Among all of the congratulations (thank you!), one question is popping up repeatedly. How are we going to make room for another baby? After all, our hundred-year-old bungalow is just 1400 square feet, and I run my stationery business out of it.
My sweet, colorful, lovely little studio is going to move into the scary basement. I’ll miss you, studio!
I’ll be honest. I’m pretty sensitive to my surroundings, so working in our unfinished basement is going to be a bit depressing. Plus I scare easily and I think my assistant Erika might too, and I can see us both being weirded out by spending time down there. It IS a little spooky, but we don’t have any other options.
Eventually Brandon and I would like to put up drywall and make the lower level feel like the rest of our home, but we don’t have the budget right now. We’ll clean it up and arrange things as best we can, but I fear it will still be icky.
*Update*
I mentioned the basement walls in a couple of the comments below, but here is a photo. Unpaintable, bizarre crackled tiles. No ceiling either, and wires everywhere. Here’s a link to view the photo in a larger size.
My studio will become Eleanor’s new room though, and that will make me happy. It’s going to be adorable! And the room (12×12) feels so much bigger than her current space (7×14 with sloped ceilings), so that will be nice for her. The nursery will stay a nursery since it works really well as such. I do plan to make at least a few changes though, regardless of gender. I want the new baby to have a look of his/her own.
Now all of this puts greater urgency on #9 of my 30 Before Thirty list: Clean out the basement. All of this shuffling of space hinges on getting it ready, and I am SO not looking forward to that task.
Circa1972
September 13, 2010 at 4:45 pmNicole, what type of floor is in your basement? I’ve been taking care of our fieldstone foundation walls by sealing them with UGL DryLok’s fast plug cement and a coat of the UGL DryLok paint (after removing efflouresence). Now, I’m looking towards the floor. My laundry room is in my basement and I want this to be a happier space. There is an oldish layer of paint on the floor and I want to use a air compressed needle scaler to take back that paint, prime and use some concret paint to brighten the place. Big job, but I think it will be worth it. Just wondering what you’re thinking about product-wise for the floor! Best, M*
Isabel Lima
October 25, 2010 at 10:18 amHello, check out Layla’s dining room, where she took down the drywall, exposing the wooden structure behind. It looks absolutely beautiful!!!!!
http://theletteredcottage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Dining-Room-After-214×300.jpg
So, if you are on a budget, you might consider keeping them exposed. I know how not having a beautiful space to work can set you back in creativity. So I am really hoping you might be able to do something about your basement without spending too much money.
Revisiting the 30 Before Thirty List | Making it Lovely
November 6, 2011 at 9:09 pm[…] looks first.) * 08.16.11: Done!)9. Clean out the basement. (It’s getting scary down there, but we’ll get it done.) * 11.02.10: Done!30. Paint all of the trim in our house. (I made progress, but the dining room […]