Bike enthusiasts' passion for the pavement inspired redesign

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent

CHESAPEAKE

Rick Turner is most at peace on his Harley-Davidson with the open road before him.

"Riding through the mountains with my lovely wife sitting behind me is one of the best feelings in the world," the Wingfield Point resident said. "It's something that gets into your soul and changes how you see everything."

Turner didn't want the Harley experience to end at the pavement. So when it came time to makeover the room above his Virginia Beach garage, he knew right away what the theme should be, Harley-inspired orange and black.

"I wasn't sure how orange and black would look inside the house," wife Gay said. "We made some compromises, and we both love it."

The couple moved into the ir home in 1994, and the room over the garage was originally used as an office for Turner's heating and air-conditioning business. Gay ran the office while he was out on service calls. As the company grew, the small space wasn't enough, and they moved out into an office building.

The vacant room was then used to house a friend for four years. Once the room was vacated, the couple started the Harley makeover.

"I wanted this to be a place where we could come and relax and get away from things for a while," said Turner, 54. "It's just like getting away from things on a ride, except you don't have to go anywhere."

The homeowner spent nights and weekends tearing out the old carpet, installing shelves, painting and creating a window seat. He started the project in April and finished in August, spending $4,800 in the process. That sum includes a 50-inch plasma TV with surround sound and a sauna.

"The room turned out even better than I hoped or envisioned," said Turner, who learned handyman skills from his father, who was a mechanic, and his grandfather, who was as a carpenter.

"I just picked it up along the way. I can usually figure most things out and make them look pretty good," he added.

The couple said they'll continue to add to the room as they collect memorabilia from their motorcycle trips. And Turner plans to add flame accents to the room's an blades.

"The cool stuff is in the details," he said. "The more personality we add to the room, the better it will be."

He also plans to revamp the house's patio area and to spruce up the backyard. He has already renovated the spare and master bathrooms and created a hunting lodge-themed family room.

"It's all about living where you love and making it home," Turner said.

Staci Dennis, sdennis@cox.net