Are you ready for this monstrosity? It has been over a year in the making.
Last January 2014, we were about to sign with a contractor, also a family friend, to finish off our basement. We literally were about to sign the contract, that very night, when I was laid off from my job. So this project was put on hold. We had already picked out flooring, narrowed down our choices on carpet, and had a full layout planned.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before I found a new job, but the project needed to wait for an opening in our contractor’s schedule. We began it in the fall of last year, and hauled out nearly everything from our basement to Brian’s sister’s house and upstairs.
The kiddos loved having the couch, chair and miscellaneous speakers on our landing upstairs. I did not. The yellow chair has still not found a home, but this couch fit perfectly in Jameson’s room, so some space (and all the clutter at least) has been cleaned up.
We had to deal with a column in the middle of the floor, as with many basements. We also wanted to hide the electrical panel, which was on the finished half, and the water shut off. Our initial plan was to hide the electrical panel behind a built-in entertainment center. However, as soon as the project got moving, we realized it made much more sense to move the built-in to a different wall.
First step was framing, insulating, some electrical and drywall. This part went by very very fast, and then we could really see the space we were working with.
When the drywall went up, the space got really bright (also I had my fancy camera, so these photos are much clearer). It already looked so much more finished, but I didn’t realize how much more time there really was left to go. This was the easy part.
Next was beginning the ceiling tiles. There were so many little decisions during this whole process, such as deciding which switches should control which lights (which in the end we think we could still optimize).
and we needed to have a place to store with easy access Brian’s music equipment and speakers.
The built-in shelving and cabinets was debated at first with the various layouts we were considering. Debated by Brian, anyway, not by me. I always wanted floor-to-ceiling shelving. The angled edge makes the transition into the basement from the stairs much smoother.
The two large cabinets on the right, next to the wall, have magnetic trim so that the speakers can be fully wheeled out into the living space, so no one breaks their back moving them in and out to play.
We chose gray as our neutral rather than beige, though beige and browns are in the flooring we chose. The gray can look blue when the sun is out and shining in, and it’s a really soothing color I would paint my entire house in. This is how our basement looked for a couple months before we had furniture and before we could bring back down all our stuff.
The alcove here next to the understairs storage stayed like this for a couple months. We originally were going to do the bar ourselves, but changed our mind after the initial contract. So we signed a new agreement to add the back bar. We also waited for cabinet doors, since we decided to have them done by Amish craftsmen with the bar cabinet doors as well so they all matched.
The back bar came together so easily compared to the basement as a whole, in terms of decision-making. Brian and I picked the very first piece of remnant black granite we saw. We chose clearance tile from Home Depot, and a medium gray paint between the wall color and the dark gray we used on frames and the understairs door.
Brian did the tap work in the back, connected to a fridge. He’s insulated the tubing running to and from. The first time we used the taps was pretty thrilling.
It’s hard to peak at the bathroom, since it’s a tighter space (though not in person). It is done in a darker green on one wall, surrounded by a neutral greige. We picked the sink out at Ikea, and found a nearly matching frame at Home Depot, along with the toilet and light fixture.
Hidden behind one of these large frames is the electrical panel. We had our contractor make the frames since they were so large, and so they would match. They are actually sheet metal covered in a fabric I picked up at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores, and I’ve used small round magnets from Target to hang up our kids’ art.
The frame in the back behind our exercise equipment was also done by then, and is a brewery map by Pop Chart Labs. By accident, it was also backed with sheet metal, which turned out really well so Brian can mark where he’s been with little magnets.
Instead of hiding our understairs storage door, we’ve framed and highlighted it. The paint looks like chalkboard paint, but it is not. It is, however, magnetic. The color is the same as the frames. Coraline likes to take the magnets and hide them under the door.
We are so happy with our new space! I have been working out, which is a much more pleasant experience. I can easily see the TV from the treadmill. And take a drink when I’m done.
