Remodeling the Basement, Part III

Thank you all so much for your comments and emails to me after my last post.  Truly.  I wasn't sure if I had done the right thing by getting so real on this blog but your responses have been so gracious and positive.  Just another lesson that we don't need more perfection, just reality!  So much easier to relate to.  :)  I am so, so touched, and I thank you sincerely. 

I'm back today to share with you more of the major overhaul that our 1970s-era basement received recently.    Below you can see a "before" photo, from the previous owners.  It was very vintage and cozy down there, but needed a little facelift to bring it into modern day!

As I mentioned before, we started by painting the wood panels.  It brightened things up right away!  Our couch and TV are in basically the same place as the before photo.

Below is a little closer view.  I wanted to bring in some warm colors and lamps to cozy it up in here.  We've all been in basements that feel cold and sterile and they always have me racing back for the rooms above ground.  I was trying to create a room I'd actually like to hang out in!

This antique dresser was less than $100 at an antique shop.  It's not in great shape, but it doesn't have to hold a lot of weight, and probably my kids' plastic sword fights and who-knows-what-else will finish the wrecking job, but who cares?

My husband removed one of the drawers, added some hinges and chains to the drawer front and re-attached it.  Now we can easily hide the DVD and cable box.  Just a little magnet keeps it closed. I would have been nervous to hack up a more expensive dresser, but I love the freedom of my little bargain hunting finds!

To the right of the couch area is the kids' play zone.  Those built-ins were here when we moved in, how great is that?  They hide so much junk!  I can promise you it never looks this clean.  Usually we can't see the floors!

I added some panels on either side of the glass block windows mostly because I hang curtains on everything that'll stand still.  :)

And here's a view looking back on the room from over near the built-ins.  Sorry for the bad lighting!

And because I'm determined to keep it real around here, I'll leave you with a photo of how this area usually looks, before Mama swoops in and cleans it up for a blog photo!

I'll be back later in the week with the final (I promise!) installment of our basement remodel.  Then on to some new stuff!  Have a great day!