December 22, 2012

 

Every week, I receive emails asking about the bathroom situation for unconventional living spaces. Since there is an overwhelming amount of information online regarding bathroom builds, I’ve scoured the top few layers of the web for tips and links that will help you to build your own bathroom. Many unconventional spaces won’t have a shower or bathroom already set up, but it is surprisingly easy to overcome this daunting obstacle. I’m not a professional builder by any means, but I’ve managed my fair share of warehouse building and projects. This post will at least give you an idea of what you’re in for.

 

Sure, you can skip having a bathroom altogether, but it may be worth your time to build one. And since anyone can do it, it’s worth at least considering your options.

 

Now, you can save up some money, steal a bit of cash, or take out a loan to help with expenses. But you’ll want to have a small bit of money to play with here. Nothing extravagant is necessary, but if you’re doing it the ‘by-the-book’ route of permits and contractors, then you’ll want a bit more set aside. Again, this is certainly a project that can be done on your own, or with very little assistance. But any job worth doing once is worth doing right the first time. So don’t get cheap and cut corners. And even if you have little to no experience with plumbing and electrical, well then follow the links and get to learning!

 

A bathroom can be broken up into three major projects: sink/ shower, toilet, and electrical

 

Sink/ Shower

Hopefully you have water lines already running into your place. Assuming this, you have a few options for water heaters. You can go fancy and try solar heating, but the most common setups are the large water heater tanks that you find in most homes. These tanks can often be scooped up at salvage yards for cheap. Throughout Europe and Asia, in-line water heaters are quite popular. These are either electrical or gas powered, and both have their benefits. I’d recommend using an in-line (tankless) heater as it takes up less space, are easy to install, and can be more efficient. They are not recommended for family size use, but I’ve found great success with them. Either way, they are easy to install and worthwhile to have. The sink and shower pan are relatively easy to install as well.

Follow these links for more on sinks, showers, and tubs:

Shower pan

Sink

Island Sink

whirlpool tub

Pedestal Sink

Wall Sink

The water will drain into the floor drain. It is recommended to build your shower on top of a platform so the water takes longer to enter the main drain.

 

 

Toilet

For the toilet, you’ll need to have a main floor drain accessible. If you don’t want to build right on top of the drain, then you’ll have some additional headaches to deal with. I had some friends go the route of tapping into an outside sewage line and it ended up being a lot of work. If you have a main drain, use it. If you don’t, you may want to go back to using the neighbors toilet every time nature calls.

 

Electrical:

Everything about building a bathroom is important, but the electrical components are the most critical. Electricity and water are two things to be safe about, so if you are tempted to hire a professional anywhere, this is a good spot to do so. It is possible to learn how to do it on your own though. Just be sure to have everything GFCI. Electrical is one thing I always ask a friend with experience to help me with, since screwing it up can be the death of me. Fortunately, if you’re going for an unconventional space, you don’t necessarily need a lot of electricity in your bathroom. In my old warehouse, I cut a porthole window into the wall for ventilation. Worked perfectly and looked good too!

 

Additional tips:

One of the best posts I’ve found on plumbing a bathroom can be found here.

Use drywall (sheetrock) specifically for a bathroom. There’s a lot of moisture and that means mold.

Also, be sure to include exhaust fans and vents.

 

I consider this post a work in progress. If you have any additional helpful links, suggestions, or tips, please leave a comment below and I’ll happily make additions to this post.

November 28th, 2012

 

This is not a review and I am not a critic. I also don’t use this blog to sell anything and I’m not interested in making money here. But I support the mission of AJ Leon and his crew of Misfits. They have recently released their first Misfit Quarterly, a free art magazine/ journal which far exceeded my expectations. I’ve never made a ‘zine, or art journal or anything of the sort, so I can’t begin to imagine the small details that become persistent headaches with a project like this. But if you are an artist, or you enjoy art, or maybe you just need an intro to the world of creation- check out Misfits, Inc.

 

I won’t get long winded on this, but there is a lot of crap art out there. But more importantly, there is a lot of potential art that doesn’t have the chance to be incredible or crap. Because it’s not being made. I don’t doubt that you have some ideas that aren’t being created due to clever excuses.

 

Check out the quarterly and more importantly, go make something too.

 

 

 

*We have been working our way east, ever so slowly. Currently in Thailand, heading into the northern jungle and eventually over into Laos for the next few weeks. My apologies for the slow posting and overall web absence, but this selfish chapter is a good one for me.

 

 

October 31, 2012

 

You may recognize the cookies in the above photo, but probably not. If you’ve guessed Oreos, then I’m pleased to announce that you are wrong. The cookies are called Hydrox, created in 1908, predating the Oreo by four years.

 

Stealing and thievery have bad reputations. But sometimes, it’s okay to be a rip-off. Case in point: Oreos. Inspired by the Hydrox cookies, Oreos were created with a slightly different flavor, and within a few years they held the popular public image of being the original cookie, giving Hydrox the unfortunate label of an imitator. If you’re curious how they taste, you may be out of luck. Oreo was so successful it is rip-off that it caused the demise of Hydrox. And so Hydrox has been on the chopping block, and apparently is only offered in some cookies and crime ice creams. (You can however enjoy this well-developed blog post comparing the cookies.)

