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The Basement Studio and Playroom Plan

May
22 35
comments

All right, I’ve decided on a rug. I had to turn to my good friend Photoshop to help me figure out which would be the best in the space, and this pink and white one looked best. I found it thanks to some of the comments on my post about the basement rug situation, so thanks for the recommendations! I also put a post together with a bunch of my favorite indoor/outdoor rugs over here. Check it out if you’re in the market.

The värde was c/o IKEA, and we’ve had that orange daybed for years. It was originally in our short-lived guest room (now the nursery). It should be good on the playroom side of the basement, and I’m going to skip a rug on that side. Kathryn pointed out that her kids actually prefer a bare floor to slide around on, so we’re going to give it a go.

We’ve had the 4 Seasons in Chicago (first edition) print for a while now too. Brandon gave it to me as a gift, and I’m looking forward to having it up on the walls. And speaking of the walls… I’m rethinking that grellow color. I chose it thinking that the floor on that side would be offset by the black and white rug, taking up most of the space. now that it’s gone though, I’m not sure I like the way it’s looking. I’ve never painted a room white before, but might like it here. I’m still thinking about doing a paint-by-numbers wall mural too. How awesome would that be?

It’s kind of a commitment though, eh? And you know that if we ever move, it will suffer the same fate as the dragon that I painted over when we moved in.


Update:
I made a mockup.

It looks awesome.

link    Basement, My Home, Play Room, Studio  •  35 Comments  •  May 22, 2012

First Barbecue of the Summer

May
21 39
comments

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Yesterday for lunch, we barbecued for the first time this year. It was so good we grilled again for dinner! This was the scene.

Ah, those leaf plates. I’ve had them for years and I still love them. It was Brandon’s idea to add them to the table, and a good one at that, though somewhat surprising (because he hates them!).

We need to get out there and clean up the garden. I ignored it last year (excuse: I had a baby and a toddler), and this year things are bad out there. It is, however, much easier to overlook the garden being overgrown and overtaken by weeds if your peonies are in bloom.

A patterned tablecloth probably helps too. This is the same one I used for Eleanor’s birthday party, but I think I like it outside even better.

My family always used paper plates and plastic cups and cutlery outside, but I like to use our regular dishware. We do use plastic/melamine plates and cups sometimes (we did for dinner yesterday), but I still like those better than disposables. Plus the wind doesn’t toss a real plate like it does a paper one.

How do you set the table outside? I like to set out stacks of plates too, and let everyone help themselves, buffet-style.

Eleanor was so excited about being able to eat outside. I think we all were.

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link    Outside  •  39 Comments  •  May 21, 2012

Possible Rugs for the Basement

May
14 105
comments

Our cats are jerks. They’ve destroyed the black and white striped rugs in the basement.

Violet pees on them, Mabel poops, and Kili throws up. It’s quite the trio we have! (Jerks.) Mercifully, they’ve left the rest of the house alone. I assume that because their litter boxes are down there, they view the entire basement as free reign. We tried our best to salvage the rugs, cleaning them and dousing them in dubious pet stain removers, but they’re a lost cause at this point. We considered having them professionally cleaned as a last resort, but the rugs were cheap, the cleaning would cost nearly as much as new ones, and it would be a lost cause anyway.

The basement floor is painted concrete, so I’d like to still have rugs down there, but we need something indestructible. Either carpet tiles that can be removed for washing (or replaced), or an outdoor rug that can be scrubbed and hosed down every so often. Here are some that I’m considering.

  1. Parallel Beauty Carpet Tiles
    Probably my favorite of the bunch, especially for the play room side of the basement. They’re graded for contract use, so they should hold up, but I’m not sure. I may need to go check these out in person.

  2. Trimaran Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug
    Neutral, safe. Not bad, but not terribly exiting or inspired.

  3. Chevron Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug
    The lease expensive option, but I wonder if I’m over bringing more chevron into the house. We already have a zigzag rug in the living room.

  4. Kitchen Sink Indoor/Outdoor Rug
    I like this one a lot, up close, but I’m not sure about it from farther back.

  5. Negril Indoor/Outdoor Rug
    I like that the pink is so prominent, but I don’t think the colors would play well with the basement’s olive green floor.

link    'R' for Rugs, Basement  •  105 Comments  •  May 14, 2012

Some Affordable Bathroom Update Ideas

May
10 21
comments

I’ve been sort of planning a little redo for our main bathroom. Not in any real, concrete way, mind you. More of a “gee, we’ve lived here for five years and have never touched the space, aside from hanging up a shower curtain” kind of way. (I’ve never even showed it properly, other than this shot.) So I’ve been looking at affordable updates, and I put a whole roundup together of bathroom decor under $50. I think a new shower curtain may be in order at the very least.

Sources: shower curtain • Botticelli Angel paint • mirror • wall vases • washing machine hamper • bath mat • cart • more here

link    'D' for Decorating, Bathrooms  •  21 Comments  •  May 10, 2012

The Laundry Room, As it Usually Looks

May
1 40
comments

I’ve shown you my laundry room before, all clean and new and shiny. Oh, you cute little joke of a drying rack! How adorable you were, yet how ineffective! We replaced it with these folding racks, and while the function was greatly improved, it looks messier. Especially since we usually have clothes draped all over the place. This is what the laundry room usually looks like.

Is it weird that most of my clothes seem to color-coordinate with the washer and dryer? Let’s pretend it isn’t. Even the umbrella that’s in the room for some reason works with the room. (And that umbrella, by the way, is from when I first discovered the work of Salvador Dali, as a teenager. Because apparently I was an umbrella-obsessed youth.)

Brandon washes the clothes, and I put them away. I actually like putting things away when I know that they have a specific place to be, all neat and orderly, and folding laundry relaxes me. It’s part of my personality that I can leave clutter out in plain view, but the things behind doors, in cupboards, drawers, and closets, all need to be neat. Are you like that?

So yes, Brandon does 99% of our laundry; he always has. We’ve also always liked and used Method’s detergent. I like it a whole lot more now too, after learning about the company. One interesting thing they talked about was the ripple effect their laundry detergent had across the industry. They were able to super-concentrate it to previously unheard of levels, in order to package less water and be more eco-friendly. A competitor then used the technique for their own version , and the big box stores loved it — not because it was more green, but because they could fit more product on the shelves in less space. So the giant stores put pressure on the industry, and soon everyone started offering smaller versions with less water. It wasn’t done with the green conscience that Method had, but the end result was still good for the environment.

Oh, and remember when I said you were going to want to see the Method guy sing? Yeah. It’s time.

Awesome. I’m going to sing it while putting away our clothes now.

US readers can print a $2 coupon from Method’s Facebook page on Thursdays in May, and CA readers can use the discount code “WASHME” here. They also have a photo contest you can enter for a chance at a year’s supply of Method detergent.

link    Laundry Room  •  40 Comments  •  May 1, 2012

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