Tackling The Basement: Chapter Four
Well, thanks to the generous and wonderful folks at True Value, we now have a totally dry and completely functional basement to use for storage galore (read about how we prepped and waterproofed the former bug graveyard here and here). And thanks to a little road trip to Ikea this weekend, we came home armed with pretty much every item that we planned to snag in this basic mood board of sorts that we shared last week:
- Expedit shelf (included in the total Expedit Workstation) -$120
- Torsby table (already owned, so it’s free!)
- A woven basket or two – $17 each
- Two Aneboda wardrobes – $100 a pop
- A few white storage boxes – $12 for two
- And a few green storage boxes to keep things interesting – $12 for two
- Expedit desk (included in the Expedit Workstation) accounted for above
And the room is really coming together. Especially thanks to the floor plan we brainstormed ahead of time to see which items would work where (and which ones would provide the most function without breaking the bank):
Of course we still have a lot more projects to take on (creating a new light fixture, rewrapping the water heater, building a screen to hide the ugly rewrapped water heater, dealing with the windows, DIYing a dehumidifier, etc). But here’s what the basement looks like now thanks to the addition of two Ikea Aneboda Wardrobes along with an Expedit Workstation and a few inexpensive accessories (like some faux plants for a bit of greenery and these storage boxes for even more concealed stashing space). Not to mention the Torsby table and a few extra wooden chairs that we already owned. We also brought down our bikes as planned, but have even more in store when it comes to sprucing up that back wall so stay tuned…
Oh and we still have to paint the built-in cabinet below, so don’t mind the dingy look of it now…
Not bad, eh? Just to refresh your memory, the room looked like this about a month ago:
But thanks to around $350 worth of Ikea furniture (the Expedit Workstation even happened to be on sale!) and around $400 worth of prepping supplies (thanks again True Value!) we were able to take the basement from scary cinder block dungeon to a waterproofed room that’s furniture ready.
Oh and we would show you the insides of those wardrobes but we still have a lot of organizing to do (am I a total nerd for feeling a little bit giddy when I say that?). So next on the agenda is going back to True Value to snag lots of awesome sealed plastic storage bins to stack tons of seasonal decor, sporting equipment and other stuff that we’d rather hide behind closed doors. Then it’s on to lighting, art and hiding that wart of a water heater. Fun, fun, fun.
And speaking of house warts, do you guys have any ugly eyesores (fuse boxes? propane tanks? carpet stains? damaged hardwoods? odd trap doors? ugly outlets?) that you’ve successfully camouflaged? Tell us all about it.
Psst- Here’s how we hid our fuse box in the den, our exterior propane tank, and some pretty gross plugs and outlets above our washer and dryer. Fingers crossed we can make that water heater disappear too…
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Comments
WOW! The basement looks amazing, I could only dream ours looked that good. At the moment it looks like something exploded down there, boxes, extra furniture (we moved furniture from Floria and Canada to Colorado) The house in Florida was 3500 square feet, the house here is 1,100 square feet… too much furniture for this house. I’m slowly working at it though and hopefully our basement can look as good as yours. IKEA is 13 hours one way from here, no trip there in the near future for me but next spring, IKEA here I come.
Looks awesome! Our current apartment is brand-spanking new and be-u-ti-ful. My first apartment, however, was the opposite of attractive. The living room wall had an old, boarded-odd AC unit. They just put particle board over it when the building switched to central air. Talk about an eyesore. I bought conduit piping the length of the wall and hugh super cheap beige curtains. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but a huge improvement.
what an amazing transformation! looks awesome! our quarter basement could use this makeover. but, we have some other issues to deal with – like treacherous stairs, bugs galore (we have a raised foundation and this quarter basement gives you access to crawl around under the house- should you be into that sort of thing.) it’s a place i never, ever, ever step foot into. i hate it. i don’t even like the idea of our holiday items being stored there. actually, i am getting the heebie jeebies just talking about it…so i’ll stop now. going back to my happy place!
