Designing the balcony

Hubby and I have discussed at great length what to do with the balcony above the sanctuary. I want to use it as an office and craft room, but it also needs to double as a spare bedroom in case of guests. There is one lone electrical outlet, so if I'm trying to power a laptop and space heater and light and sewing machine...well, we may need to run another line. Not sure how to do that, really.

The floor is currently linoleum. I think I'll want to carpet it, as I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor. I am admittedly terrified of the low railing looking over the sanctuary, so we're going to put bookshelves along the base of it and probably glass in the opening above it, with a sliding section. That way I can close it off like a fish bowl to heat it in winter (with said space heater), but I can still open it to let heat rise from the sanctuary and escape out my window in summer.

Other than the bookshelves, there will be a double bed with storage under it for yarn and fabric, a desk and chair for writing, and likely some sort of counter and cupboards at one end to hold stained glass tools, paint supplies, etc. I am torn as to what to do with my table loom. It's too big to store anywhere neatly, and I don't use it often. I've already gotten rid of my big floor loom and the 7-foot tapestry loom, and I hesitate to get rid of this one. I can at least do dish towels on it.

My husband has tried to explain to me that I need to set up the room as a retreat and work space for myself, and that my belongings will need to be trimmed to fit. My approach until now has been to try to design the room to hold all my belongings. But I think he's right---I need space and air and light, more than I need stuff.

Down in the sanctuary, enjoying the sunshine:

Looking down from the balcony into the sanctuary. It's so bright you can't really see the stained glass. You can see the window on the left where we've removed the glass and inserted pink insulation while we work on the window. Beside it are stairs going down toward the washroom, and the box next to that is actually the headspace for the lower stairs that turn and go down to the rec room. There's a patch of linoleum where the altar and dias used to be. The door on the right leads into the vestry.

The corner of the balcony where a double bed will stand. The bookshelves will run the length of the wood railing/half-wall. Table loom currently on the floor, awaiting a home. The horse collar was my Grandpa's and will have a place of pride. The space above the half wall will be glassed in. Grandchildren will not be allowed up here until it's in place, unless they wear safety harnesses tied to the stair bannister. Hubby jokes that it would be cheaper to just chain my ankle to the wall than to install the glass. I think he's joking...

A view of the stairs down, and the round window I call the Eye of Horus.

Another view over the rail to the floor FAR below. I do not like heights. But I like the balcony.

One of the decorative wood pieces holding the suspension bar/cable thingies on the sanctuary roof. I really should learn the proper names of these things.

The first of three short flights of stairs going up to the balcony from the vestibule.

When I told my husband that I could keep the loom in the rec room, he said no, all my stuff is to go up to the balcony. I pointed out that sometimes I'll want to come down to do crafts in the kitchen, etc. After all, I won't be up in the balcony ALL the time. To which he replied, "That depends on what kind of lock I put on it."