July 13, 2011

Behold, the basement.

When we bought our house two years ago, it was a new construction. We got a pretty good deal on it and we are the first people to live in it.

Sounds fancy right?

But holy hannah people, it is a lot of work! 


We have an unfinished basement and since winter around here seems to last about ten months out of the year, we really wanted to at least get the family room done so the kids would have more room to play. Especially since in the middle of winter, the basement always feels about... oh, negative frostbite on your nose degrees.

While that may be nice during the two weeks of summer here, still, concrete floors and insulation walls don't exactly scream welcome! Come play down here.

So once our budget allowed it, we went to work on it.

I say "we" for glory purposes, but mostly, it was Hubby.

With the exception of getting the fireplace installed and a little help received from his brothers and myself, he has done everything himself, and I do mean everything! 

The electrical wiring, the framing, hanging the sheet rock, the mudding, taping, and sanding, which is downright horrid I tell you!



Poor guy.

After texturing the ceiling and walls, primer was put on, then Hubby started on the trim. He is actually quite a skilled carpenter and he did a fabulous job!

Once the trim was done and painted, we tried to think of what color to paint the walls.

Wow, I can't even begin to tell you what a pain that was! You think you like a color, so you get a sample of it, then realize you don't like it. Then you try again. And again. And again. And again!

At one point, our "sample wall" in the basement probably had five different colors on it.

Finally Hubby said enough! Just pick a color, and that's what we're getting, no matter what!

So we decided on a color that we had NOT gotten and sample of. I know right? Weird.

I was so nervous about I even had a nightmare about it the day before we painted. I sure the walls were going to end up periwinkle. (that's a color if you didn't already know) But surprisingly, the color turned out rather nice.


BEFORE: (I took these pictures while he was working on the trim so some of it is already done in the pictures)


 He made a play area for the kids under the stairs.



AFTER: Imagine built in bookshelves on both sides of the fireplace and Hubby's someday big screen television above the mantle.



Not bad eh? We're super excited for the extra space! There are still some things to work on but it's usable now.

It was a painstakingly slow process since Hubby was a one-man show, but he did good, real good.


Now if only I could convince him the bathroom down there needs to be done next instead of last!

Clearly, he's never done the potty training around here.

15 super cool people speak:

Amy said...

Love it love it love it!! The color is beautiful.
I would Lu-HUV to have a basement in my house some day. A place for the kids to go play so their bedrooms can actually be a place they can be sent to for punishment. :)
I love the little cranny under the stairs. I want one of those in my house someday too. One with a wardrobe in front of it so you feel like you're going to Narnia when you step through.

Lauren said...

Your basement looks awesome!! Love the color.

Susan Anderson said...

I am so impressed that he is able to do all of that by himself. Tell him he's the new hero of this highly discriminating blog lady you know...

;)

PS. It looks great!

Susan Anderson said...

PPS. I think he should have goggles to go with his mask.

=)

Amanda Joy Petersen said...

He did a great job! I long for a gorgeous basement like yours:)

Ours was built in 1952, with lime green, harvest gold, and brown floral carpet. The floor is accented by the rough cut pine paneling on the walls... so covered in shellac that you could probably ice skate on them if they weren't vertical:)

We have to move for grad school next year, so there is little reason to fix iright now:)

ldsjaneite said...

This is wonderful! Great job to you both!

I understand the hard work with a brand new construction. We went through the same thing when I was 15 and we moved to brand new home--the first (and only) I remember of all my homes. DE is known for its red clay--a beast when it comes to fixing up the yard and planting trees. After a few years and some seminary classes among sheet-covered walls, my brother used his construction skills and finished the basement. It was lovely. Mom then got her wonderful Sun Room. And then they had to move. I still miss that house--and I only lived in it for a few years. So hard to put in all that work b/c one really becomes attached!

Enjoy every bit of your hard work! You all deserve it.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

Oh, it looks magnificent! I love the little bums in the crawl space picture! Can I come over and scribble on your walls...before your children do??? :) (curses to me!) Great job, it's beautiful!

The Bagley Family said...

I am PEA green with envy...I mean I was pea green with envy when you said you had a basement with concrete floors! Cause ours is a mud basement, filled with spiders and is something out of a horror movie.
Enjoy!!!

Cheeseboy said...

Looks really good. I always said this is exactly why I wouldn't buy a brand new house. But an old house is turning out to be a ton of work too. Everything has to get replaced eventually.

Your husband is THE MAN! Can he come remodel our basement for us?

Brittney said...

WAY TO GO LUKE!!!! HE rocks!!!! SEriously seriously seriously. Kent could never do any of that unless someone was showing him everything to do (me either). I wish that was a skill or desire he had, but I'll just be happy for the talents he does have.

It looks amazing, and little cubbies under the stairs are so incredibly fun for kids. I LOVE IT!

TisforTonya said...

our basement bathroom was finally put in 2 years ago... about the time the kids were completely potty-trained and off to school... yeah, great timing on that one right?

looks awesome!

Kira said...

Well done Luke. What fantastic skills.

Anonymous said...

Oh that looks AMAZING! I am VERY impressed! Love the color too! What is it by the way?

Mama Smith said...

We have super high REGARDS for Luke, also...He saved your dad's attempt at putting up a barn...I can't IMAGINE what the barn would have looked like...til Luke saved the day! I was just thinking...even the cows might not have thought it safe...to go inside...In fact...I have pictures to PROVE...it would have been UNSAFE...Sometime I will need to post those "beginnings" of the construction...It was hilarious...

Larsen said...

it looks awesome!! luke is quite a talented man! congrats!

kyle

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