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Before and After Friday: Our Basement

I’m a terrible home improvement blogger in that I don’t show many “in progress” photos. Sometimes the progress of a renovation is not very fun blog fodder. Since we moved here we’ve been working on laying a fresh foundation and I’d say we’re about 90% there. The decor? Maybe 10%. So forgive me for showing you yet another room of our home that is completely unadorned, but I have to say:  this might be my favorite room of our house.

I present to you at long last:  the finished basement.

Here’s where we started:  a completely unfinished space that had huge storage potential. The kids loved ripsticking and scootering down there. {And yes, even the walls in the basement were painted peach in this Peach Pit. The former owners must have gotten a serious deal on peach paint!}

A while back I showed you how we replaced the door down to the basement with a French door. I love this change so much!!! It really makes the basement space feel like part of the house.

Let’s go check out the new space.

This is the only picture on any wall down here, and it’s not even staying!
Welcome to the World of Beige and Brown!!
 

 The only toys down here so far:  the over-the-door basketball hoop, knee hockey and video games. And yet, my kids and their friends play down here all the time!!

A cedar closet so the moths will stop eating my Irish linens. Also a great space to store out of season wear.
 
Do you want to see what the door on the right leads to????

Crazy Town!

What was once a nicely organized storage space has since gone all willy-nilly since the other side of the basement was finished. One of these days I’ll get to this. I’m really looking forward to it! Total party!

 

Remember the mood board I made for the finished space? Eventually I’ll get around to bringing some color into the room. We actually went with Ben Moore’s Edgecomb Grey HC-173 on the walls and I love it! (The leftover paint from the basement is what I just painted the dining room with.)
After renovating this house for the past year and a half, it was absolutely dreamy to have this space finished for us by a builder. The only things I have to do are stain and install the stair rails, install a couple of door knobs, and of course decorate the room!
 
As I mentioned yesterday, I would love a huge map down here, and some other shatter-proof art that can stand up to balls flying through the air. I want this space to kid-and-teenage-friendly, but also nice enough that we can entertain down here for games and such.
 
 

That’s a wrap on our basement, but before I go, ya wanna see another sneak peak of my mom’s Extreme Makeover???? It’s not quite finished yet, but here is one of the spaces we’ve been working on:

It’s crazy, right? Just for the record, 1) my mom bought this split level house 8 years ago and had the entire upstairs refinished, but the lower level remained stuck in 1973!, 2) mom is not a hoarder, the before photo was taken when we were knee deep in sorting through stuff, making piles for Goodwill, etc., 3) that vile carpet in the before picture was original to the house – almost 40 years old! My niece and mom ripped it out yesterday and we can’t wait for the new carpet to be installed next week!

Mom’s house is my big project for the month of March (and probably April too!) – wait ’til you see the rest of the before and afters at mom’s house next Friday at the AFTER PARTY!

How are your March projects coming along? Come on over on March 30 to link up your before and afters – I can’t wait to see what you’ve accomplished this month!!

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  4. Ange says

    This makes me want to come over and play in your basement. Can I? 🙂 I feel the same way, our house is 90% just getting it done and the we'll add the fun decor afterwards. Also your mom's place is coming along, great job! Have a beautiful weekend friend!

    Reply

  5. cestMoi Sandy says

    See you had the nail right there on its hard head! Lisa… I have that problem too! I am busy doing the girls' bedroom, but I am really bad in doing the before and during photo's. Then it will look all weird and everything that I don't want to post about it… wondering "I can't show this????" And then suddenly it is finished and I don't have the "during" photo's.
    That's why I have not have the "guts" to join your before and afters…

    However, I think you are doing an awesome job with your makeovers and posting so consistently!
    I am not that way… All I have to post about it skirts skirts and more skirts.
    (lol) Well, a woman does not skirts, right?

    Have a lovely weekend!
    And I love your basement! Wish I had one!

    Sandy

    P.s. My PC is still slooooow, but I am bearing with it! Yuck

    Reply

  6. cestMoi Sandy says

    Okay,some spelling issues there!
    Sorry…
    I woman does need skirts right?

    And of course you hit the nail on its hard head.

    Being in a rush does not grace fast typing. lol

    Reply

  10. Elizabeth (Blue Clear Sky) says

    What a lovely and totally useable space for your family! I love beige and brown and it is a perfect canvas for some family friendly decor. I'm sure when time and money allows you will have shelves and an organized storage space too.

    Reply

  13. Jennifer L. Griffin says

    What a fantastic space! Houses around here don't have basements. Would be so much fun! And oh, that ottoman, fabulous! You all really did an outstanding job…now on to the fun part-give that space some personality!

    Reply

  15. Mandi@TidbitsfromtheTremaynes says

    Oh Lisa– where do I even start? The basement? Your mom's place?

    Okay. The basement. IN LOVE. All that fabulous white trim with the creamy walls. . .. holy crap balls I love it! I am thinking yours and mind basements are fairly similar, kinda sorta. . .?

    So. . . is the world of beige and brown a bad thing? LOL. 'Cause you know I got a lotta that goin' on around here.

    Also. I love that you have made the space so pretty and so still inviting for your kids' friends. True story: the hubs and I when first married– one of our longer term goals was to have a house that our kids friends were always welcome at.

    True story.

    And then your mom's house! WOW. Just wow.

    Reply

  16. Calypso In The Country says

    Lisa, I just love how it is turning out! You really have a lot of space down there and the neutral background will allow you to do a lot. Our basement/playroom is a disaster at the moment. I have some plans for it but haven't really done much yet! I know I am doing a map too – perfect for kids! Can't wait to see what yours turns out like. You are off to a great start!
    -Shelley

    Reply