I gotta ask–how sturdy are those aneboda wardrobes? I’m weighing (mostly ikea) options to use to make a pantry/storage. I like that they are less expensive than other options, but some of Ikea’s quality is questionable. Because it’s a pantry, it will get a lot of use so I wondered how well this particular piece would work.
Hey Donna,
Back in the last basement post when we shared our mood board picks we heard from quite a few Aneboda owners who really loved them- which helped us gain confidence as well. And after putting them together we can tell you that they’re an amazing bargain and they really look great (as you can see). They’re probably not durable thirty year solutions, but for stashing seasonal stuff (or food in your case) they totally fit the bill without breaking the bank! And the door inserts can be covered in fabric, paper or paint to spruce them up even further, so that’s always fun. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Woo-hoo! It looks awesome! What a great use of space and you’re going to have so much more storage room too. I look forward to seeing the finishing touches. Great work, treat yourself to dinner or something, you deserve it (after all the cardboard assembly)
Looks great! I really like it so far! Can’t wait to see the wall behind the bikes.
What’s the story behind the two chairs at the desk? Did you purchase them? Also, do you ever actually see yourself sitting at the desk in your unheated basement? What would you do there?
Hey Jennifer S,
Good question! The two chairs are actually just being stored in the basement, but we thought they looked cute tucked under the desk. They’re actually leftover from our dining table since we switched them out a while back for a leather bench seat just to keep things interesting. We probably won’t sit down there much (unless we’re tirelessly digging through boxes in search of something and want to take a load off while we’re at it). But it’s great to be able to put things like extra furnishings in the basement- especially when we can work them in seamlessly like we did with the chairs. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nice job…I’ve been anxiously awaiting the next basement reveal and it looks better than I anticipated! To answer your question about things we’ve successfully camouflaged…we’ll I’m almost embarrassed to admit I hide a carpet stain in my son’s room the other day with a round red rug…not very creative but I instantly felt better the next time I walked into his room!!
The basement looks sooo amazing! I am loveing the Expedit Workstation! Happy organizing!!
You guys have more energy and can-do-attitude than anyone I know (virtually or otherwise). Can I ask about the faux greens? Do you have one particular source you use for these? We have a strangely oriented home in that it’s kind of kitty-corner on our lot and doesn’t get a lot of good light so plants are sadly few and far between at our house. I don’t like too many of the silks out there so I thought i’d pick your brains for the ones you’re using!
Everything looks FANTASTIC!!
Nice job, It looks fabulous! You guys have inspired me to finish up a few home improvements of my own. Thanks for all the fantastic ideas!
P.S. Have you thought of adding a rug to your basement floor? I think a natural jute or seagrass rug would look awesome against the brown floors & the crisp white storage units. Just a thought. :)
this is seriously incredible! it looks so crisp and inviting, it’s easy to forget it’s a basement.
out of the ballpark youngsters, I love it!!!
I have a large basement utility room and your project gives me inspiration that my functional room can be lovely to look at too.
IKEA, come to Denver. now. seriously.
It looks great! I don’t know if you have been asked this yet, but after seeing the workstation there it made me think of a play/craft room. Once you have kids do you think you will consider making the basement a playroom? What are your plans for that or have you not put any thought into that yet?
Fabulous … you couldn’t buy that much additional real estate for $750. It sure pays to make use of every square inch you own.
Renae- We actually grabbed the faux-plants from Ikea and popped them into two baskets we already had for a cute dash of greenery in an otherwise lifeless room. There were some really good fakes there so just check them out and grab the ones that look the best to you (sticking them on top of things so they’re not as close-up also helps them to look more convincing).
Jennifer- Good question! We definitely have thought about adding a rug to bring in some warmth and texture. We still have a few more pressing projects on the agenda, but you bet if we find something that fits the budget we’ll be bringing it home in a heartbeat!
