I Built a $15,000 Luxury Media Console in a 47-Year-Old Home

50-year-old houses are famous for their low ceilings, dark, unwelcoming atmosphere, and sometimes downright creepy appearance. Well, in today's video, we're going to take this 50- year-old house behind my back and transform its living room into a state-of-the-art, luxurious masterpiece just waiting to welcome guests and create tons of family memories. This looks incredible. Let's begin. Well, the big day is ahead. Dark, creepy, unwelcoming—we're going to change that. We will install some windows, tear down walls, run electricity , and put in new insulation. God knows what else will come out of there. First of all, let's lay the wiring, okay, little one. Ear! I had to stay here until 7:30 last night to figure it all out, and I think I succeeded. We have power and a switch that will illuminate the hanging shelves on the side and bottom. For this, we will highlight a separate switch. We also added—by “we ” I mean ourselves—a junction box for the TV so we wouldn’t have to bother with extension cords. I decided to make everything as efficient and convenient as possible for future owners by creating a niche for an Internet router and a socket for connecting it. The problems continue. The plumbers came and moved our water heater to the garage. We passed the building inspection , but before we can seal the walls, we need to remove the mold that has accumulated over the years. So we'll take out everything unnecessary, replace the insulation with brand new, and start hanging numerous sheets of heavy-duty drywall . Wish me luck. You know, I can't even express how happy I am with this blank canvas. All you need is a little drywall to bring this whole idea to life . We 're working a little faster now because, you know, deadlines are pressing. So this week the craftsmen will come to seal, texturize, and putty everything. Your space is open and it no longer covers anything. And that brings us to the next project. The room is very dark, and the lighting we are adding should fix that. However, we need natural light. So we're going to install a huge window here. We also have this covered patio. So, everything here is for dismantling. We will tear down this wall. I'll see if we can finish it or raise it. But this window will be here. Now you might ask, "What kind of windows do you install? Long, small, modern?" And I know the answer to that, but I won't tell you for the sake of intrigue. Because why would I make a hole if I don't have a window yet? Stupid. Beauty. Nice, huh? Oh. Oh , you...Look how lucky we are. Cat 9 cable and low power cable are installed here. And it was just an inch below my cut line. Here's the wood from the barn. There's no need to tear down the entire barn. You can simply buy an old house and reuse the wood . I thought it was aged wood, and wondered: if it was sealed and covered, why did it look so good? But after tearing off a piece, it turned out to be particleboard, which was used in 1978. It's amazing that they had such a product, and now that I'm tearing it apart, there 's probably asbestos in there, as luck would have it. God, I love this tool belt. I've always hated wearing belts, but when you find the right one, this one is super comfortable. Seven- seven, open up. Look, now this thing will just go...No , that's why I put it. I am crushed. The channel is over. Watch how you hit him. No. Okay, let's make a new frame and then install all our racks. Is there a name for the truck already or not? This is from the subscriber: " Black Betty". And I thought that was so damn apt . Wow, Black Betty. Boom. You guys are just a lifesaver. So we have Black Betty for the truck and Humpty Dumpty for the dumpster. Again, perfect. Whoever came up with it . It should be 88 and 7/8 inches. I was wrong by a full 3/4 inch. A great way to start Monday. One of these...I think it's going to be our racks. And then you just spend 30 minutes to install it all . Yeah, well, I also thought I would be a respiratory therapist my whole life, but plans changed. It turned out that I was a big fool, and the door frame wouldn't fit, because there are these beams, and do we have them here? So the idea is: lift one, install it, and then put the last post in, and it will hold everything up. A little more. Come on, from your side. A. It fell quickly. Good. Ready? And the hat flew away. Ah, just fine. Are we ready? Yes. Ideally. Here we will get our " Thunderbolt". Thunder! Woo ! Woo! God, what a nice feeling. It's both enjoyable and exhausting at the same time . I need to take a nap after lunch. I skipped breakfast today. I ate four eggs: I just broke them into a glass and drank them like a real man. Yes, all of this needs to be secured and fixed properly. Let's put away all our things. See you in the morning. We have a small problem here. The windows will be up in about 5-6 weeks, but I have a plan B. If you remember, the layout of this house was like this: the laundry room is in this closet, and there's a dividing wall here. Well, not anymore. We are opening up this space, which will give us an open plan for the kitchen, creating a dining room that flows into the living room. But along with that, we're also putting up a partition in the dining room. And you think: "What's going on here?" Well, this is probably one of my favorite parts—the small office that can also be used as a flexible space. I really like that we have a huge window here. However, large windows are difficult to find, but slightly smaller ones are easier. So what we're going to do is take this window, put it in the living room —lots of space, lots of light. And here we'll just go to the hardware store, take the largest window and center it. