Ideas for blending a model railroad with a finished entertaining space?

[Dave V]

Colleagues,

I have a question.  I've been planning to build my new HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District layout in a roughly 14 x 12 space in our new basement at our new house (which we close on next Monday).  I did a walk-through with the builder on Monday, and the space looks so damned nice I almost hate to clutter it with a model railroad.  The space is wide open to the rest of the open entertaining space that includes a very nicely finished bar, a home theater, and a space for our enormous air hockey table.  The walls are painted a very light color (Sherwin-Williams Worldly Gray) and the carpet is a light brownish-gray.  I regret that I don't have a good photo to share at the moment.  Anyway, I want my layout--if I build it there--to exist as harmoniously as possible in that space such that when it's not the center of attention it's hardly noticeable.  To be clear it's the highlighted area in the upper left:

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So...  I had some thoughts, but need more suggestions.

1)  I'm normally a black fascia guy, but I'm considering painting the fascia and all the benchwork support the same color as the walls:



2)  Maybe add a bank of low bookcases for my train books between the layout and the rest of the open space.  Below benchwork but kind of like a "knee wall."

3)  Use shelf brackets wherever possible, to keep the floor uncluttered.

I'd love to hear ideas from anyone else who's had a layout that shares space with an entertaining space and how you do it.

[wm3798]

I think if you pick up some of the finish elements of the bar, perhaps some stained chair rail, to provide the finished edge for the bottom of the railroad's fascia, then go up above the rail with a dark green or brown color that's compatible with the carpet color, that would give it more of a museum quality display appearance.  Of course, you'll need some nice black drapes to conceal the benchwork legs below that.

I wouldn't use the light gray color for the fascia at all.  Too easily marked up, and I don't think it would give the effect you're looking for.

Lee

[wcfn100]

Are you using the space under the layout for storage or can it be open?  Is the trim in the room painted or stained?


Jason

[peteski]

Just hiding all the clutter will be a great help to make the layout look at-home in your entertaining space. For example, a clean finish room and a skirt go a long way for making the layout look like an exhibit rather than a toy train layout in a basement.  If you aren't into operating sessions then your fascia could be even less busy (no need for the car-card pockets).

[Dave V]

Are you using the space under the layout for storage or can it be open?  Is the trim in the room painted or stained?


Jason

Painted white.  I can use the space below but I don't have to.  Clearly if I do, I'll need curtains.

[wm3798]

How about the bar?  How is it finished?  I think you want to give the layout more of a "furniture" or "built-in cabinetry" appearance.

Any kind of drapery should be dark.  I find the light color drapes in Peteski's pictures very distracting.

Lee

[glakedylan]

hey, Dave ... kudos on the closing and best wishes on the move! i've always been a fan of wainscot beadboard, stained to match other finished wood ... of course, that would often mean from fascia to floor, unless there wa sufficient framing ... but a toe space is probably needed with a kick board. but,then, that is 'my' preference. what ever you choose will work out well. enjoy!

[Dave V]

It occurred to me that if I could make the layout U- or E- shaped with the open end toward the great space it would be much less intrusive.  That does create nontrivial challenges for 'roundy-rounding though...particularly given how very well known the RGS scenes are and that having an extra track visible would cause all kinds of cognitive dissonance.  nevertheless, I do think I prefer this option to the closed-off cockpit in terms of preserving the openness of the space.

How about the bar?  How is it finished?  I think you want to give the layout more of a "furniture" or "built-in cabinetry" appearance.

Any kind of drapery should be dark.  I find the light color drapes in Peteski's pictures very distracting.

Lee

The bar is finished as a bar, but the walk-behind part is finished with drywall.  It looks really nice...and again, I know I owe pictures after Monday's closing.  The cabinets for the bar are a very dark espresso and the bar top is a gray-ish granite.  It has semi-industrial looking pendant lights over the walk-behind potion that are crying out for Edison bulbs, and the floor in the wet bar area is a rustic wood (it's vinyl but you can't tell).  That said, I like the bar standing out...not so sure I like the layout standing out the same.

I agree on the drapes...which is why I'm leaning away from using them.  Any storage under the layout should look like furniture and be white or wall color IMHO.

Here's a photo of the unfinished bar (no pendant lights or fixtures and covered with wall texture sanding dust);

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EDIT:  I'm so putting a wine chiller in there!

[Chris333]

Just leave room for the stripper pole!

[Dave Schneider]

Just leave room for the stripper pole!

But I thought that Dave had a bad back.....

Best wishes, Dave

[davefoxx]

The Rec Room is huge.  So, are you completely against putting up a wall and an entry door into the layout room?  If resale is a concern, it could be sold as Bedroom #6.

DFF

[Cajonpassfan]

Congratulations on the new house Dr. Dave! May you and yours be very happy there!
I think you do have a great opportunity to make the layout an integral and finished part of the rec room/bar setting.
An idea here  Since the opening of the train room "alcove" is only 12' wide, consider building two cripple/wing walls perhaps 4' wide and about 42" high, flush with, or perhaps slightly inset from the full height walls facing the rec room. The opening in the middle would be the entrance into the layout space, and the layout would be U shaped (or maybe E with a short peninsula?) This would create a "window" into the alcove, but framed it in the same materials, colors and finishes as the rec room.

As an alternative to the short walls, one could get a similar "framed" effect by using 12" deep cabinets (with doors) or open shelving (for all the fantastic Colorado train books) facing the room. 12" deep "uppers" in a variety of styles, heights, and colors are available in kitchen remodeling stores relatively inexpensively. If going this route, I'd match the bar woodwork.

As to the color scheme to use for fascias and curtains (if any), you have plenty of time to decide. My guess is you want the color scheme of the recroom/train space carried out throughout: the floor, the walls, the cabinetry, curtains, etc. The whole point of the traditional black layout skirting it to make it disappear visually, and it can be very effective if carried throughout, with valances and a dark floor. Here, in my admittedly prejudiced opinion, a black "skirt" will stand out like a sore thumb.

Food for thought, good luck.
Otto K.

[casmmr]

Dave, I noticed that you also highlighted the 5th bedroom and work shop.  If you do not need the 5th bedroom/workshop, remove the wall and have a larger area for your RR.  later, Craig

[Spades]

Dave

I don't know if this will work for you but from Bernie K's website http://usmrr.blogspot.com/search?q=tv

[Dave V]

The Rec Room is huge.  So, are you completely against putting up a wall and an entry door into the layout room?  If resale is a concern, it could be sold as Bedroom #6.

DFF

Yes.  I'm really committed to not walling off the space.  With 9' ceilings I love the big open space.  Resale is a consideration but not a big one.  Oh, and to be called a true bedroom it needs to have a closet.

Dave, I noticed that you also highlighted the 5th bedroom and work shop.  If you do not need the 5th bedroom/workshop, remove the wall and have a larger area for your RR.  later, Craig

That room will contain both N scale layouts.  Not moving walls...they were JUST put up!

Just to correct course a hair, again this thread wasn't about chopping up walls or modifying the space.  It's about blending with the existing space.  I like the space as is.  I'm looking for ideas about blending the layout, not modifying a space that was just built.  I'm not entertaining any ideas that involve building, removing, or moving walls.