Vision and Goals

When we purchased our forty year old home that boasted a “finished basement” clearly they were using the term “finished” lightly.  I refused to step foot in it, much less take a picture of it.  Hence, I have only a couple of pictures to help document just how far this space has come.

Exhibit A: This is taken from the top of the stairs.  This lovely blue (apparently the previous owners were waaaay into blue  – you should SEE the master bathroom) indoor / outdoor carpet complete with stains and an odor I cannot even begin to describe was throughout the space.

Exhibit B: This is the bathroom.  We haven’t even thought about starting work in here but it gives you a good idea of the “before” throughout the basement.  Nasty, warped paneling on all of the walls and old, water stained chalky ceiling tiles that look like they had gray worms all over them.  ew.

Our initial intent was to leave the space as is and use it for storage for a few years.  However, when Honey uncovered mold in the basement last summer, we called in the professionals and they deemed that everything had to go.  Walls, floors, ceiling.  Everything.  Which isn’t too terribly bad considering just how heinous it all was.

So, when the mold removers finished up, we were left with a blank slate.  Our lack of funds coupled with Honey’s desire to channel his inner Handy Manny led us (I use the term “us” lightly as well) to finish off the place ourselves.  Honey is the day laborer and I am the visionary.

Speaking of the vision – we are big Georgia Tech fans and had a great, professionally finished, day light, walk out basement in our last home.  Oh, how I miss you so….

… but I digress.  My point was meant to be that as avid Georgia Tech fans, we accumulated an impressive amount of black and gold furniture, accessories and team memorabilia.  I wanted to use all of that in the new basement but, given that we only have three half windows and two of them are under the deck, the space is already dark and gold and black would be just too much.  Hence, a yellow and grey color scheme was born. It’s lighter and airier and would support all of the stuff we already had.

I always start with the fabrics when decorating a room.  After a quick search, I fell in love with this on sale for only $7.95 a yard!  (I couldn’t believe it when I read one of the owners of Kandrac & Kole had her eye on the very same fabric.)

And I chose these accent fabrics for throw pillows, the banquette and anything else I can come up with.

Having two littles that will one day be teenage boys and a husband that desperately wants a man space, I had the following goals for the basement:
– Make the space look nice, but remain kid, husband and budget friendly.  So, when the floors get dented or the walls get scratched I am neither fainting nor screaming.
– A cozy tv area that will comfortably seat four and still allow room for the boys to play the wii.
– A bar area with a sink and dishwasher.  We didn’t have the dishwasher in our old basement and I hated carting everything up and down the stairs to wash after a party.
– A buffet area for entertaining.
– Plenty of storage for toys and games.
– Space for the pool table.
– Area for dining, crafting, school work, game playing, etc.
– Banquette for seating (and just because I really, really, really want a banquette and have nowhere else to put one.)

Now, I had intended to get to the good part – the pictures – but that will have to wait for another day seeing as I failed to take the pictures.  Instead, after a week of being snowed in, I used Cookie’s precious nap time to shower, dress and venture out into the real world for two much needed necessities – pull ups and liquor.  And that activity wore me flat out (or was it the cocktail?!?).

xoxo

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9 thoughts on “Vision and Goals

  1. The fabrics are all by Premier Prints. They were ordered online from buyfabrics.com. They colorway is corn and kelp so search for either of those terms on the site and they will pop up. Thanks!!

  2. I love this basement! We are currently finishing ours and doing it our selves. What material did you use for the ceiling and what did you use for what looks to be hardwood?

  3. I love your finished basement! We are currently doing ours. What materiel did you use for the ceiling and what for the floor that looks like hardwood?

  4. You're taste is impeccable! I'm redoing my living, kitchen and dining area in the same color palette. What color yellow did you use for the billiard area! Thank you for some inspiration!

  5. As we speak my basement is being demolished due to mold and water damage and oddly enough we too had hideous blue indoor/outdoor carpeting and warped yellowing panels. So while I cried over the cost, I didn't cry over the loss. Can I ask how you worked out a budget for the DIY of your basement reno? I am horrible with numbers but hoping to do a lot on our own as well.

    L.O.V.E. your bar area!

  6. Jess – We didn't have a formal budget – we just figured we would finish it as we had time and money since we were doing it ourselves. That being said, we were able to get a very good idea on cost just by doing a lot of research. Make a list of all of the elements you need and spend a couple of hours at home depot and online pricing things out. It was easy to figure out cabinets, floors, ceiling, lighting and paint. The hardest was the wood for the walls.

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