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. That's what we do here. So the only thing we need to focus on right now is to take it out carefully, because I have a tendency to overdo it with overenthusiasm. And on top of that, I think I'll have to learn how to lay bricks, because I'll have to lay this red brick outside. In short, there are many things, but these are tomorrow's problems. Just pull it in. Pull inward? Okay. I wonder how it goes inside. I don't think I've ever installed a window. Hold on, let's pull out one corner, and then...Okay. Do you want to be the first? Do we have a drill there? Should I take this one? Good. How many do we have there? About a quarter of an inch? We ...we...we need to level this drywall. Good. Attempt number two. Does it work? Yes. Oh, it's a corner. Let's just take it. Look who has a new window. Just a new window, let's have fun. It looks like it was here. It fits this finish . It fits this window. And we have a lot of light here now. What could be better? Let's talk about the idea behind this design. God, I love the look of this space. I want to use all this space, so we're going to extend this built-in closet. It will be completely built-in, actually formed into the wall. So it won't look like a separate piece of furniture. But we'll also put a fireplace in the middle. We'll take a modern stone veneer and raise it all the way to the ceiling. I think this approach will emphasize the angle. So, in a sense, we will embrace it rather than try to hide it. So, the first task is to take 2 by 4 beams and start building the frame. Well, you have sturdy work boots. These are my summer shoes. Don't laugh. I wonder how many days they will last before they fall apart? Dude, I had Chuck Taylors that lasted about three years, so... So, is that your guess, 3 years? No, it's Vans, baby. They are stronger. Rumor has it that they have better foot support than Converse. But this is just an assumption. Don't sue me, Converse. Huge 60- inch fireplace, large niches on the sides. I'll start sheathing it all with MDF, then I'll putty and sand it all down so that after painting it looks like the closet was there before the house was built. Voila! Okay, Kyle. Be honest. What do you think about the shelves? They look pretty good. You know, I'm asking because I really wanted to come home and tell Irena what I came up with, but I didn't get the expected reaction. It wasn't like, "No, that sucks." but I got something like, "Oh, it looks good." And you know what that means "not very ". I looked into it, and it turned out that she wasn't thrilled about them being doorless. And that's a shame, because I was going for a modern look, but she says people will want to close up and hide their internet router or whatever other accessory they have. So, we're changing plans. I'll putty everything and leave it to dry overnight. In the meantime, I'll try to figure out how to make a door that will look nice here and won't ruin my original idea. Things like that. Let's go back to the drawings. Which camera should I look at? In this one? Fasten your seatbelt. Now there will be a Netflix-worthy story you will never forget. Just kidding. So, this is my first time using Bondo. It would be nice if he was upside down. This is an automotive body filler. I've seen painters use it— it looks phenomenal, works great. It is not as fragile as regular wood putty. However, to do everything right, I decided to buy myself an adult toy. This is an airless sprayer, Graco QuickShot. It can be held in your hands or attached to your belt. I haven't used it before, I'll try it and let you know, because if it saves me and everything goes well, oh, my friends, I'll be on top. A strange saying. Let's just spray. Okay, I've never been so excited about a damn sprayer in my life. At first I was worried, like before any big purchase. I thought: 1300 bucks. That's terribly expensive. But , baby, this thing is just top class. That's what I like about it. First , instead of a huge bottom-feed sprayer like I had, this is a lightweight device with a small nozzle that you can maneuver however you want. At first it seemed absurd , but then I realized it was so logical. Boom, it just clicks and falls into place. No fuss or problems. I like that you can just do it