Bamboo Ben Masterpiece

WOW!

Hewey drools all over the keyboard...

I am trying to remember the last time I felt this jealous. It looks amazing. Congrats.

As promised, here are some new photos of the room, as of today. In addition to the progress photos of the room, there are also some shots of the bathroom, which Ben is making progress on.

I also took some detail shots of the cool OA light fixtures, as well as the awesome ceiling fan. Check out the red uplighting coming from the fan housing!

http://tiki.unkrich.com/tiki_hideaway/index.html

Wow! That place is unreal.

What's the trick to making the bamboo look so old, Ben?

Maybe you should rethink that being a guest room and move in for yourself. That room is great. Ben is the man for sure.
Wes

I can honestly say that for the first time in my life I'd like to live in someone's bathroom.

Hell Yeah....thats beautiful. When is the Grand Opening??

Ben,
I'm not kissin your butt here; If there was one SOUL that could build a replica of the Mai Kai, you would be that Tiki soul. It's a pleasure to be your friend.

man, that is absolutely incredible!

"________________________________________"
that was just me being speechless ....

Honestly.. truly astounding work!

hi mrs. bamboo and jack and bean. can't get into my mail on hotel computer. miss you's and will see you's soon. the L & L tiki hideaway room is almost complete.

all my love,
B Boo ben.
xoxoxo.

p.s. hard to type with broken knuckle. blood, sweat and tears, once again. tiki tiki!!

p.s.s. crab cooker next weekend!!

Ask him HOW he broke it Peeps. I'm not spillin the beans here but it has to do with automated nail delivery. (mail delivery?) Don't ask to see pix either, I don't wanna see any. And he's still workin folks, like Nuttin ever happened.

p.s.s. crab cooker next weekend!!

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Crab Cooker!!!! I love that place!!!
Ben your hard work looks freakin great man!!!

EEEEeeeeeeAAAAaaaaaaOOOOooooooWWWWWwwwwWWWw

[ Edited by: The Sperm Whale 2005-10-16 10:36 ]

Sunday afternoon, and Ben's still at it. He's a man with a mission. That crazed look in his eyes is not the result of shooting a nail into his knuckle yesterday. it's pure unbridled tiki fever -- the fever I imagine he gets when he's nearing completion on one of his masterpieces.

We're down to the last few days here, and things look great. He's added a couple of cool tapa sconces, and we're getting ready to age the rattan-covered doors. The bathroom's nearing completion as well. All that's needed at this point is some final detail work, and then we get to start hanging the art. More later.

http://tiki.unkrich.com/tiki_hideaway/index.html

On 2005-10-16 13:09, Tiki Lee wrote:

... da crreeep...

On 2005-09-29 09:35, Swanky wrote:
Even better, I bet Ben did it all himself. No helper. Way to go!

Cheers!

Actually, Tiki Lee will be doing some of the final finishing touches on the room in the next few weeks. He mastered some faux tricks while I was still there and will do them when time permits.

Making a dresser for the closet in the next few weeks also.

The funny thing about that TV hut-ch is that I used mother of pearl for the inlays that I bought at a shell shop a few weeks ago. After I finished up the Tiki Hideaway last week I drove further north to help my mom move down here and I acquired 2, 5-gallon buckets of abalone pieces that Eli used to use for inlays in his tikis and furniture and my Aunt Flo Ann used in her shell and rock art that many of you collect now days.

Basement Kahuna might be doing a piece for the room so I'll send him some for his inlays. Got to keep the tiki karma flowing.....

p.s. C'Al is starting the tiki today ( at my shop of course :). I'll keep an eye on him (slacker!) ( lol) (Arrrr!!)and post some progress pics too.

Cheers!

separated at birth?

arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

beautiful work, to all involved in this great project. this is what keeps me coming back to TC. this, and the cheese color discussions.

Phase 2.

The Art.

The beginning of the "Tiki Lee Family Tiki Tree."

By Crazy Al Evans. (aka C'Al)

More to come..........

This thread just keeps getting better and better . Ben is that yours or Al's black lowered crewcab in the background?

Tiki Lee wrote:
After years of longing for a tiki room
I could call my own, ... I called in
the big gun: Bamboo Ben....

I hope that my "beginning to be planned
in my head" tiki room is HALF as cool!
Congratulations on your project! And
congrats to Bamboo Ben on the execution
of your dream (and, no, I DON'T mean
that he killed it; I've seen how some
of the denizens here handle a straight
line like THAT).

