So I finally finished decking out the other half of my Instagram-arted basement pegboard. Yup, I added a little makeshift shelf that I primed and painted, got a non-electrical music device (how’s that for mysterious?), and even hung something kitchen-related as art. Actually a lot of you guys have been asking what we did with the cutting board that we picked up a couple of months ago as part of The Shops At Target collection, so… I give you… America The Pegboard-iful.
I just thought it made for some cool (and sawdust-proof) art, since I’m into maps and all.
It worked out nicely that the blue-painted edge of it coincidentally goes with my navy pegboard. Although down the road it might be fun to paint it a more contrast-y color (or use decorative tape). Or do something else entirely to add some more interest.
I contemplated painting the shape of Virginia on it to mark where our home state is located, but I think it would work better if we lived somewhere that floated in the middle of the country (like Utah or Missouri) since painting such a small coastal state like ours might not make much impact.
The other thing I’m enjoying up there is my new iPod dock, which I purchased for $45 through an Etsy seller (Index Drums). Gotta have tunes while I saw and drill to my heart’s content, right? And sometimes getting myself a little “prize” for organizing/upgrading/taking back a room that has long been neglected makes the process a little more exciting. So since I tackled a ton of projects in the basement using just sweat equity, scrap wood, leftover paint, and pre-existing pegboards – buying this guy to add some function to the room feels like a nice reward.
I stumbled upon it while looking for an affordable but unique music dock that also didn’t require me to plug it in. I knew I wanted it to sit up on that pegboard, and having a big cord coming across my workspace would be obnoxious. So this plywood dock was perfect – especially since it never has to be charged or anything. It basically is just an echo chamber that naturally amplifies the sound that comes out of my iPhone’s built-in speaker.
The custom listing I purchased from even allowed me to indicate the type of case that my phone was in so they could carve the slot to the exact proportions of my device. I also got to pick the painted design and the colors. I’ve been very happy with it so far. It’s no BOSE speaker, but it looks good, sounds good, and I like that it doesn’t require any batteries or charging.
I quickly put together the shelf that everything sits on by just notching out and painting a piece of scrap wood so that it would balance on a couple of pegboard hooks.
As for the other stuff on the shelf, I grabbed a white elephant (from book project #197) and one of these Warhol soup cans to hold my pens. Er, well, pen for now.
And with those simple but functional additions, I’ve officially used all of the pegboard space in the basement. Not gonna lie, these little functional/organizational coups can feel just as exciting as building a deck or gutting a bathroom. I have no idea why. Maybe just because when you stand in a space all the time, and actually know where everything is and like the way it looks, well, that’s a special kind of house-love going on. And you know I have a thing for my pegboards…
Has anybody else hung anything unusual (on pegboards or just the wall at large) lately? When you look at this project, I put a cutting board, a chunk of scrap wood, a soup can, and a plastic elephant on my wall. I think that counts as unusual, right?
The basement has come such a long way! Who WOULDN’T want to work in that space now? It’s wonderful!
Thanks!
-John
Makes me wish I had a basement to get organized in! And I totally relate with the excitement from organizing is up there with re-making a room.
I like to put strange things on my wall, too. I took some of my dad’s boat propellers and put them on the wall in my son’s nursery. It’s nautical-themed and has meaning since my dad use to repair boat propellers as a job.
http://www.jensoncrew.blogspot.com/2011/04/propellers-on-wall.html
Really cool! Such a smart placement (over the bookcase) and really cool to bolt them in to strongly like that!
xo
s
I want our basement workspace to look like this.
Love the map! Although this doesn’t look nearly as cool, to naturally amplify your iPhone you can also just put it in a cup or bowl (play around with different sized dishes to see the effect). I’m sure it doesn’t sound quite as good but its free!
That’s really cool!
xo
s
Till you decide if you are going to paint the United States you could put a tiny heart sticker (or the tiny gold stars they used to give out at school) on it to show where you are.
Maybe a few for where you are each from or even places you have been or wanna go?
That’s cute!
xo
s
That ipod dock is so awesome! what an amazing idea! Thanks for sharing!