like that and pin it there. The flow control is simply incredible. The kit comes with various attachments. Very easy to wash. Listen, I swear, I love gadgets and devices where everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Let's say you want to add more paint. Take the lid, put it here. And you don't have to worry about putting it on the floor. This thing is just fire. I didn't dilute the paint even a drop. Not sponsored, not supported by anyone in the industry , but cool, man. But enough chatter. We need countertops. I want to use walnut slabs with a live edge so they match the beams on top. I think it will look just incredible. I can't wait anymore. Well , we cut, level, and install. This is the same walnut slab we used for the office desk. I don't know if you saw that video. The best and coolest tech office you've ever seen in your life . It's an expensive thing, but it looks good. Hello Home Depot. Are you thinking the same thing as me? Too wide, huh? You might have to trim it a little. Quite a bit. And by " a little bit" I mean about three inches. I'm OK, I need to set it up to cut in half- inch increments. I think it would be better that way. Why do you have to cut it into pieces? Well, of course, you can just walk through it all at once. The problem is that this is a big load on the canvas, and if we want to get a perfect joint, it is better to cut in small parts so that the canvas does not bend or move. So, half an inch at a time. Kyle, I told you, you can learn more about this at The Builder's Lodge. Whatever you need for home renovations, I'm here to help. This is a tight fit . Oh, it looks much better when cut to size. This is simply incredible. The transition is seamless. Hell, I'm actually an interior designer. I design so passionately. Very enthusiastic. Not much time. Good luck. Aren't you impressed? Be honest. That was cool. This was a real use of brains. Now, when pressure is needed , we'll just insert the wedges here, press down, and then lock them in place when ready. From time to time, not just headbutting. The countertop is installed and drying perfectly. Here we will start planning the shelves, as they need to fit into place with the stones. Four on each side, as we were laying the electricity. Let's build them quite simply. A frame made of 2 by 4 lumber, which will give us room for the cavity. This is what we need. The cavity there is just for electricity. And these are the lights that I used before for the media console in the master bedroom, or, excuse me, the master bedroom, if you remember. So, I connected all the wires, and the driver was already included in the kit . They just snap in and I don't remember if they are adjustable. They are definitely not adjustable, which is quite satisfactory. This is an ideal option. We'll mount them first, and then I'll use plywood to make a regular box so we can slide the shelves on top of it, and then it'll all fit inside. This will illuminate from below, and here is our switch to turn it on. Enough chatter, time to get to work. The next day. Here, everyone is included in the work. Ken is installing cement board, because if you attach stone veneer to drywall, well, you know what happens to drywall. It just breaks. So this doesn't fit. Fixed in place. It is worth noting that there is a rough side and a smooth side. Place the rough side out. This is specifically for stone mortar. Now let's prepare our equipment. Plumbers have turned off the water while they relocate the water lines. It is quite inconvenient for mixing the solution. We are trying to figure out some way out. However, due to the loss of time, I have a few ideas on how to make up for it and save it. And let me show you what I've been working on. As a person who works with a variety of different building materials and tools. I spend a lot of time reading and writing about these products to tell you about them. And I'm not very good at reading or writing. I build better. That's why I use Superhuman Go from the creators of Grammarly. This is your AI partner that works with your apps and sites and proactively offers suggestions for improving your experience, even without your request. I'll show you how I use it. First, I enable Superhuman Go directly in my Grammarly browser extension. And then I just put all my ideas into the text. I use the powerful tools of Superhuman Go to correct any spelling and punctuation errors. I can paraphrase the text in any tone I need, such as professional, human, or academic. I can then edit the text, taking into account the reader's reaction, to make sure the message is received exactly as I want it to. We all know that sometimes when we use language models, they give themselves away and you sound like a robot because they're too smart. Well, thanks to tools like Humanizer, you can change how you sound. Oh, hey, for once I want to sound like a boss, making sure I sound like the boss and not like the guy the boss is yelling at. There are other cool features here like AI