I can see the clowning arounf=d starting already. Post pix of those logs after you mess'em up OK C'AL.

On 2005-10-25 21:50, rodeotiki wrote:
This thread just keeps getting better and better . Ben is that yours or Al's black lowered crewcab in the background?

Rodeo,

That's Crazy Al's lowered crewcab in the background. The Tiki Sled!

I own the rust bucket just behind.

Benz, whadda mean "Clowning Around" ??

This is a serious "Confunktion Junction!!!"

Arrrrrrrrrrrr!!! :)

Thats the best tiki sled there is.

[ Edited by: rodeotiki 2005-11-14 19:06 ]

Sorry I haven't been posting any new pictures! I've been swamped. There is progress, though. The painters painted the trim on all the doors, and then I need to apply the top secret tiki sauce recipe Ben taught me to make the finish look old and weathered. I'd teach it to you all, but before he left, Ben implanted a little probe in my cranium, and whenever I talk about anything secret he taught me, I get a zap. Then I can't blink my eyes in unison for the next three hours, and I drool uncontrollably.

I have minor trim work to do here and there, and then I need to get the carpet cleaned. After that, I can finally move the furniture in and start putting the room to good use.

Oh, and Ben's building one last piece for me: a chest of drawers to go in the closet. It'll sit right under the nifty Gilligan's Island clothes hanging bars.

Photos this weekend. Promise.

Okay, so I'm a week late, but I finally have some new photos of the room. The room's pretty cleaned up, and is just awaiting carpet cleaning before I move all the furniture in. I started hanging a little art, though there's a long way to go on that front. The devil's in the details. Ben will be coming by this week with a bamboo dresser to put in the closet, and in a couple of weeks he'll finish a small storage closet when you first enter the room.

Ben's TV cabinet will look great in there, as will a bench he built to go under the windows. I'm a little worried that our old bed and nightstands will no longer work, given how amazing a job Ben did. It's a 50's Heywood Wakefield bed. I guess we'll move it in and see how it works. If worse comes to worse, we'll replace it with a more rustic bamboo bed.

After I get all the furniture back in there, I'll post a few QuickTime movies so you can see how cool the flicker lighting circuit looks.

Finally, I added a few "before" pictures so you could see how lame and half-assed the room was before we started. And yet people would come in and say "wow... exotic..."

You have no idea, I'd think to myself.

http://tiki.unkrich.com/tiki_hideaway/index.html

Man those new photos are sweet! It just keeps getting better and better! Them peoples who thought it was exotic before are gonna flip their lids!

On 2005-11-06 20:46, Tiki Lee wrote:
And yet people would come in and say "wow... exotic..."

You have no idea, I'd think to myself.

http://tiki.unkrich.com/tiki_hideaway/index.html

I tried to keep this a secret but I'm horrible at secrets.

Here is the top of the dresser. The abalone shells came from the "last stash" that I recently found of my Grandfather Eli Hedley (the Original Beachcomber).

I wanted to do something special for Tiki Lee's room. Kind of a signature piece with a little "tiki karma" from the past(like 55 year old abalone shells).

Here is the front of the dresser.

The tiki even has eyes of "Eli Abalone."

This last picture is tripping me out. It's got that "ghostly white stuff" floating in it. Could this be a sign from Eli?? Kind of a pat on the back?? I got chills when I saw it!!!

I'm stealing Crazy Al for a couple of weeks to be my "right hand man" for the Kona Club install up in Oakland starting Tuesday 11/8. So, no progress pics on the Tiki he is doing for the room for a lil' bit. But it has been coming along rather nice. I have a funny feeling that this C'Al Tiki is going to be the top of his game!!!

Man that draw is sweet! Love the abalone shell top - very cool Ben. Its so cool its got tiki karma smokin from its drawers! A good sign indeed

Holey moley... now we're going to have to change the name of the room to "Lee & Laura's Haunted Tiki Hideaway".

On 2005-11-07 06:25, RevBambooBen wrote:
... my "right hand man"...

... uhhh, hhuuhh, uuhh, you're gonna score...

Your work is amazing Ben!!! I just went through all the photo's again and its beautiful.

YEah, I had to go through them all again too.. Awesome. Love the Draw! Love the Mug shelves. Love it all. And what you can't see or feel is the Smell. Fresh grass and bamboo and then the ghosts leaving signs everywhere. BBen, Just plain Fantastic. You have outdone yourself this time, however, I believe Eli has been helping you all along with this job. Well done to you both and Tiki Lee, what a lucky guy!

