The Evolution of a Basement

So, we have lived in our home for almost 7 years. We have made the most of our basement area during that time, but only recently decided to finish it. Want to take a journey of the evolution of my basement?

Here is how our basement was for most of the time we've lived here, a carpet remnant, lots of toys, and a TV.:



One weekend, when The Big Guy was out of town, the kids and I painted the walls with DryLock paint to try to make it look more finished:



A few years later it was time to take the big plunge and hire a contractor. Soon, it looked like this:



Then it looked like this!

After several months, lots of selections, and lots and lots of dust, it looks like this!



Our basement is really large since the garage is on the ground level. We knew we needed to section it to make the most of our space and make it cozy. The goal of all my decorating decisions is always coziness!

We divided our basement into a TV/family room area, a game/toy/kid area, adult game area, a "bar" area, and my studio. Over the next week or so, I can take you on a tour of the finished space and provide you with a spec sheet of our selections in case you see something you like. It's not ideal to take photos with artificial lighting, but since we are in a lower level with very little natural light, we will have to tolerate the yellow cast the lighting creates.

For today, let's look at the TV/Family Room area where we spend most of our time:



While decorating the shelves, I tried to keep The Big Guy in mind and included an eclectic mix of rustic, sporty, and fun objects. I framed a tee flag from a golf outing, and added an old boomerang, cigar humidor, and autographed Hines Ward football right along side my collection of hand made paper weights (thanks Joy!), empty candle holders, and lots of interesting books.



Durable leather furniture piled with lots of blankets and cozy pillows was a must. I have to say, we have spent every single evening down here since it was completed.



Here is the mantle we were able to create from that huge slab of cherry you all saw a few months ago! I had someone cut it down and I applied many coats of satin polyurethane before it was mounted with a cement-looking version of caulking. I sponged some acrylic paint over the caulking to help it blend with the stones.



Come back on Monday to see the rest of the basement!
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