last evening at 11:52 p.m. servants from our ginghamsburg makeover team completed a laborious albeit non-glamorous project in the coffee show “tower” of the AVENUE, our student activity building. when constructed nearly ten years ago, the tower hadn’t been intended for classroom or coffee shop space. it was going to be a video room for students to hang out and play games.because we are maxing out all of our campus spaces, we now use this coffee shop area as a classroom and meeting space nearly every day of the week. nine huge, high windows were creating a bake-oven effect and the sunlight was unbearable for daytime meetings.
we did a little search and found window-darkening tint online, purchased a gigantic roll, and spent the last two evenings trying to become experts at cutting, aligning and applying it to the windows 30’ up. the guys needed to use the lift because, well, they’re guys. it was the right thing to do, however, and after much sweat and consternation the room is now much more usable space.
i feel called to the stewardship of space – to maximize the use of all our facilities. it’s a weird calling, however, and I don’t meet many people who feel as passionately as I do about spaces and design. one new kindred spirit is Rachel Cain, seen here in a photo from last night. she came to our work night, she stenciled, she left. its awesome to have another servant on the team!
Over the years my mom (Kim) has inspired a lot of things in me. She has not only taught me the great skill of maximizing spaces, which I am still working on, but also how to maximize things I already have. If you are fearful of starting out with a whole room, this might be a place to begin. For example, the other day I scored a free beat up filing cabinet (thanks to my dad), and although my husband looked at me like I was crazy for wanting it... I quickly made a believer out of him after I redesigned it and made it a whole new piece of furniture... In two short afternoons I spray painted the cabinet brown and then cut my own stencils and stenciled on top of the drawers. What was once ugly, is now a favorite piece of furniture... for practically free! I do this with clothes too... it's not only a way to be creative and save money... it's also one of the best ways to recycle and reuse! I dare you to take a second look at that dresser with the free sign on it at the end of your street... imagine the possibilities.
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