That is a fun cutting board and I love the idea of painting your state to represent where you live. I live in Michigan and looked back at it and realized that it is not even there!!! Wonder how that got past the design of the board. We do have a pretty significant shape:)
Isn’t that funny? A few things are definitely wonky when you look a little closer :)
xo
s
Oh wow, it just looks amazing. Love how organized everything is – I pine for peg boards in our walk out -basement/garage!
Wow!! It looks great all dressed up with the bright pops against the navy blue. Still makes me want to paint my son’s pegboard, and add some fun shelves. I want the iPod speaker dock for myself! ;) And maybe buy one for my husband for the garage (Father’s Day?). We have two different iPhones.
My big question is how you are able to achieve the nothingness on top of the workbench! I fight daily for this in 2 square feet on my kitchen counter. Our sight unseen garage workbench is a long way from that.
-Sandra
The key is all of that storage space under it (there are lots of shelves for things like scrap wood, larger tools, etc). I do have to force myself to clean the top (I always want to just “leave it for later” but in the end I’m glad I did).
-John
I’m digging the color of that peg board! What paint did you use? I bet you listed it somewhere, but in case I can’t find it, could you hook a sister up?
It’s Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.
xo
s
I am SO jealous of that workroom. It looks fantastic. Maybe someday I will make a room like that in my big creepy basement.
Wow! Looks great. If I had a space that was functional and pretty I would tackle so many projects because I’d never want to leave!
So jealous of your ability to stay clean and organized, everytime I do a project it looks like a tool bomb went off, and it takes me a day to clean it all up. I’ll have to scour your site for tips to keep my own space organized.
OH – I wanted that US map cutting board since we’re going to do a map theme in our daughter’s big girl room but Target had them all of a sudden and then just as suddenly the entire collection was gone. :(
Man, that looks so organized. I look around my garage and I have such dreams… *sigh* I have all kinds of Rubbermaid shelving units, tons of metal shelves and hooks from Ikea (sitting in bags), and other assorted cool organizational ideas. But… no execution. Love yours!
I have that same cutting board and I made mine into a chalkboard. Love it as art just the way you have it, but if you’re looking for options, maybe paint the heart over Virginia and then gloss it up and use it as a dry erase board for quickie notes?
That’s cute!
xo
s
You know…for self-designated cheapos, that 45$ ipod dock is really not the most frugal purchase…a simple glass bowl would resonate just as much and would do the trick…
Sometimes I think you guys just pretend to be frugal for the blog’s sake when in fact you really are not…45$ for a wooden box that your ipod….thats seems foolish to me.
Just own up to the fact that a glass bowl would not have been “design enough” for you….that’s fine!! But please, stop calling yourself cheapos!
Well, let’s see, we cut our own hair, drive one car, coupon, eat at home, build our own decks/patios, gut our own kitchens & bathrooms, and even cloth diaper – all in the name of saving money! I think to lots of people that’s cheap-o! Sometimes we save our pennies and splurge on things that seem worth it to us (ex: a trip to Hawaii, a wooden box for John’s ipod) but that doesn’t mean we aren’t frugal in many of the choices that we make every day. I think that if given $100, every single person on earth would spend it a different way! Also, this box is designed to amplify much louder and clearer than a bowl (it’s a snug fit, so the sound is a lot more “directed” and carries more if that makes sense) so that works better when sawing is going on. Plus we love supporting small businesses like Etsy folks :)
xo,
s
Ugh, what a mean way to approach this, Megain. I was thinking that I was happy to see John and Sherry spend a little money on themselves! How ridiculous to attack their entire philosopy just because they splurge where they see fit. Your tone was completely mean and angry. Sherry, so sorry that you guys ever have to deal with criticism that people don’t know how to formulate constructively.
