?  The answer is forthcoming.  As of now, I think the barn doors will be reworked to become window coverings, but, as I tell Carrie, all plans are subject to change...like our move in date (2 weeks).

Progress Photos

Just a few photos of recent progress.  The barn is 99% complete and never would have come together without the surgical precision and craftsmanship of Byron, my father in law.  It turned out much better than I had imagined.

The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Grain Elevator last week.  Still needs a few finishing touches like a door and shingles.

The OSB flooring turned out much more golden that I had expected, which is actually better than I had thought.

First House Concert

May 11, 2008

"Curt, I'm booking our first house concert with Claire Jenkins for August 6th.  Are you sure that the Hay Loft will be ready by then?" said Carrie.

"I guarantee it" said I.

My new saying has become "no pressure no diamonds" and it certainly feels like we've had enough pressure on us lately to make a few diamonds.  We were able to meet the deadline of Aug 6th for our concert, but not without 3 weeks straight of working from 8 am to midnight and with help from my best contractors, other wise known as our dads (Byron, Peter, Rick) who helped us to cross the finish line just in time.

I'm sure the band was a bit taken back when they showed up at 5 pm to discover two plumbers, three carpenters, an electrician and myself running around like mad trying to complete the house.  At 5 Carrie asked "Curt, when are the contractors going to leave because I kind of (read: should have started yesterday) need to set up for the concert?" What patience that woman has.

I'll let the pictures tell the tale.  Special thanks goes to Dean Friesen for the sweet mixing console that he lent us, to Bob White for getting it set up, Jay and Depesh at Boom Music for the stage lights and especially to my dad for the electrical and Byron (Carrie's father) for putting in the late late nights with me leading up to the house concert.

ps. we're still not moved in yet....that's still coming.