Progress report: The Spectacular East Indies Room!

Well, I've broken ground on starting The Spectacular East Indies Room! I thought I'd document my work here until the official opening on August 23rd. The space I'm working with is half of a detached 2 car garage. Great place for the bar, as the side door faces out to the pool.

Here's an artist rendering of my goals (thanks to my nephew for the artwork):

Here is what I'm starting with:

So far I've got the wiring roughed in and the elevated subfloor installed. Next comes framing for the new walls & ceiling, and more wiring! Dang, I wish I just had an empty room in the house to convert!

Next progress photos in 1 week!

:tiki:

That drawing is so cute, please frame it and hang it in your completed room. You sound like quite the handy man, good work and good luck with the rest!

I just wish I had a basement to remodel.

Best of luck, Traderpup. Can't wait for the updates.

-JTD
(in the land of the slab)

If it ends up looking anything like Tyler's concept sketch, it'll be beeeyuuuutiful. I can't wait to see it!

I just wish I had a home...

Spike,

You can live in my Tiki Bar/Band Practice area!

take your time and enjoy. It's gon be lotsa fun once da bamboo starts goin up.

aloha

Hey, Pup, that's the best pre-viz drawing ever! I'm looking forward to your updates. As soon as I get some time off, we're tiki-fying our small front yard. I can't wait.

I can already see it Puppy! Let me know if y'all need an extra hand.

Good mana on that....It'll be a very enjoyable thing to have around. You have OA very close, too, and that makes materials a heck of a lot easier.

Ooooooh! I look forward to seeing the progress. I love changing and creating new things too...you DO sound like quite the handyman.

I'm working on creating a tiki bar in the basement and continue the drudgery of dealing with clutter. (insert big :::: sigh ::::: here). My must-have-it-done date is August 9th. I want to get to the fun part...the creating!

Loved your nephew's drawing...hope to see more pics!

Progress report, week 2:

I've adopted an acronym identity for the construction process: The SEIR Project - The future of backyard Polynesia.

The pool filter system is located in the garage. I've built a utility room for it, with sound reduction insulation. Huge noise difference! The sagging rafters were leveled and supports installed.

Work will now start on the false bamboo beam roof, a big challenge trying to work in the existing rafters into the design. I'm also starting the rails around the lounge, a combination of redwood and bamboo. I have lots of vintage tapa cloth on its way for the walls, and soon Oceanic Arts will be a frequent stop for me!

Progress is going much faster than I expected, I'll be able to spend more time on decor, as long as budget doesn't run out....

Progress Report, week 3:

Wiring, done! roof framing, done! Started hanging drywall, decided to wait on building the rails for a week or so, so I have some more room to work. It is actually starting to look like something other than just a space in the garage, though not yet Tikified...

TraderDawg,

I dig how you did the ends of the rafters over the bar area!

You're raising garage tiki bars to a whole new level (damn you!).

I wish I had metal and woodshop in High School, but nooooooooooo, I had to go to a Catholic school that had religion classes instead of shop classes. UUUUGGGGH!

Trader,
Nice to see the room is coming together! I like the A-frame and rafters you incorporated - that should look top notch when its complete. BTW - Thanks for posting progress photos!

Here's the progress at week 4...

Things don't look too different from last week, 'cept the addition of the railing. I've spent most of the time re-wiring my lamps, looking for flooring, and hanging out at Oceanic Arts! Ever since that HGTV special, they've been overrun with customers, and are pretty much picked clean for now!

Other things you can't see in the photo include adding false rafter ends and additional wiring for hanging lamps.

Where does that killer New Guinea house finial fit in? :)

Hmmm.... someone has been tracking my auctions!

New Guinea House Post

I've been tracking down some East Indies artifacts to make the room a little more authentic in name. That post is a real bargain, whether carved recently or 40+ years ago. Not quite sure how to display it yet. I've also got items from Borneo & Bali. The room will be a blend of artifacts and Polynesian Pop kitsch!

No, I'm not 'spyin on you.. I just watch his auctions. I have bought from him in the past (bought a tremendous Gope board). That is a very unusual piece...the most stylized figures I have seen. Maybe a Haus Tambarin finial?

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-08-01 08:35 ]

TP- That purple giant glass float you were describing would look sweet hanging from the center of your soon to be finished ceiling (with all your other stuff to hide it). Maybe you can figure out a way to get into your nieghbors Ham frequency with some subliminal hi pitched feed back and drive him away. Or, hire Gorilla X to climb his antena(sp?) and freak him out of his house long enough to snatch it up! I've been thinking of ways to rid him ever since Bongs garage! Very cool room!

Looking good, TraderPup!

Can't wait to see it in August!

Pup, your room is going to kick some serious okole. I can really see it coming together in that latest pic. I can't wait to see it!

Time for another progress report! Hukilau 2003 slowed me down a bit, but it was worth it! The Mai Kai was nothing short of inspiring!

But.... back to my home project... I've got the walls prepped and primed with tinted primer, saves me from painting, since I'll only be "wallpapering" & hanging thatch over it all. All the exposed pine has been stained to match the aged wood in the rest of the garage. I have two huge vintage glass floats on their way from Florida, part of my mad shopping spree over Hukilau weekend. I'll share more on those as soon as they arrive. It is so great to have the major construction out of the way, everything else is all dressing, the fun stuff!

