A little over a week ago, I was blessed to have the opportunity to travel to Connecticut with my parents and two of my sisters to visit my grandparents. Because we live so far apart, I don’t get to see them as often as I wish (every day would be about right), but they are two of the most amazing people you can imagine.
I dragged my DSLR along with me (you should have seen me babying that thing throughout hectic airport maneuvers) because I have been waiting for a long time for a chance to visit and record and share a few very special things.
For as long as I can remember, my grandpa has always been working on something – projects around the house, handcrafted furniture, building rock walls and incredible gardens with my grandma. They have both always been an example of seemingly-tireless DIY – it’s fascinating to trace my own creative tendencies back to them, through my dad who inherited their contagious “I can do that” spirit.
During our all-too-short visit, I snuck away for a little while to snap some photos of my grandpa’s workshop – his sanctuary, his creative laboratory… The studio of a man who can figure out how to make just about anything.
I can’t pretend to know the functions of each tool setup in each shot – this is black-belt-DIY compared to my few years of experience – but I am overwhelmed with appreciation for the planning and skill behind every aspect of this space!
Do you see that piece hanging from the ceiling with an extension cord looped up behind it?
That’s a mobile outlet, suspended on a wire track, so it can slide from one end of the workspace to the other.
Throughout the workshop are custom storage pieces – I can only assume that my love for banks of organizational drawers is completely hereditary.
Creative solutions abound. This storage tower completely disassembles into stackable pieces!
Everything has a place.
Do you want to see what comes out of a workshop like this?
My parents have a coffee table with this design in their living room that they found at Macy’s – it has four rolling stools with built-in storage that tuck under the table. My grandpa saw it on a visit and decided to create his own version, made out of beautiful solid oak, with a few extra surprises inside…
The padded top lifts off to reveal a tiled tray inside, so each stool becomes an instant side table.
Each tray lifts out to reveal storage inside, but on the other side of one of the trays is hiding…
Finally, each panel beneath the tabletop is actually a drawer, providing even more cleverly concealed storage!
Are you just a little blown away? I know I was!
In all honesty, my head has been out of the game ever since I got back home last Monday at midnight. It’s just been one of those weeks full of soul-searching, re-evaluation and rebuilding – concepts of home and family and legacy.
This visit was such a tangible lesson on home being built out of love and service, for love and service…
It shook me out of the complacency it’s so easy to fall into, the superficiality that can come from allowing one thing to consume my life. It seems as though I eat, breathe, sleep whatever new creative project I’m working on – it can so quickly become separated from a bigger context (love and service, are you sensing a theme here?), my focus can be so myopic.
While I love beautiful spaces and creating things for the joy of creating, I don’t want to get lost in that – I need to remember to use these passions to love and serve others, to enrich, to bless.
My grandparents are beautiful examples of that.
Their home is a headquarters for the entire family – a place with open couches, endless patio chairs, a dining set (made by my grandpa, of course) that unfolds and unfolds so the entire clan can pile in around it, and a freezer that has never yet failed a decades-spanning-tradition of popsicles… I find it so hard to put into words exactly what makes their home radiate love, but it’s there in every room.
So you see, this legacy has been weighing on me this week, as I’m wrestling through incorporating their example into my own life. It’s a good weight, and it has been catalyzing good things.
I’m so honored to have the chance to share a little of that with you today!
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says
That workshop is so amazing. I can only dream about being so organized. Your grandpa has some serious skills. And I know how you feel. My dad just left and I just feel off and need some time to find my mojo.
I know! It’s making me seriously motivated to get my own work space in order – summer project!
So happy that you got to see him! My grandpa was a woodworker/house builder all his life and I’m lucky to have him and his skill set teaching me. It’s such a beautiful thing learning from a loved one/master of their craft.
Thanks for sharing!
Aw, thanks Ashley! I’m so thankful for my grandpa’s example and knowledge!
I grew up half a country away from both sets of grandparents, so I definitely relate to how special those visits are. I love the sentiments that you took away from your time there! Your grandpa’s workshop is extremely cute –*ahem*–I mean clever, and of course MANLY. Thanks for sharing. It’s nice to feel a part of something and feel part of a heritage you can be proud of. I’m sure your grandparents are very proud of you, too!
Yes, same story here. I feel like I can’t get enough of their wisdom/example now – I just have to soak it up when I can!
Where did you say your grandpa lives? I think I”m in love with him…LOL Well, with his skill and imagination anyway… You have some of it at least, you saw that table and knew you could cover it with jute, so you proved it to yourself…I have a little bit of that as well, but I create other things. By the way, you are very fortunate to realize the value of your family, most people just simply don’t anymore so they tend to lose their own legacy..you won’t, you feel it inside of you and all around you. You can’t touch it, but its there. It has a lot of names, but the most important one is love. We should get together sometime, we live close.
What a lovely comment, Judy! Such a wonderful way to put it! I am always up for meeting – a thrift store excursion + some coffee and we are new best friends 🙂
Cool, I’m on S. Carrier, we could meet at a thrift store, or coffee shop . Just need to wait until after the first of the month..but it will be fun.
Just send me an email (thegatheredhomeATgmailDOTcom) sometime when you’re able!
What a great space! And that table is so cool. I’m really fond of the stackable storage tower, too. Apparently I’m a big fan of things that fit together with other things in a clever way 🙂
Me too! My brain doesn’t work that way, so I love seeing other people be so inventive!
That coffee table reminds me of the one my grandpa built for their house. And this is crazy, but the previous owner of our house was a woodworker and the garage looked a lot like your grandfather’s! It was sadly broken down to bare bones before the sale but it was very cool to see all of the little creative solutions. I’m anxious to see where this takes you!
Oh wow – that’s so neat! For starters, I definitely foresee some garage organization & storage solutions in my future…
More seriously, I feel my perspective/worldview changing for the better lately and I’m so thankful 🙂
“Black belt DIY” =]
I enjoyed the post, touching, charming etc etc etc Really but your posts usually are all those things. (Tsk, tsk)
What stays with me the most and I am SO GONNA DO IT, is the genius airborne mobile plugs. Genius. Eliminates the risk of tripping over the cable or sawing through a cord.
It is the kind of thing we go “duh” when we see it. Your grandfather, is not a man of frills (totally unsubstantiated judging – just going by his lab…err workshop) but of essence.
And your post is full of love for him. He will be so proud when he reads it. 🙂
Aw, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I’d say that’s a wonderful way to describe my grandpa – a man of essence! And so glad you could take away a practical idea from the post as well! 🙂
Brynne, this is a very sweet post. I often get the feeling that I get caught up in my own projects and too inwardly focused. Just know that you’re blessing others by sharing your work and these touching stories about your family. 🙂
Best,
Jessica
Thank you so much Jessica! I’m sending internet hugs your way!
Grandparents are such a blessing in our lives…I miss mine everyday…my Granddad even gave me away and it is a memory I will cherish forever. We can obviously see where you get your DIY talent from! That workshop is the most amazing thing I have ever seen, seriously I blown away by his organisational skills! What a talent! xo
What a sweet memory Gilly! Thank you for sharing and for your kind words about the post!
It’s that can do attitude that gave this generation the will to succeed. Loved reading about your grandparents. Thank you.
Thank you Linda! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post!
Gah the art of a great workshop. That stackable storage tower is incredible! It never ceases to amaze me the amount of creativity that occurs in those perfect home shops. So glad you got to visit with your grandpa what a great trip it must have been!
It was such a great trip! I’m dying to go back again already 🙂
Wow! The storage solutions are amazing! And he did it all on his own – gasp- without Pinterest? 😉 Loved seeing all this inspiration.
I know! That’s seriously impressive, right? So glad you enjoyed the post, Kim!
Brynne I shared your artical with Grandma and Grandpa today and they loved it.
That was a beautiful artical and very touching.
Cristi, thank you so much for sharing it with them! I wanted to email it over, but I wasn’t sure if they would be checking email at the moment.
Oh WOW. What skill your grandfather has and it’s obvious where your creative streak comes from 🙂 Loved seeing his workshop and that incredibly clever table – seriously blown away here. I had to show Wayne that mobile plug socket – this would be a wet dream for him to have a workshop like that!! lol Loved this post and loved your feelings of the bigger picture surrounding all of it. Beautiful. Ya know when you can just tell from someone’s blog that they are actually a really lovely person in real life? I get that from you 😉 xxx
Aw, thank you sweet friend! Hugs!