Sarah- We have actually thought about that! It would be a great future space for messy finger-painting and kids projects down the line. So glad to hear that you think it has potential to work that way as well!
xo,
s
Looks great! We have 2 wardrobes just like yours, but they are a birch color. Do you know of any way to paint them?? I am afraid to ruin them, but I think they would look great painted a crisp white like yours!
Hey Sara,
Hmm, good question! Since they’re not solid wood we’re not sure how durable it would be, but oil-based primer followed by latex paint could work. We’d suggest bringing a door or shelf to your local hardware store and seeing what the paint professionals there recommend. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
That looks amazing. It looks so crisp and fresh (that sounds like I am describing a cereal) for any room – let alone the basement! I love the white with green accents. AMAZING!!!!!
Looks great guys. Can’t wait to see the finished product. What is the small square table under the window going to be used for? Love all the storage down there.
We hid our electric boxes in our family room with a canvas piece of art. We made a wood frame around the electric boxes, than put hinges on one side and velco to keep the other side closed. I don’t have a blog, but here are the pictures of what I’m talking about.
http://www.lifamilies.com/i/pa/85646.jpg
http://www.lifamilies.com/i/pa/85645.jpg
Totally unrecognizable as a dingy-basement space. I love it!! What are you planning to use the space for?
I have a “workroom” / utility room that I currently use to sew in, but it is a disgusting mess. This might just be the inspiration I need to get my booty moving on it … and that Expedit Workstation could be the *perfect* sewing table. Hmmmmmm….
Jen Z- The small square table under the window is something we already owned so we plan to use it as a large shelf of sorts. Once we get all of the items that we plan to store down to the basement we like knowing that we can tuck things under the table and also store things on the table like it’s one giant floating shelf (plus it was free- bonus!). Hope it helps!
Laura- We’ll use the basement mostly for storage (seasonal stuff, bikes, sporting equipment, etc) but someday can see it working really well as a sort of art room/playroom for our kiddos (we’re talking waaay in the future here). It’s the perfect space to finger-painting and getting messy since everything is so wipeable. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I’ve been trying to figure out a way to add a closet to my basement and I’m thinking those wardrobes might be just what I need. My house (a 1940s ranch) has teeny, tiny closets and it would be nice to have somewhere to store out-of-season clothing. I’m just wondering if bugs will be able to get into them in the basement. Hmmmm……
Oh, and I love the workstation!
It looks great! I can’t wait until you show off your storage. I’m a sucker for organization :).
Looks great!
Save even more by checking your local craiglist (love it, love it, love it!!!). We’ve gotten quite a few IKEA pieces for abt half price. If you have universities/colleges in your area there are tons of listing at the end of each semester.
Sara- check with your local hardware store-there is paint for everything these days: formica, plastic, etc (we just painted our bathroom tile)
Sara
Hey Sara,
Great tip! We checked Craigslist like crazy to see what we could hunt down but in the end couldn’t turn up any of the specific pieces in white that we wanted. But it’s always a great option to save even more cashola than shopping at Ikea!
xo,
s
I’m excited to see the finished result!
1) May I ask why you went ahead with the furniture before you’d done the door and the dehumidifier, etc.? Won’t the new stuff get damp?
2) If you’re thinking about carpeting, you should carpet tiles. They’ll echo the squares in the Expedit, and it’s easy/cheap to replace one if a young Youngster gets a little carried away with the finger-painting.
3) This was a very mild improvement, but when I was studying abroad, our student apartment had vinyl “hardwood” flooring in the living room that was ripping up in the highest traffic area. After tripping on it umpteen-jillion times, I got some brown packing tape and taped it all back together in staggered strips that matched the hardwood pattern. It actually held till I left!