Progress report: I've actually started to add decorative elements! I've put up natural fiber matting on the ceiling (its called bac bac with sennit, from OA, in case you were wondering!). Patog went up on the lower part of the walls. Patog looks similar to the reed fencing you can get at most home centers, but it has a more clean look and tighter weave.

Oceanic Arts has gotten a shipment from Asia, so they are well-stocked with bamboo right now. I've placed my order for over 700 feet of it, and will probably be back for more! You never realize how much bamboo you need 'til you start decorating with it!

I've got more tapa cloth on its way here too. I think I'm starting to overstock on the stuff, some of you may get birthday gifts wrapped in it....

I'm still trying to come up with wall sconce designs, each will have 2 separately controlled lights in them, for better ambiance control.

Enough babble for now, here's the current photo:

No way. That drawing looks exactly like my Tiki Bar.

Trader,

I know that a truly creative and motivated person never asks for help with their projects but if there is any weekend that you think I could be of assistance I would consider it an honor to help you out.

Email me if you can pick a weekend where you would like some company. I have a plethora of tools at my disposal and I could transport my big tablesaw to your location for the weekend. It is great for making REALLY accurate cuts.

Let me know.

Monkeyman

Hey MonkeyMan, I've heard good things about your tiki retreat!

Pup, I know your work and have seen your tremendous creativity. I anticipate your party to be a highlight of the summer. :)

[ Edited by: floratina on 2003-07-13 20:42 ]

What a cool pad. You are a true artist...
See you on the "junkin" circuit.

junkin: swapmeet,yard sale, thrift store, & antique mall runs

Buy, Sell, & Trade it...

[ Edited by: mtkahuna on 2003-07-14 23:52 ]

DAMMMMMMM! you go boy! I'm keepin an eye on this! hows da tattoo you rebel!

Update: Tapa is up on the walls, and I've started on the bamboo trim for the ceiling. I haven't had a whole lot of time this past week to work on it, but I'm still moving along at a good pace...

OOOOOOOOOOH, byootiful!!!!

Wow, Traderpup -- this is starting to look really swank! I can't wait to see it when it's done. You are going to have one mighty fine room.

I'm late for my regular update... had home projects, work, and entertain Miss Formikahini while she was in town.... but here's the latest:

The bamboo for the ceiling is finished! The flooring is down! There's still some bamboo work to install, lighting, sound system, and the rest is all the flotsam and jetsam to hang & display! I can see the party going on already!! The photo is from the opposite side of the room this time.

Oh, any suggestions on trimming out that white door?

Have BK carve some interlocking panels to affix to the door to make it look like one huge carved door from the room side. Might be cost prohibitive.......or you can always faux finish it.

To trim out the door I would recommend attaching a single sheet of 1/8" or 1/4" masonite over the inside of the door (to make it a single smooth surface. Then you can apply any treatment that you wish. You could continue with the Tapa idea or mix it up. I was thinking that it might be cool to primer the door grey and then buy 2-3 cans of the faux granite spray to put over it. The door would end up somewhat of a rock texture. Then you could layer the rock with some tiki decor.

Just an idea, I have used that granite spraypaint for years with good results. It really can get fancy if you lay a texture plaster layer beforehand to really get that rocky look.

Monkeyman

T.P., you can skin it with 1/8" luan door skin and then draw out a large tiki form on some masonite or ply and jig saw it out and then attach the pieces to the door and then do a fauxpaint or granite and or ? finish on the entire door. Get rid of the casing trim and trim with 2" split Boo. Or, dutch door it (if you have little kids or pets you don't want in but still want the air) and trim it out with matting and or? But if you do the latter, then you will have to continue with the rest of the house cause the white inside will show when it is 1/2 open. I'm sure you have something allready in mind and you are just messin with us! You probably got some hand carved tiki door from some famous place!!

TP, is your website down? I can't see the pics.

That looks beautiful, pup. Totally done right! Your bamboo work on that ceiling is dynamite. You could also cover the door with a lauhala panel. Pre-cut it to the dimensions of the door, taping the back of the edges with cloth tape or duct tape so it won't unravel. Then attach a couple of nice weapons or a mask arranged as you like to the front of your matting with thin wire, then hang the lauhala by stapling (this assumes you have a wooden door). You can fill the staple holes with white stick wax if you ever leave and they'll hardly be noticeable..

T-Pup, that room is mind blowing. You have done and excellent job with it. I wish I could make it down for you first Luau, so I can bask in all the glory that is the East Indies Room. Once again outstanding job.
Chongolio

Hey Pup, looks very old-school cool. Maybe a velvet painting or two with bamboo frames that take up all of the door. Or a Tiki hall of fame door for visitor's autographs. Lastly you could put a history of tiki or polynesian pop culture.

Terry,
That room is just beautiful. You really put the Oi! in Hoity-Toity.

-JTD

Update time! ALL construction is done, I can put away the power tools! ('cept notice the still very white door!) I've got all the lighting installed, and I started moving in.... I think I'll make the party deadline...! Now I have to clean up the rest of the garage....

Don't forget: The premiere of The Spectacular East Indies Room is on Saturday, August 23rd, all are invited!

Pup,

It looks real real nice. I hope to be there in person to admire your skills.

Anything that we can bring to the partay?

Wow! Looks great Pup! Although, sitting on those bar stools may be quite a challenge!
:lol:

That's for a big crowd, SCD. That way they seat four.

(Insert disgusted groan here)

Okay, I have a week left to finish the details.... notice something is finally happening to the white door! This will be the last pic before the premier party! I'll post some more detailed pics after then!

:tiki: