Ann’s Lady Lounge
Last Fall, Flea Market Gardening fan, Ann Elias and her clever husband, embarked on a huge project destined to be a joy for Ann, especially. Every woman needs a room of her own and Ann dreamed of transforming this white lattice pergola into a garden room of her very own. It would be a place to hold treasures ‘with meaning,’ a place to make memories with her friends or to simply have some peaceful solitude.Ann Elias, lives and gardens in Menasha, Wisconsin with her very capable husband. What would we do with out these guys who support all our dreams and schemes? She has a small business and website called Our Garden Path, as well as a Facebook page called Our Garden Path Designs.
Here’s what they started with and what they did by the Fall of 2012 before snow fell:
Part One: Fall
The pergola, before
“I am SO looking forward to next summer to use this wonderful little getaway!! It’s going to be filled with thing that have meaning..it will be a place to sit and have a drink..or read..or visit with family and friends. Also we will use it to display our garden art,” Ann explains.
As all dreams do, Ann’s idea developed from a greenhouse to a ‘Lady Cave’ and then, finally, the Lady Lounge. As she posted the progress on our Facebook page, we all were excited for her as we saw the latest construction happen.
The original pergola comes apart
Ann says, “Hubby took off the lattice and supports that were on the pergola…my greenhouse is becoming a reality!!!”
Ann exclaims, “I am so EXCITED!”
“I am so excited! Four 4 x 4 green-treated posts have been installed for the base of the Greenhouse. It feels like Christmas to me, since we decided to turn our old 10 by 10 pergola into a greenhouse…we don’t use it anymore since we had a huge patio put in last year. It will be used more for a display area for our art work then for growing plants in….I guess I should call it a studio instead of a greenhouse. But I am SO excited…can you tell?” laughs Ann.
Windows on one side, done!
“Update on greenhouse! Windows on one side. I got a whole bunch of windows with screens from craigslist for free! I will have at least one large window that opens on each side. Then we are using old patio doors that will not open on the ends. My brother is going to help hubby next week with the roof. I am SO SO excited!
I decided to stop calling this my greenhouse…because I am not going to grow anything in it. It is officially going to be called my “lady cave.” It will be filled with garden treasures of the past and garden art we are going to be selling. A place to sit and look at garden books…sip a tea…or just to sit and look at my garden. I am going to make time to do that. I promise!”
Windows on the front, now…
Ann says, “My “lady cave” has windows on the front…and they open and have screens. I was lucky I was to get these free windows! The door still has to be framed in…but I love it so far!”
Started on the roof today…
“All the sides have glass in them. We picked up the roofing sheets today and still have to fill in the areas that the windows didn’t cover. Hubby has to do some web-surfing on how to the roof. I am SO happy how it’s turning out.
We are using that wavy ridge sheets. I wanted black…but that was special order and it would take 3 weeks. We want to get it done soon. So I went with brown. I thought that would go the best with my favorite color,…teal blue.
Hubby started on the roof today. He is slowly getting it done between rain we are getting. Hopefully the weekend will bring nice weather so we can finish it up. I hope to get a load of pea gravel to fill in the inside floor. We will wait till next year to place the brick pavers over the top of that.” Ann says.
All the openings covered up!
Ann says, “I came home from work today and hubby had all the openings covered up. Our temperatures were in the 70s and we are expecting rain tomorrow, turning colder. There was a good chance this would be our last chance to get at least one coat of paint on the bare wood before winter. We are still going to get a layer of pea gravel for the inside. After the leaves are all fallen down, hubby will hang the gutters…then we will be done till next year. That means next spring we can lay the patio brick inside…and hopefully I will find some vinyl siding at Restore to cover the wood areas. I don’t need much..so I should be able too. It’s going to be a LONG winter waiting to use my ‘Lady Cave’ ”
Last chance in Fall to get at least one coat of paint
Ann says, “I am SO looking forward to next summer to use this wonderful little getaway!! It’s going to be filled with thing that have meaning..it will be a place to sit and have a drink..or read..or visit with family and friends. Also we will use it to display our garden art.
My dear husband is also going to make me a huge planting bench against the garage. He has a 125 gallon aquarium wood stand which is really long. I also have some old wood doors and shutters. I told him what I wanted and he said I that will be a piece of cake after building the cave.”
Part 2, next week. Watch for it and see all the progress Ann has made this Spring,…you’ll be surprised! ~~ Sue
