Kory's Korner
From Fireplace To Built-In Entertainment Center
(This is the saga of removing a fireplace and building an entertainment center in its stead. Posted a link to this on Cat Bible Heresy April 2024)
Conquering The Leviathan
Endurance of the ostentatious quickly fades after its zenith, the aspect that made it once treasured, over time, soon becomes its most cursed and feckless burden. And if misfortune is virtue’s opportunity, so then is the fall of the mighty, because within the wake of its retreat, opportunity for a new and majestic creation can rise from the ruins. As witness to the veracity of my words, I give you: Kory’s Korner.
[Cue the dramatic music here]
On those dark and tempest tossed nights, when heavy rains did fall, the chimney, despite its grandeur, dripped profusely. Its bawdy façade belied its pedantic function, its mere presence became like a plank in the eye. Verily, it was ugly. Whereupon when that fateful day arrived, the voice from Kory on high boomed: “That thing has to go!”, and there was much rejoicing.
And so it came to pass, that during those heady days of unbridled optimism, that this once faithful and stoic pyroclastic chamber was to exist no more. Whilst in the house upon the hill, again the voice spake; “Tis that not a stubborn hulk? I shall summon for a man who must be noble and strong.” The people cheered approvingly and a plan was made to smote the albatross as it was an abomination in the Heavenly chamber. And so it was decreed, with a bracing and youthful spirit, that the hearth should be torn asunder.
Thusly, for a handful of coin, a strapping young man who was of good standing would do the deed, the act, the colossal undertaking to dislodge the monstrosity lurking in the living room, hence a brave and Herculean effort was unleashed upon the obscene protrusion.
Alas, as the brick and mortar began to succumb to the forces of good, admonitions from the observers howled; “Purge thine eyes of the evil wretchedness! Revive our aesthetic tranquility.”. Forthwith, little by little and brick by brick did the stubborn and ossified edifice give way to mans will, and yielded the old fireplace did. “Behold!”, the voice jubilantly cried out! “You shall be discommoded nevermore!” And in all the land, peace and tranquility returned.
Yet, a capacious, ghastly, yawning hole-in-the-wall was born. Kory gazed upon the carnage and said that although its visage menaces thine eyes, it is good.
Rebuilding From The Ashes
And now we return you to the 21st century as The Saga continues!
Kory, I am pleased to say, is my dear friend, but more than that, she is a traveling artist, has an internationally known business and the only iconoclast I know. She is a mother of two boys with Mark Hanks, mechanic and hotrod enthusiast.
When I got a look at the ‘progress’ that had been made by the ambitious young man, the first thing I said was; “That poor bastard worked his arse off!”
Indeed he did!
That nice big hole in the wall, kinda needed, you know… something. So, I had the opportunity to turn that hole, or “bug”, into a “feature” by building a shelving unit inside to house the electronics. After much head scratching, concept sketches and babble, the best way to utilize the space came about. She wanted an entertainment center with the electronic components hidden in the old firebox. The cool part was she gave me ‘artistic license’ to create what *I* thought would be the best design. Below is what came from my stream of consciousness.
Made from T&G blue ‘salvage pine’ and slabs made from laminated 1.5” X 2” strips of white pine we purchased from some guy the year before, I got to go wild and build doors using stained glass and hand-made the grids, complete with floating shelves, pillars and recessed lighting!
All the boxes, cables and electronica are nicely stowed away in the old firebox.
I was pleased with the 10° theme throughout the house. After this was complete, I did countertops, shelves and wainscot.
Each piece was hand-cut T&G with grids fitted to each piece of glass. A very time consuming task, but the results!!!
The fun part was that this firebox was NOT symmetrical and each piece had to be hand scribed and fit. Took me forever!
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