I don't know about you, but I've always felt like nothing gets my house clean and ready like having guests over. This, of course, backfires when there's a pandemic and nobody is coming over!
Without that sort of regular accountability, the basement renovations have been moving forward at a much slower pace than they might have otherwise. Even so, we've finally managed to finish up the major construction phases and get the room back into a functional state!
As a reminder, here's where we started: gross tile, disorganized and purposeless spaces, hodgepodge decor, etc.
And here's where we are now!
The board and batten have done SO MUCH to make this room feel grown up. The vertical lines help the ceiling look taller than it did before, and the orderly lines add sophistication. There's something about the whole look that makes the room look like it's on purpose rather than haphazard. I truly love how it turned out! There are lots of tutorials about how to tackle a project like this, so I won't get into the details of the project, but a few takeaways:
Buy more shims than you think you'll need
Buy more caulk than you think you'll need
You can use spackle rather than wood filler. It's much easier to work with
Punch list updates
Our biggest two projects were the board and batten and the flooring I wrote about before. Now that those are done, what's next?
STAIRWELL
We also planned to update the stairwell, which is done, and I'll be sharing more about later. I still have ideas for a mural rattling around in my head, so that portion may be forthcoming, as well.
LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL
We had originally planned to install recessed lighting in the main space, and some additional lighting in the stairwell. After getting some really astronomical price quotes and thinking about things more, we were able to solve most of the issues we had with lighting and electrical for much less than we'd anticipated, so I'll share more about those solutions later on!
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
One of my biggest bugaboos is cord management--I hate a cable nest more than most things! My husband is a giant tech nerd, so he's always going to have a whole bunch of gadgety things that are not focused on aesthetics. I'd like to consider ways to update the look of his desk and desk area, while hitting all the functional aspects he needs.
Another project I'd like to tackle is building a stand for the keyboard. There are lots of beautiful desk/cabinet looking pieces out there in the world, so I'll be looking into building one that matches the room.
DECOR
The hodgepodge decor situation is still an issue! I've been slowly redecorating in our main living room, so for now, most of the leftovers have gone down to the basement. In the long run, I'd like to replace the rug, get rid of the arm chair, and finalize a color scheme that works for the space. I'm still debating how I feel about the sofa, which is a three-section corner piece with an ottoman--that may turn into a long sectional, or stay as-is as a sort of sofa bed thing. Finally, we'll need to add wall decor and tons of plants.
Hope to get you all some more updates soon!
-Jennifer
You have such an eye for pretty and functional spaces. Love the renovation.