More finishes are showing...

...bringing us ever closer to being finished.

First the control rooms.

Diffusers have been installed in the rear wall of all three rooms. Here are a few different angles.




Fabric will cover the remainder of the rear walls using the Novawall system.

Studio designer David Rochester and his crew (props to Matt and Zac) continue to impress with their attention to detail. For example, although the metal conduit in the front wall is strapped to the wooden surface beneath, all pipes were caulked to make sure they don't ring or rattle. Only then is the wall stuffed with unfaced R-30 insulation.



Although most of the wall surface in the control rooms will be fabric, there are wooden accents like kickplates and vertical chases. David decided that instead of trying to match the floor finish, why not just use the same material we're using on the floors? It's a pre-finished natural wood product, and I think it looks terrific. Here are a couple of pics of kick panels at the front and rear walls to show the effect.



Creates a nice seamless effect, doesn't it? It also works on the vertical chases shown in this shot.


The chases are not only a handsome aesthetic choice. They provide a hard surface for mounting dimmers, outlets, and pre-wired connections for surround speakers. They'll be edged in oak trim with a chamfered edge. The remaining exposed walls will be lined with Owens-Corning 705 compressed fiberglass then covered with fabric, which will meet the oak trim. I think it's going to be beautiful.

Each guy got to have input on the fabric choices for his room, in consultation with our interior designer Bobbie Phillips of Custom Dragonfly Design. The nice thing about using the Novawall system is that fabric choices can easily be changed later - or repaired if damaged.

And speaking of Bobbie, this week the flooring crew installed what I think is one of her cooler ideas. Our budget wasn't unlimited and sheet linoleum was a cost-effective and durable choice for the breakroom and restrooms. But it can look so, well - ordinary. So Bobbie came up with this idea to spice up the space a little.





If you look at the space to right in the photo just above, that's where we'll be adding two old-fashioned, four-person lunch booths. Bobbie was able to acquire the real thing from the Mantis Restaurant, a landmark Charlotte eating establishment that unfortunately closed not long ago. We're going to clean them up and install them just like they were left, providing a comfortable place for up to eight people to dine - as well as preserving a small piece of Charlotte history.

Now that's my kind of design choice.

Until next time...