It含羞草研究社檚 probably one of the only dungeons in Chilliwack, and it was built just in time for Halloween.
Rob Forde recently transformed a crawl space corridor into a dungeon for homeowners Sherri and Mark Gore. But the Gores含羞草研究社� home isn含羞草研究社檛 your typical house 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 a custom-built castle.
They prefer an old and rustic look, not new white walls with straight edges, Mark said. Their home has been a work-in-progress for the past seven years and they moved into it a year ago. When Forde saw the castle, it was the both the exterior and interior that gave him inspiration to create the dungeon.
The corridor, which is now a dungeon, is a small area with 10-foot high ceilings that leads to the Gores含羞草研究社� crawl space.
At the top of the stairs leading down to the dark space, the words 含羞草研究社渂eware la oubliette含羞草研究社� are carved into the ceiling. 含羞草研究社楲a oubliette含羞草研究社� is French for 含羞草研究社榩it dungeon,含羞草研究社� Forde said.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 the most famous kind of dungeon, the kind where they just throw the guys in the pit and then walk away,含羞草研究社� he said.
It took about three months for Forde to transform the space. He used a variety of items like a metal gate and a lock that were just lying in the Gores含羞草研究社� crawl space, plus a shield they had. Forde found other things at auctions, used beams of wood from a local barn that was torn down, and got his hands on a 含羞草研究社榯ongue含羞草研究社� from a horse wagon that he used as a stairway railing.
What looks like a stone-carved ceiling is actually Styrofoam that含羞草研究社檚 been cut out and painted grey. A wooden bowl sitting on a table for the 含羞草研究社榩risoner含羞草研究社� is actually an old cheese press from a Dutch family in Yarrow.
Forde even etched names in a beam like Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin.
含羞草研究社淭hey all spent time in here,含羞草研究社� Mark joked.
Many items were incredibly hard to find, but bit by bit, it finally came together.
含羞草研究社淏ringing everything together to create something that含羞草研究社檚 from 500 years ago, that含羞草研究社檚 the key,含羞草研究社� Forde said.
They call it a 含羞草研究社楧isney dungeon含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� a place that含羞草研究社檚 scary, but not too scary. And it含羞草研究社檚 not just a uniquely designed space, it含羞草研究社檚 also functional.
On one door, Forde used an old piece of logging chain and a deer antler for a handle. It seems like the door would lead to an underground tunnel, but when you open it up all that含羞草研究社檚 visible is a piece of plywood and water pipes with shut-off valves.
含羞草研究社淎ll of this is mean to be practical, so they can access their water shut-off and it含羞草研究社檚 nice and safe, but at the same time have fun with it,含羞草研究社� Forde said.
They connected about three years ago when the Gores were looking for a shield and found one that Forde was selling for $50.
含羞草研究社淚 really like weird stuff,含羞草研究社� Mark said. He added that he and his wife often find things that no one else wants, which brings the cost down quite a bit.
Forde has been transforming private basements and garages into mini pubs and other unique spaces for years.
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The Gores invited Forde into their castle home a few years ago and Forde threw ideas at them. The Gores liked his suggestions and so he did a few small projects including an arched ceiling and a door, but the dungeon is his biggest project in their home.
含羞草研究社淓very castle has a dungeon,含羞草研究社� Forde said.
He含羞草研究社檚 been to about 10 castles in Ireland, England and Scotland which is where he got most of his ideas to create 含羞草研究社榣a oubliette.含羞草研究社� Sherri also threw some great, creative ideas at him, Forde added.
But, he wouldn含羞草研究社檛 let the family see it while he was working on it.
含羞草研究社淗e hid it from us until the finale,含羞草研究社� Gore added.
Forde used a blanket in the doorway leading down to the crawl space so the Gores couldn含羞草研究社檛 see what was going on in the dungeon.
含羞草研究社淚 wanted to have some kind of a reveal because that含羞草研究社檚 what they do on TV. That含羞草研究社檚 the funnest part.含羞草研究社�
Forde finished the dungeon in time for the Gores to show it to family and friends for Halloween.