Arrrrr..... :)

Damn that's a gorgeous room! Nice work Ben!. By the way, if it's not an ancient family secret, I'd love to know more about your "nicotine in a can". I'm doing some work up here in The Alibi, and there is, as you can imagine, a 50-year buildup of nicotine that we'll have to match with any new construction. I was planning on using Bullseye Amber Shellac, with a buildup until I got what I needed. Maybe a few drops of colorant if the buildup takes too long. Do you have a better suggestion?

Thanks in advance for the advice, and thank you for being such an inspiration. I can only hope that my work looks half as good as yours!

Nice work, VERY NICE work.......We want to see the finished product!!!!!

Great job Ben, and congrats to the owners. You should be proud:)

[ Edited by: Tiki G. 2006-02-22 04:52 ]

WOW!!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!

The room's almost done, other than the years ahead of finding great pieces to populate the walls. We moved the bed and nightstands back in there this past weekend. It's looking awesome. I'll take some photos this week, especially some at night. The room really hums when you see it lit up at night.

Ben delivered the cool dresser, which is now in place. In a couple weeks he'll be back to put the finishing touches on a small adjoining closet.

Finally, I'll take a couple of movies so you can see the effect of the flicker lights; they're very convincing.

WooHoo!!!! Another "tiki"riffic creation by Bamboo Ben!!!! SoccerTiki is inspired by your work!!!! (He wants you to check out his SoccerTiki Grotto creation!)

Ben & T-Lee,
Nice high-quality job. I really like the mix of materials; especially the carved wood. The room really looks magnificant. Keep the pictures coming!
KG

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff 2005-12-05 16:35 ]

Wow, what an amazing place. Excellent work!
How about those movies and photos with the furniture back in?

On 2005-11-14 16:16, Tiki Lee wrote:
The room's almost done, other than the years ahead of finding great pieces to populate the walls. We moved the bed and nightstands back in there this past weekend. It's looking awesome. I'll take some photos this week, especially some at night. The room really hums when you see it lit up at night.

Ben delivered the cool dresser, which is now in place. In a couple weeks he'll be back to put the finishing touches on a small adjoining closet.

Finally, I'll take a couple of movies so you can see the effect of the flicker lights; they're very convincing.

Very nice job! Ben is one of the best!

Matty

Awesome work ben cant wait to see more

Those rooms look good with nothing in them. Its the first tikified room with nothing on the walls that I absolutely love .

Cheese and Crackers!!
I keep hearing Danny Devido singing "Tonight is your night, bro"... (from Twins, when he's getting ready for his date and knows he's gettin some...The Mr sings it when I don a certain costume...)

Aloha Tiki Freaks!

While up in the Bay Area the last 2 weeks for the FI build out, I slipped out for a day to go to Tiki Lee's and "kill the last of the white walls" in a closet. The "Hideaway" is arrrrr-some! Tiki Lee has added more art and a few more vintage Trader Vics goodies. Oh, and a tiki carved by some Crazy Guy. I'm sure there will be photos up here and there in the future of the completed room, etc.

It's been a pleasure being able to create this room for such a creative client ( and friend now). I feel truly blessed by the tiki gods.

Stoked!!!

Arrrrr!!!

[ Edited by: revbambooben 2006-03-22 20:39 ]

Its nice be recognized for good work.

Congrats.

Good golly man....you are a creative mother!
Beautiful work.

"How do I know which wallet is yours?"

"Its the one that says Creative Mother F----r"

Sorry I've gone so long without updated photos! I was waiting for some final things to click into place. One of things has finally clicked into place -- all seven feet of him -- but I promised Crazy Al I wouldn't put up any photos until the Grand Unveiling...

Suffice to say, the room is awesome. We've already had a few guests stay in the room, and they love it. It's also proven to be quite a litmus test as to whether or not we want to be friends with new people. Most of our family, friends, and other people who see it love it. But occasionally we get someone like my next door neighbor, who looked around the room with his hands on his hips and finally muttered, "huh." Some people have a way with Tiki, others not have way.

I've also been waiting for a chair and ottoman that I ordered from Kelly's Place in Long Beach... unfortunately, she's been really flaking out on me. I've paid her $900 and she's been promising the thing for months now. Not quite sure what to do. I may have to take it up with my credit card company. Anyone have any experience with her?

http://www.kellysvintagestore.com/archive/kvs/kvs/inc/sdetail/255.html

Tiki Lee

[ Edited by: Tiki Lee 2006-03-22 20:26 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki Lee 2006-03-22 20:36 ]