detection, plagiarism checker, and one of my favorite features is that you don't have to jump from screen to screen to Google something to make sure you're providing the correct information. You can just ask AI. Enter your question. For example, what is the oldest house in America? Well, it turns out it's over a thousand years old, and it's located in New Mexico. When I'm researching a new tool or building materials , I can simply ask it to summarize the page or pull the main points directly from the manufacturers' websites. I like that it appears where I need it. And it's much more convenient than digging through specifications on 15 different tabs. And you can connect it to other agents , like Google Calendar and Slack, so you can plan your day and work on your business in one place. So, if you're constantly reading and writing descriptions, scripts, materials, whatever it is, click the link in the description, check out Superhuman Go from the creators of Grammarly. I really think you'll like it. Now let's get back to this video. Let's go. Want to see the stone we took? Look at this. I even called Irene via FaceTime to make sure she approved. It's modern , it's gorgeous, and what's cool about it is that when you put them together, they have a little bit of a tan pigment, so it doesn't look so stark white. All these words and sayings, I never would have thought in a million years that as a 38 year old man, I would be thrilled with the tan pigmentation in the stonework. It's nonsense. Don't you often try to bring a room full of rocks into your living room? So I was juggling multiple projects at once to make sure we got these videos out and that this house was ready to go on the market by Thanksgiving. And with that, I have to hire assistants to work in the background and help things move forward. And Kent did a phenomenal job. However, we need to find help for Kent to move him further in these projects. I had six interviews scheduled. Everyone was excited, and then five of them ignored me, didn't show up at all. And yesterday someone looked at the address and said, "Oh, it turns out that's too far from me." Keep in mind, this is 15 minutes before he was supposed to show up. This is simply absurd. Modern youth, what can I say? But if you have a home that needs care, repairs, or advice on how to do it, I have the perfect place for you. That's why I founded Builders Lodge. This is a closed community where people who want to learn come, and I am a resource for them. By the way, regarding this laying of paving stones or decorative stone, I have a full 30-60 minute video with all the details. Be sure to take a look. And, by the way , I'll make you an even better offer. The first five people to join the premium level of the Building House will receive a branded T-shirt as founders. See you there. Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo! Okay, we continue working. We all joined in the work here. Ken continues to lay out the pattern further. And I'll take care of the shelves. I have already installed the 2 by 4 beams. They are secured with screws. I ran the electrical wires for the lighting and, as you can see, I thought carefully about leaving a cavity here for the light control module. In the meantime, let me show you how I'm going to build these shelves. How do you like the Ryobi plunge saw compared to the Kreg you usually use? Well, first of all, it's pronounced " Ryobi," not " Ryobi." But I like her. It actually works great. But the real treasure is this clamp system I just bought. I have long admired the masters of Instagram. When you make these kinds of angled cuts (miters), it's so hard to ensure a tight fit so the glue dries, especially when you've put so much effort into getting everything to fit. They have such small kits, I don't really know how to use them yet, but I think we'll figure it out together as we go. Apparently they are inserted here like this . You stretch it out and then you clamp them. Let's just say they stick and you wait for the glue to dry. And then you can secure it with finishing nails, if you want, or some other way. The possibilities are endless. So be sure to take these two things . This way you can create cool hanging shelves with beautiful wood texture on angled cuts . Where did you hear about this? On Instagram, but bought from Woodcraft. This is not advertising. They are just cool. IN! We are moving fast. It's really hot here, but Braden from Idaho Refrigerant came to see us. He says, "Hey, dude, I'm a fan of your channel." He arrived, removed our air conditioner, or heat exchanger, if you will, and moved it to the very end of the house. The most interesting thing is that it is the middle of the day. It's insanely hot here. It's very hot, but there's no gate on the side here , and we have perfect shade for him. I am not a scientist. I have a stupid reptilian brain, but I think it works more efficiently in the shadows. A lot of cool things are happening. Okay, we'll let this thing dry a little before…