Hey Molly,
Good question! It’s dry as a bone down there. Seriously drier than our sunroom above it which has a daybed and all sorts of upholstery in it, so the dehumidifier is more of a fun DIY project that we’ll be taking on than a necessity. Even with weeks of rain it’s seriously Sahara Desert dry down there and we’re oh so grateful! And thanks for the carpet tile recommendations, we’ll definitely look into that option!
xo,
s
BRAVO!! Good work Youngsters! Your eye for style and crazy ability to transform any space never ceases to amaze me :o)
Looking great!!! I will admit, I’m most excited about the possibility that you might paint the outside door red to match the front door or if you will leave it black :)
It looks ahhhhhmazing! One question……..what is that cord going around the perimeter? That would drive me crazy I would have to get a cord hider and paint it to match the wall. (really I should talk, haven’t done this with some cables leading to the tv yet)
Also……….I saw an old episode on HGTV (don’t even remember the name of the show) where the hot water heater tank that was in a garage was hidden with pieces of peg board (so the holes keep ventilation) it was painted a fun color and just sat snug against the wall so any repairs could be easily done.
Hey Jill,
Since the basement was an addition and it’s made completely of cinder block walls, all the electrical (which we’re very thankful for) is external, so it does run around the room in some places (although we’d much rather have electricity and ample available outlets than lose the wires!). Your idea for a cord cover has definitely crossed our mind, although the builder appeared to have used some metal staples to hold the cord to the wall so it’s not really very straight so we’re not sure if we could conform a cord cover to truly hide it seamlessly. We did paint it to match the walls and in the space it’s not too bad- especially since we plan to add art to further obscure it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Wow- it looks fantastic! Great job! It must feel great to see it all coming together after your brutal fight with the mildew and putting all of that Ikea stuff together. That is the most organized basement I’ve ever seen in my life. If/when my hubby and I get a house, I would LOVE to have a basement as put together and organized as yours!
I love what you’ve done. It makes the room real usable. I would use it as a work out room!
That looks great!!
To Sara with the question about painting the Ikea cabinet…we have had great luck painting laminate/unusual surfaces by first priming with Zinsser’s B-I-N primer -it’s a shellac-based primer and sticks to just about everything! You will probably need two coats of that, then you can use latex paint to topcoat it. But be careful- the primer ruins brushes like mad, so I would use an old cheap brush that you don’t care about!
Wowzers!!! Can I move in down there? It looks that good! I was wondering what you were going to do with all the space you’re creating in your home, now that you can move all your sports and seasonal stuff down there?!! ;=) Also, because you live in the south and it’s so warm down there many months of the year, you’ll probably find it pleasant to work in the basement and it just may be cooler than outside in the summer! Congrats on the new space!
This might be me being neurotic… That big window makes me nervous and since your basement entrance seems to be tucked in the back of hte house (it seems), are you worried about break-ins? Any chic home security tactics?? Even window treatments would make me feel better about your stuff- lol!
PS– it looks awesome. I love the green and white boxes! I was thinking about what I could use them for in my own house!
Hey Abri,
We definitely will be altering the door and the windows to provide more privacy and security! Not to worry. We also have motion sensor lights around the perimeter of our home along with a whole house alarm and a pretty barky little dog so we feel great about our house’s protection. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Wow! It looks amazing! Very nice transformation :)
Have you guys decided on how/if you’ll hang the bikes?
We have this bike stand in our garage and love it…the bikes take up less space and look good, too:
Oh good! Didn’t want to sound like a safety officer, but it just stood out to me! Like I said, it looks great. I keep looking at the space and I just noticed how much I love the floor.
Robynne- We actually have had major issues with the cinder block walls (they can’t support any weight, so hanging bikes is out of the question). We’re now on the lookout for a cool freestanding stand, like the one Lauren recommended to us.
Lauren- Thanks so much for the suggestion! We love it, and especially love that it’s freestanding! Wahoo.
xo,
s
Thank goodness you’re swapping out the door and window! Every time I see the picture, I think “you must live in Mayberry”. I don’t think I could have lived one night without replacing it pronto. I don’t live in a crime-ridden neighborhood (not yet, anyway) but having experienced a burglary as a kid coming home from third grade, it definitely is an eye-opener. Congratulations on your progress, looking good!