Lest you think the space is always this clean, we do have a kid desk, easel, car track and workshop that sit out that I simply moved out for the photos, as well as games and other miscellaneous items on our shelves. It’s truly lived in and well used, and we’ve really put it to work this winter with all the snow we’ve been having!
We finally got some rain at the end of last week; it was nice not to have to water the garden. Also to start filling our rain barrel!
Brian called around local breweries and wineries looking for an old barrel; we obtained one a couple weeks ago and he built a stand for it and installed it around the shed gutters (also newly installed).
It has a minor leak around the spigot which he just installed, but otherwise it looks like it’s going to work out perfect.
The garden is coming along great, and I was excited to see the radishes shot straight up. Within a couple weeks I already had to thin them out. We also have pole beans, carrots and green onions sprouting, and the peppers and tomato plants are getting bigger.
Last week we also added mint and strawberries potted, planted lettuce, and some additional pepper plants and basil.
Saturday was also our very first crop share program pick up. After three years of being on the waiting list, we finally were able to obtain “shares” at a local farm. We pay a lump sum, and each week we pick up a box of fresh produce. In our box this week was kale, bok choy, turnips, radishes, mustard greens, and a lettuce head. You can’t see the lettuce head here or the bok choy.
I’m so excited with the fresh veggies we are going to have this summer!
This has been a tiring week, and it’s only Thursday. I even got to skip out of the Monday madness since we were driving back from Emma’s wedding.
But for some reason, it’s hard to get control of life this week. The kind of week when the To Do List feels populated with all the things that have been always been on the list, unnamed, but ignored for months.
The kind of week where you come home from work having not done anything of worth and at home you feel the same, because the laundry is piled up, the fridge is empty, the bathrooms and floors are dirty, and the desk looks like it has a year’s worth of mail and paperwork on it. And if you’re lucky like me you feel guilty because your partner is doing the cooking.
Today I tried to take back some control by listing those things out, that were overwhelming my subconscious with weight. I will try to tackle that list, slowly. But at least now it’s in the open.
And then maybe tonight I’ll do a load of laundry.
And tomorrow maybe we can talk about working on planning office furniture, laundry racks, and a garden bed.
JP, Lisa & Jonathan came over last Sunday for a small get together. We had ribs, beans, coleslaw and potatoes. Fresh salad greens from the farmers market the day prior.
These were some of my most successful outdoor photos yet. I love the pictures of Jonathan, splashing away in the water table. They’ve both tried to climb up in it, so this weekend we are thinking of breaking out Jameson’s water bounce house since it is expected to be so nice and warm!
Jonathan adored the slides, over and over. He didn’t mind going too quickly down the slide. Jameson is quite a bit more hesitant on the slides now, wanting to hold mom or dad’s hand.
Jameson seems to be our climber, and Jonathan, the daredevil!
The boys are interacting quite a bit, though it takes just a little while for them to warm up to each other. Meanwhile, Jameson sees Lily nearly every other day during the week, and they are becoming quite familiar with each other. He gave her a “hug” the other day, by laying his head against her chest. He was too shy to wrap his arms around her like he does mom and dad!
In a bit of related, but unrelated news, our play equipment is all in the front yard, due to what’s going on in our back. Our HOA (Home Owners Association) sent us a rather formal, scary note about removing “unsightly objects”.
I don’t know about you, but I think those photos don’t lie. The play equipment doesn’t seem the least bit “unsightly” to me.
P.S. This weekend is going to be packed with fun! We are planning a zoo trip with JP, Lisa & Jonathan tomorrow morning; and celebrating Brian’s birthday with family on Sunday! And Monday? It’s expected to be hot, so it might be a great time to bring out that water bounce house (which should be big enough for adults too, no joke, I’m excited!).
A couple weeks ago, we broke out Jameson’s new Sand and Water table. We purchased this one, with its classic lines and roadways, and nearly complete positive reviews. We’ve only filled it with water, but the children have enjoyed it a lot as just a water table!