Hey, we save so we can splurge on something. Even folks on a limited budget do this. I love how this uses no power (except for the ipod/iphone battery), and will not break down (unless you saw through it by mistake.) I like supporting good design if I can afford it. I wonder if an android phone will fit in …
Aw thanks guys!
xo
s
What a nasty comment. John could have dropped $100+ dollars on a state-of-the-art wireless speaker, but instead he treated himself to a $45, stylish alternative, and supported a small business in the process. This is a blog about renovating and, yes, designing a home. While a glass bowl would technically work, it isn’t exactly in keeping with the design aspect of the blog. If John and Sherry lived up to your definition of frugal in every single thing they did, there wouldn’t be a blog because they would have just left most of everything in their home as they found it because, technically, it all worked. In a world where it’s not unusual to spend absurd amounts of money on renovating and decorating a home, John and Sherry are frugal, and accusing them of faking that based on a $45 splurge is just weird.
The main reason YHL is my favorite resource is because of their cheap nature. There is nothing wrong with pinching pennies so that you can splurge in areas you want to. John and Sherry do a great job and creating projects that are in 90% of the population’s budget.
I picked up o of those USA cutting boards at target back when you featured them before. I put tacks in all the places my hubby and I have visited and stretched embroidery thread between them to map the various trips we’ve taken. It might be a nice way to map out your book tour.
John- the basement keeps getting more and more awesome! I am loving it! We love maps too, and what a terrific way to use a unique piece!
Thanks Laura!
-John
still loving the navy blue on the peg boards. and all the little details make it feel thought out (instead of just shoved in the basement). love to see when a creative space is not just functional, but also inspiring and inviting! thanks for sharing!
Did you do something special to the hooks that you used to set the shelf on? They look like they have little blue knobs (I really wanted to say balls, but that just didn’t sound right! HAHA) on the ends. Or did you buy them like that?
They were hooks from Lowe’s (I think) that they came with little blue rubber grips on the end. It actually probably would’ve been easier to set the shelf without them, but oh well!
-John
Looks great John! Love the cutting board. Have you thought of putting little pins on that or something else to map all of your travels from the book travel?
We have one of these: http://www.mapyourtravels.com/personalized-world-traveler-map?gclid=CIWastuJjrUCFYw-MgodsXkAPQ but I bet you guys could come up with something more DIY :)
We’re actually planning to do that with our cork backed map in the frame hallway when we’re done! We’ll use new pins all of the same color to delineate the tour spots!
xo
s
that is the prettiest and most organized workspace i have ever seen!
Love the iPod dock! Perfect gift for my husband! He usually knows what he is getting for birthdays/Christmas, etc., so this would be cool to get him. He would love it in his workshop too! Do you really prefer it over a radio/CD player? I know you can customize list on your phone and all, but is it really that loud? Do you have any problems with hearing it? Say on the other side of the basement, etc.? He likes his louder than me so just wondering… thanks!
Room looks great!
It’s definitely not a boom box or anything, but it’s definitely loud enough when there’s sawing going on! It’s just one room, so I don’t think it would carry across a few different spaces, but in one place where you’re standing and working it’s great.
-John
Such a huge before and after down there. And John, you can completely tell it was a labor of love. I’m digging how you brought family into a space that’s seen as traditionally male with the CD case instagrams and, best of all, AN ELEPHANT! Sherry, have you made it to one animal in every room of the house yet? I’m there (bathroom included– that’s where Ramsey’s ghost lives, hanging on the wall above the toilet, watching everyone have at it), but our place is much smaller :)
Ooh yes, I have a new rule. Ten per room. Think that’ll catch on?
xo
s
I used a peg board to display records that I use to listen to as a kid. that They didn’t have any of their jackets any more and my four year old enjoyed listening to them. So putting them on the pegboard not only protects them but makes them easier for us to find the one we want. Also I think it makes for a fun display.
http://rememberwren.com/2012/09/04/scary-bears/
Fun!
xo
s
Re the cutting board map: You should paint in all of the states you’ve visited on your book tour!
It looks awesome! You did a fantastic job and I wish my unfinished space looked exactly like that!
Fab me! My daughter’s nursery. “Weird, quirky, colorful?” Yep, that sums up my baby girl’s room!
Your little additions really turn your basement into a cosy one, John! If we had an organized workbench and happy pegboards with such cool extras, my man would actually get me to do some work down in our basement. I can only imagine how much more inspired you must be to get your hands on the next DIY-project! :)
Very cool, John. Now all you need is one of those gel mats for your feet. I’m guessing the concrete gets pretty tough on the feet and knees during a long project. I’ve only seen them in kitchens, but why not a workshop?
