Engaged Couple Build Yoga Studio in Colorado

Residing in Salida, Colorado, Parker Dunbar used his Wood-Mizer LT15 portable sawmill to create a brand-new yoga studio for his fiancé, Jillayne.

 Making Dreams Come True 

Parker and Jillayne had their first date at a local hot spring, where, along with mutual sympathy, the idea for this project was born. Jillayne is passionate about yoga and wants to start her own practice and create a studio space, which inspired the pair to initiate this project.

“It started as a conversation on a first date. It ended with a unique yoga studio and a marriage proposal,” explains Parker.

As their relationship continued, Parker began making Jillayne’s dream come true. All they needed was a portable sawmill. “I started [working] on a private ranch in the mountains of Colorado. The ranch owner had a Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill and I was hooked from day one,” shares Parker.

After doing some research, Parker and Jillayne decided that the best sawmill for their project would be a Wood-Mizer LT15 portable sawmill.

 The Building Process 

“We built a timber framed 192-square-foot yoga studio from locally sourced standing dead timber,” Parker explains. “All of the trees for the project came from a local forestry project 25 minutes away. All of the timbers as well as the floors were burnt and brushed for looks and function.”

The spruce they got from the local forest was used for almost every aspect of the studio. “We used spruce for the timber frame, flooring, and interior and exterior finishes. We used the spruce for everything, even the little deck and to build the windows,” says Parker.

During this process, Parker and Jillayne grew their relationship and developed a new set of skills. “Jillayne learned to operate the LT15 completely on her own. The simplicity of this machine made it perfect for Jillayne to get her first experience cutting. She also learned how to cut joinery and raise a timber frame. I also learned a lot more about yoga,” shares Parker.

While Parker also likes to practice in the DaWally studio alongside Jillayne the primary use of this building is for Jillayne to teach yoga to her students.

“We milled the lumber on the LT15. A week was all that was needed for them to fully dry. We would mill one weekend and cut joinery the next. We raised it and finished it together,” says Parker.

 Labor of Love 

“It was definitely a labor of love. The project took longer than expected and continued to evolve during the build. Once it was completed we were relieved to begin using it and devote our weekends to other activities,” says Parker.

“We feel very fortunate to be able to do this kind of work in our free time. Building something from scratch is something only a small percentage of people can do. The simplicity and efficiency of our Wood-Mizer sawmill made this project much easier,” shares Parker.

However, now that the studio is finished, the pair have made it clear that they intend to continue their sawmilling journey together. “We are building a new house and have purchased a Wood-Mizer MP200 planer moulder to help expedite our millwork.”