And I was gonna ask were you going to paint…wow..yall did a great job looking at the after.
This is an inspiring post!! The basement looks so darn good. One question, do you think IKEA has any other bins/boxes/baskets that fit into the cubes on the desk center? After reading John’s hilarious post on assembling the boxes, I don’t think I can put myself through that :)
Nice work! I love a good before and after, even if you aren’t done with your plans yet. Looks great!
Can I ask why you guys aren’t making the switch to an tankless water heater? It just seems like an upgrade that would be right up your alley…not super expensive in the grand scheme of things), utility bills freindly, and eco-sound. They even make them in propane, gas, and electric now! Why not take the money for rewrapping and hiding it and start a little “tankless” fund? Not trying to tell you what to do, just an honest inquiry.
Looks great! I was thinking about your hot water heater…it reminded me of the radiator/heater things in the older houses that people convert into a seat or window box with a wooden framed cover. Granted it might not be a gorgeous window seat, but it could turn itself into some shelves (that move when needed). I love what you guys do. Thank you for the inspiration.
Gotta love Ikea! I just posted about an item that I’m currently lusting over from Ikea! Your basement is looking great! Very impressive!
I don’t understand why people are freaking out so much about security. It’s not like you’re keeping valuables down there. Anyway, what makes this any less secure than your ground-floor windows and doors?
I think it looks fantastic. You should hang those bicycles on the wall they are leaned against or hang them from the ceiling..instant art!
Very nice. Simple. Need those bike hooks on the walls so you can hang your bicycles…instant art…off the floor…win, win!
Nicole and Kristy- We actually have had major issues with the cinder block walls (they can’t support any weight, so hanging bikes is out of the question). We’re now on the lookout for a cool freestanding stand, like the one Lauren recommended to us a bunch of comments back. Stay tuned…
Cris- It has definitely crossed our mind and we have every intention of replacing our water heater with a tankless one when it’s no longer functional. We just have the hardest time sending it off to a landfill when it still works perfectly… but we’ve definitely considered that option. I guess we’ll just have to see where we end up!
Jackie W- Yup, in this post: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/tackling-the-basement-chapter-two/
Kristen- You’re in luck! Ikea offers a range of drawers, bins, boxes and baskets that come totally pre-assembled (at least we know some of the bins and baskets do) so you can definitely check those out online (just google Expedit) to see what comes up) or in the store (where all the baskets are located). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
YHL-
You have been nominated for the next blogger up for KREATIV blogger award. We hope to learn seven new things about you that we may not know:) Check out http://design2explore.blogspot.com/2009/11/kreativ-blogger-say-what.html as I nominated you as one of my fav’s. Feel Free to add on maybe seven new things we should know about you:)
look at all your extra room now! if only we had basements in florida…
as far as covering up eyesores, here is a “mean dog” sign that had to go buh-bye: http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com/2009/08/mean-flowers.html
only happy furries where i live. :)
kelly
They make some cool bike stands that use suspension between the floor and ceiling, so you don’t have to put holes in anything. I don’t know where to get them though. My boyfriend made one for his apartment- he has a knack for that sort of thing.
Looks great guys!
In our last house we hid our water heater (which is located outdoors) by covering it in some bamboo fencing like this http://www.allgreen.com.au/images/750355.jpg as it is bendy we just wrapped it around the water heater and used wire to hold it in place, it fit in with the garden around it instead of having an unsightly water heater…
You could also create a similar look by using a bamboo screen such as these http://www.shanghaished.com.au/furniture/furnitureweb/bamboo3screen.jpg
Not sure if it fits with your plans, but I kind of envisage this room becoming a bridge between the inside and out seeing as you will have sporting equipment and greenery, so thought I would suggest.
xx
just curious. what is the shelf looking thing on the wall in front of your bikes? i noticed it in the before photos too so obviously is must be important for it to still be there. i was also wondering what was on the wall where your new desk is residing now. looks interesting. from the photos my husband said it looked like an old hotel key/mail holder. share with us please.