 

Oreos weren’t an original idea, but it was distinct development on something that already existed. And considering that it has been the best selling cookie in the US for the past 100 years, it seems a fitting example of when it’s okay to be a rip-off.

 

“its not where you take things from, its where you take them to” — Jean-Luc Godard 

 

 

For more on this theme, check out the works of Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist.

I’ve been in touch with Matt for a while now, so when I came up with the idea for this series, he was one of the first I wanted to include. The point of this series is to showcase the different bohemian living and work spaces people have found, built, and created. So if you’re in need of inspiration for your own living situation, or you just want to know more about what is out there, read on.

The Industrial Cottage
approx. size: 900 sq ft
12′ ceiling height
7 large, east facing windows
Gorgeous views of the Grand River
Purpose: recording studio and living space

 

Matt was inspired by a friend who had found the building and rented a spot there. Matt originally rented an office suite on the other side of the building, but quickly jumped to his current space when it was made available. It was formerly used for tanning hides.

“I sometimes call this my ‘industrial cottage’, because it is in an older industrial/ warehouse building, yet I have a 2nd story, several-window view of the Grand River, which flows about 20 feet from the building and although known as a fairly dirty river, is guest to many boaters and fishermen, and gives me some peace-of-mind that only a flowing body of water can give you.”

Of course, living in a warehouse loft like this isn’t always so simple. Often these unconventional spaces weren’t originally designed for full time living.

“I wish I had worked on insulating the space more extensively prior to moving everything in. It’s an older building, and there are a ton of old windows in here, so the summers make it like a greenhouse, and the winters are fairly drafty in the space.”

Matt’s industrial cottage also has no shower. And while there are several workaround ways to have a shower (especially if you already have plumbing), Matt has a clever fix that works well for him.

 

“I’ve got running water via utility sink, but no shower. Fortunately, my part-time job has a wellness center with private showers, and I also have a YMCA membership, which is about a 10 minute walk from here.”

On the bright side, the space has a fully functional kitchenette- a sink, hot plate, small refrigerator, some shelving, and a few desk-like surfaces to utilize.

One of the most common email questions I get is how to handle landlords. Matt’s approach is a bit more honest than how I tend to do things, but it demonstrates the simplicity and benefits of truth.

“There is some debate on how to handle the landlord situation. For me I had to have his ‘ok’ on things, mostly because I also run my recording studio/business out of here. If I were trying to do everything behind his back, my stress level would be through the roof…

Sometimes I feel awkward living here- it’s a warehouse, and I am one person living here among many small business existing in here. Taking in groceries or having a drink with friends is both exhilarating and sometimes awkward. Also, not being in a residential zone, I forfeit my voting privileges, which is quite a downer.”

 

So why create a space like this?

“The view, the quiet, the price.”

 

And just as an aside, Matt told me the cost of his rent and utilities, and it’s absolutely affordable. I assure you, if you’re renting today, you can afford to do this. It may take a bit of creativity and searching, but if you want an unconventional living space, they are out there waiting for you.

 

If you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a unique place to record your album, Matt’s industrial cottage is just the spot. Matt’s website is www.amberlitaudio.com and you can find him on facebook at Amber Lit Audio.

 

If you or anyone you know has an unconventional living space and would like to be featured here, please get in touch!

October 2nd, 2012

Over a year has passed since I left my job in the cubicle farms of academia. This blog was started as a way to keep myself inspired as I formulated plans to save diligently, live frugally, to live a life of purpose and the pursuit of passion. It seems most self-publishing on the web is initiated in this spirit.

We have been traveling full time for nine months now (six of those internationally), without jobs, alarm clocks, bills, and commitments. It is certainly a life of privilege and fortune. I certainly don’t take that for granted.

I also don’t take myself too seriously.

There is an impending pressure to pursue your passions, develop your talents, and do what you love. But if you don’t know what your talents are, or what you are passionate about, then where does that leave you?

Well, I don’t have that answer. But at least you aren’t Joseph Pujol.

Better known as Le Pétomane, this guy is someone who actually discovered his talents. And unfortunately for him, his skill set became defined as the ability to “inhale or move air into his rectum and then control the release of that air with his anal sphincter muscles”. He could also do the same with water.

Fortunately for Joseph, there was a popular demand for his art and he was able to forge out quite a living for himself. Like any good artist, he further developed and honed his craft, eventually learning how to reproduce animal sounds, thunderstorms, cannon fire, and musical instruments. He could play songs and even blow out a candle from several feet away. His performances were so popular that he often made 20,000 francs a show (roughly $4000 today if I did my math correctly). Yes, he even performed regularly at the Moulin Rouge.

So perhaps your talents are simply waiting to be discovered. Or maybe you should be thankful you haven’t figured it all out yet.