Jameson and Lily love to laugh at (with?) each other now. One will start, and the other will squeal with them. Their laughter is catching for us too!
Jameson and Lily don’t seem to mind being soaking wet.
It’s so fun to watch them together and interact. When we say “hold Lily/Jameson’s hand!” they do! They also blow kisses to each other now.
Lily is a good influence on Jameson; he’ll sit still some when she’s around showing him what to do.
However, I’m sad to say that the backyard we’ve enjoyed so much already this summer is pretty well gone. We hauled all the outdoor toys into the front yard this weekend.
In our kitchen, there is a big wall that we always took our family pictures in front of. It’s what I like to call “builder beige”, like the rest of our house, though it’s not really the builder beige you might think. It does have some actual color and will take on different hues depending on the light. It’s subtle, light, and it suffices for now.
The same wall housed the giant ONE collage in photos for Jameson’s birthday (for months since we left it up for quite some time), and then most recently it held newspaper.
I read somewhere that newspaper can be an effective way to help determine placement of frames. I have been collecting frames for over a year now, and I’m ready to make a photo collage on my wall.
The newspaper though wasn’t doing it for me. I couldn’t remember what each of the frames looked like. Some are thinner, some have modern styles, some have mattes. I wanted to balance this all out, and the newspaper wasn’t working for me. The one thing it did tell me was that I needed some smaller frames, which we picked up on clearance at Target.
We left it up for a couple weeks, cause we’re I’m slow.
Then I turned to my good old pal, photoshop (and my phone, because I was too lazy to take nice photos). First I took the photo you see above, of the wall with newspapers I had already cut out to the shape of my frames. Then I took pictures of the frames themselves.
Do you see where this is going? I made some photoshop magic happen. I took all my frame pictures, cropped them, and resized them to fit within the newspapers on the wall since I already knew they were the proper size. Then, I removed the newspaper in photoshop with the healing brush (works like magic).
My first few designs looked something like this, because I wanted to try and follow a diagonal up the stairs. I couldn’t find the right balance though. I wasn’t satisfied with this.
Finally I came up with a design that lived by itself on the wall, contained in itself. It could be on any wall, not just this wall. It looked more like a collective.
I sent it to Brian, and we decided to put it up this weekend (I was tired of newspaper on our walls, and frames overtaking the guest/craft room floor).
Jameson was a big help, of course.
The first step was figuring out where to start, and we decided the upper right was a good location. Then we made our first mistake, by just eyeballing it.
We did nearly the entire top row which everything else was to be based on before we realized the frame in the upper right was too far to the left.
So back Brian went, to move the upper right frame over by about 4ish inches. Much better after that.
Learning from that mistake, Brian started laying out how much spacing should live between each of the frames and how wide that would make the collage. We still allowed for some flexibility, but we need to make sure everything would fit on the walls.
Jameson continued to be a big help.
This is also a great shot of his terrible haircut. Terrible.
Finally, after one failed nap later, Brian was putting up the last frame.
Observant folks will notice it doesn’t match my plan. That’s because, at the last minute, Brian decided he wanted to take one of the frames in to work with him (as was originally intended though he never had before).
With this frame out of the picture (so-to-speak), we made some last minute changes. I am not satisfied though so I will be finding a replacement for this frame to complete the wall and fulfill the vision I had before.
So it’s done, but not done. Because there’s still the critical piece missing, you know, where I actually fill the frames with photos.
Knowing myself, it will probably be another month or more before I fill the frames, but I’m already happy with how this looks. It makes the kitchen feel more complete, and Jameson LOVES to point at big picture of him and Sasha.
Speaking of, we are teaching him to say Sasha (and Uh-oh). He is practicing these two syllable words frequently and is pretty close. He is still completely missing the “S” sound in Sasha though. Adorable!