The basement looks great!!! So, how is it holding up in this Monsoon of a rain storm we are having right now???
It’s really coming along, good work!
Do you think it might be wise to cover the windows? I worry that all spruced up, with items stored (including easily pawned bikes) maybe things shouldn’t be so visible from the outside. This might be a good room for window film.
Bicycle Rack – Aluminum Bike Racks – Tension Mounted
$19.99 – $129.00 from Stacks and Stacks.
Hey There! Long time reader first time commenter. Your basement is looking GREAT! I’ve enjoyed watching this transformation. Also, I use your HOW TO section A TON so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Diana
I’m pretty sure that this is the nicest storage room I’ve ever seen! I think I would enjoy organizing and rummaging through memory boxes in a room like this!
Oh, please do tell me if that freestanding bike rack actually works! i would it in my garage!!!!!!
Looks great! Can’t wait to see what you do screen-wise to hide the H2O heater! The idea of bikes as art is brilliant. Bikes are soooo pretty!
WOW, looks great! Wish I could say same about my slow-moving bathroom reno.
I was wondering how the basement is holding up in what NBC12′s weather blog is calling a massive Nor’easter, possibly dervied from once huricane IDA?? Hope it’s holding up better than me! Starting to feel like a drowned rat!
Vonda & Jessica- We’re happy to report that the basement is bone dry even after days (and a record number of inches) of heavy rain! We definitely tackled the basement just in time because weather like this is leaving nearly every basement in our neighborhood soggy and gross! Whew.
Dusa- Yup, the basement is now 100% spider free! We sealed up any cracks that led to the crawl space under the house (where many of the critters were getting in) before we Dryloked so now there’s not a spider (or other creepy crawly guy) to be seen. Hurrah!
Mandi- Yup, we’re definitely planning obscure the windows and the door for more privacy and added security. Stay tuned…
Tammylee- The built-in shelf that we kept (on the wall near the bikes) was still in good condition and we knew it would be useful and clean looking with a crisp coat of white paint (coming soon) so we left it in place since it’ll provide even more storage space. As for the old metal shelf that used to be hanging near the door, many people who saw it guessed that it was an old time-card holder from a factory but the previous owner had used it to store nuts and bolts and other small pieces and parts. In the end we knew we could get a lot more function out of that wall so we removed it and Freecycled it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
ooh la la! It looks so good! I love the new basement! Isn’t it awesome to make a great room out of a space you never used before?
I love the “organizing” part! Please tell me you own a label maker – all obsessive organizers (my self included in that) need a label maker. Its my absolute favorite tool. I went label happy in my new houses’ basement once I caught site of the built in shelves and was able to bring all of my plastic totes down there. It was heaven.
Your BUTT UGLY water heater(I say that w/ affection as it’s twin brother lived here for many years) has already been mentioned however…..We needed more space, upgraded to a tankless and found a home for our perfectly working one w/ a person w/ little $$. It is GREAT, 2 teens, 2 adults, countless wash and dishes later it was a fantastic investment.
Love your blog, Sharon
Sharon- We have definitely considered upgrading to a tankless water heater. And it’s so good to hear that you love your so much!
Kyley- Can you believe that I actually don’t officially own a label maker? I love to make little homemade labels though, like these for example: http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/08/tag-youre-it/
xo,
s
wow I have to say I really thought you would of had a label maker! haha. Maybe its better…when I got mine as a gift from the husband I have to say I went a little label happy. I’m surprised I didn’t label him! you just might have to add one to your xmas list! :) can’t wait to see the basement when everything is done!
This turned out great! And your post was very inspiring on giving me ideas to finish our basement space… I was having a hard time finding the right kind of inspiration online, b/c our basement is not a huge space like the ones you see in the pictures, all done up luxiously! It’s more like yours, maybe a little more square feet, but you have given us a grand example of refinishing a smaller basement on a budget. THANK YOU!!!!