I love, love, love it all!
This is the most organized work room I’ve ever seen! Turned out great! Love the navy!
That speaker is so cool! That work station would make me want to get some serious work done, that’s for sure.
Your garage is more clean and ordered of my room. And more beauty!
Oh, I whant a workshop like that! Because -ehm- I’m the “man” in my family…
Kiss from Italy ^*^
Baci dall’Italia ^*^
I am sorry — that is the best looking basement/work area I have ever seen. It’s so inspriational when you have a clean, bright area with plenty of open counter space.
I hope to some day have a craft/gift wrapping room (like Candy Spelling).
John — I guess you and Tori now have something in common!
Ha, thanks Kerry!
-John
Your basement looks so tidy and practical! It makes me want to do something with ours – we have one side we want to finish, but the other side is just a mess of boxes and paint cans. Need to get on that!
Love your taste in music…Two Door Cinema Club!
That looks great! You’ve inspired me to reclaim our workshop/storage space. I’ve ignored it thinking it’s my husband’s space/responsibility but I’m in there just as often if not more. Any tips or links for organizing the 15 different kinds of screws, 12 variety of nails and all the other fasteners and odds ‘n’ ends?
Yes, I actually did a post about how I tackled that here! Took a while up front but now it saves me lots of time. https://www.younghouselove.com/2012/10/classic-peg/
-John
John, I must say you got a very fancy work station/basement!
Love the Ipod dock too.
Thanks Lary!
-John
This might sound strange but have you thought about putting lighting under the counter, such as rope lights? I have been following your blog for awhile and noticed that most photos show the lighting in your workshop coming from above. While I don’t think you need mood lighting (though it might enhance your music playlist), it seems it would help see the items on the bottom shelves. Of course you could just add to the lighting from above. That is what my husband did for his workshop and garage. We live in the Pacific Northwest so it can get dreary during the winter so the additional lighting helps (both visually and emotionally). Washingtonian joke – Of course he’s SAD, the weather sucks. Anyway, thought I would share my crazy idea.
That’s actually a really cool idea June! We’ve talked about adding lights in some way but never thought of that!
xo
s
This pegboard looks good enough that I could see bringing one indoors…it’s so functional and FUN! Maybe in our office where a little fancied-up utilitarian style would fit in well. Well done, John!
I love all the additions. I never knew how much potential a peg board had….all the possibilities. :-)
My husband is lacking organization in the garage. He works in a creative mess. :) I wonder how I can get rid of him for a weekend and organize his garage for him??? I love your area John!
Maybe I missed it, but have you done a bigger picture of the basement yet? I’m sure it’s not done, but I really want to see the wide open, floor area…I’m a sucker for clean, empty space. :-P Or were you planning on showing us soon?
Oh yes, we’re well overdue on that! We have a few more things to finish up and then we’ll do a big wide b&a with a budget breakdown :)
xo
s
Looks great! Have you ever thought of painting that pipe running in front of the pegboard a bright color? Could look cool…
They’re covered with insulation, so I’m not sure if we could… that’s a fun idea though!
xo
s
Love the creativity with the wood! Work with it plenty in my line of work and always love to see what talented people can do with it as a hobby outlet or DIY type project.
Congrats and Cheers!
Okay, silly question but as a new homeowner there are no silly questions right? How do you hang your pegboard on a concrete wall so that there’s space for the pegs to peg-themselved behind the board. I told my husband there must be an easy way that probably involves a concrete drill bit. He said No. I think he’s wrong. Can you settle the big debate between a ginger and a giant? :)
Ours were already hung for us, but it looks like someone just used a screw with a nut behind it as a spaces (so the nut bumped the board out of the wall enough for the pegs to hold in that space it created). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Love the wall art in your workshop. The blue painted peg board looks great with all the other colors.
Is there a before/after post of this space so I can shame my husband into organizing our garage? ;-)
When we’re done with the whole room we’ll share b&a pics and a full budget breakdown for ya!
xo
s