The Great Unveiling

We are done.
And it looks great (well, we think so).

Along the way, we had some modifications and amendments to our original plans which went something like this:

Plan A.
Modify corner cupboard, take out the two bench seats, put in a radiator on one side, lay carpet and get two easy chairs.
Reality:
Hubby did a fine job of modifying the cupboard, and we only had to purchase 2 new 180º door hinges to replace the 45º ones we’d taken off.
It took 3 hours to take out the one upright, let alone one bench, and soon became apparent that even by removing both benches, the easy chairs we had in mind would not fit.

Plan B.
Take out one bench, put in radiator, lay carpet and get two ottoman type footstools to replace lost storage.
Reality:
The footstools we had in mind were also too big for the available space, but at least the radiator fitted where we wanted it to go. Also when fitting it, we didn’t flood the boat when we cut pipes to the now obsolete fan heater and to join up the new pipework (with isolation valves).

Plan C.
With the one bench out, we needed seating, and so looked into buying a small chair.
Make bookcase/ shelving area.
Reality:
No dice. Everything available to buy was too big. Bookcase starting to take shape in Hubby’s mind. Drawings found on back of envelope.

Plan D.
Extend the existing bench seating round the corner across the bow door in an ‘L’ shape, make bigger bookcase to include housing for newly purchased DVD storage cases.
Reality:
We utilised the obsolete bench cushions and covers to make 2 new ones for the job.
Discovered when finished they were too narrow and we kept sliding off. Nowhere for Maggie to sit either.

Plan E.
Extend seating width area by a third, make new cushions. Buy small coffee table. Get proper pet bed for Maggie.
Reality:
Hubby made a bookcase under the extended corner seat, then put in another false front (with storage behind it) to make a wider seat in front of the bow doors (this was a job done in two halves). We had to buy two pieces of foam (at different times of course) and used the cover from the bed mattress to make new covers for them.
We purchased a very nice coffee table (and pressure cooker) from Ikea which is perfect for the space available.
Maggie missed out on pet bed, it took up too much floor space, but she is happy with her cushion and blanket.

We bought the carpet on Wednesday and I was asked to take Maggie for a walk so that Hubby could swear, curse and throw a paddy by himself if need be as he set about laying it.

Varnishing:
No point trying to varnish with a shedding dog around, so on Thursday I took her out whilst Hubby varnished where he could, then locked up the boat and we went out for the day.

Finishing touches.
Our knick knacks are in MOH’s roof, so the new shelves are a little bare, but speaking of bears, Grandad, Rembrandt and Weginald have a new home on the top shelf.
We decided to finish off the base of the shelves with a piece of skirting, but on pricing it discovered it was only sold in 8 foot lengths from the major DIY outlets for around £8 and we only needed just over a metre.
For the grand sum of £2.37, the Handyman store down the road had a piece that would do, and Hubby set to with his mitre corners, sandpaper and Mr Stanley.

In all, it’s taken us three weeks, but we did have a couple of days away with MOH, and we have taken a day or two ‘out’ to let things settle before proceeding further.

Pics as promised.
Total cost £366.57, and that included the carpet, foam, coffee table, DVD storage cases and some tools for Hubby to do the job (but not the vacuum cleaner for clearing up afterwards).

before (our camera)

 Before (friend’s camera) from bow, top, from galley bottom

The pictures below were taken this morning, 17th October 2015, and we forgot to turn off the date, which is wrong anyway as we never usually set it.

from kitchen galley

central from kitchen

from bow

shelving with housing for DVD storage

Maggie’s place with bookcase under

At one stage, Maggie laid claim to a cushion, just in case we’d forgotten her:

It’s mine I tell you, and I ain’t movin’ !

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