Hey! I love what you’ve done with the basement (I have my own issues with my icky basement, so I’ve been following with much anticipation), but are you going to do some conduit cover to corral that wire you’ve got running around the room? I know, picky picky, but it’s so very close to perfect, I can’t help myself. I can’t see from the pix, but if it’s not already an insulated cable, you can get those plastic conduit thingies from the big box store and at least make the wire behave. And if it is insulated cable, you can probably get fasteners to get it tight to the wall so it runs tight and straight. Just sayin’.
Good luck and thanks for all the inspiration!
Hey Evilbunnie,
Yup, we’re definitely not done down there, we just brought in the big furnishings but we have lots of details to attend to. The wires were stapled to the wall in sort of a wavy pattern so it might be hard to find something flexible enough to hide them but that’s the plan!
xo,
s
well.. it definitely looks better than it did before.. you have made a terrific transformation so far… It kinda looks tho like if you replaced the Torsby table with a couple chairs it could be a small town doctors office …
After compulsively decorating/fixing/painting my first home only 4 weeks into moving in, let me tell you that I have a LOT more respect for the amount of work you guys (and everyone else you have featured as DIYers) have done. You show pretty pictures and amazing transformations, but I think it’s hard to really understand the amount of sweat and frustration that goes into these projects without actually having to do it.
That being said, how do you feel to have such an improvement over your old, unusable space? That Dryloking sounds like lesser couples would have divorced under such conditions! (I kid, I kid.)
Oh, and note on the tankless waterheater- I was gung ho about getting one in our new place, too, and mentioned it to our initial home inspector, and he surprised me by saying to save my money and for multiple reasons, the high price they are currently just don’t make up for it, especially if you just do the standard practice of keeping the temp low.
Hey Chrissy,
How interesting to hear that about tankless water heaters! It’s definitely something to think about and research a little further before we make a decision either way. And in the meantime we’re kind of excited to make our screen to hide the water heater so stay tuned. Oh and it’s true that showing the before, progress and after shots is just 1% of actually doing the job so we always love when readers truly understand the blood (sometimes), sweat (always), and tears (not usually) that go into our makeovers. And we’re nowhere close to done down here so stick around for lots more projects and potential divorces…
Ok, I was kidding about that last part. John’s actually a great little partner in crime.
xo,
s
It’s AMAZING! I love it, you guys. Please come to Seattle and work your magic on my gargage. I’ll fly you!
I can’t wait to see the finished project! I’ve been checking in everyday to see how the progress has been going. I, too, covet Ikea! I’m compiling my shopping list so I can go to the new Charlotte location next week. Now it is 45 minutes away instead of 2 hours!!! Thanks so much for all the neat ideas such as floor planning and how to weed out what does and does not fit the budget. And I’m seriously thinking twice about those Kassett boxes. As for how I hide the inevitable ugliness we all must face when it comes to storage, clutter, the hideous fuse box that stares us in the face, etc….here are some photos I thought I would share with you guys.
Conquering toy clutter:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44022801@N04/4100920956/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44022801@N04/4100919990/in/set-72157622671118533/
Covering the fuse box:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44022801@N04/4100923318/
Hiding all the clutter in the pantry/ laundry room (Very similar to your laundry area cover-up!):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44022801@N04/4100170047/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44022801@N04/4100929222/?addedcomment=1#comment72157622671245003
I think you’re wise to keep the old water heater until it dies. It is less “green” and more wasteful to throw out something that works just to buy something new. Although when it does die, it might be smart to look at tankless options.
Thanks Amanda! That’s pretty much the plan, but we really look forward to a tankless option someday…
xo,
s
We’re doing our basement too… last step of a 4 year remodel process.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seahills/sets/72157603881096769/detail/
Wow! It’s so awesome looking I could move down there! If it was temperature controlled and internet accessible it would make a neat office. On that note our office is moving to a groovy new space, and I you introduced me to the Expedit line at Ikea, and I think we are going with it! Thanks for sharing!