Yes I know, cliche but SO true! What a difference paint can make!

The basement of our house is multifunctional. Part of it is Chef Kev’s media room (or “man cave” as some may say… but not me, because that term kind of annoys me) and the other part is a one bedroom (currently vacant) income suite. And ALL of it was UGLY.

For reals. Industrial blue/grey carpet, painted brown trim and doors (nope, not wood but deliberately painted milk chocolate brown trim and doors). And yes, it was oil based. And the cherry on top? Well, not a cherry but rather mustard. Yes, mustard yellow walls to go with the blue carpet and milk chocolate trim and doors.

Yum.

It was all kinds of special. The top two floors of our house had been nicely updated by past owners but heading down the basement was like entering a different dimension. We are going to renovate the basement down the road and will update the carpet at that time so for now it stays. However, milk chocolate had to become white chocolate and mustard had to become grey. It was an order (by me).

But enough about that… you want before and afters right? I’ll share the space leading down to Chef Kev’s non-man-cave but save the suite paint for another post.

Oh, and due to the MONSTROSITY of this job (four coats on all the trim and doors anyone?), we hired it out. Thank goodness for Uncles who paint #unclechrisforthewin! #andhisfriendmike

Opening the door to head to the basement used to look like this (not too ugly yet but just you wait)…

(See, the real ugly is starting).

But now it looks like this:

And now…

We still have a ton to do in here (details in this post) but it’s starting to take shape!

Before:

Oh, notice the brown venetian shades too? Evvverywherrrre down here…. But gone now… We have some white ones that are going to be installed this weekend.

The other side of the room before:

And now:

And one more thing to note, looking towards the hall before you will see we had three doors in about 6 square feet (the one you can’t see is the one I showed earlier which leads to the hall between our side and the suite). THREE. Weird.

So, now we have one (the one you can’t see from this angle but I promise it’s there). Because, ain’t nobody got time for three doors!

So, here we are! Still a lot to do but SO much fresher and brighter. And the carpet doesn’t even look half bad now since it’s paired with colours that MAKE SENSE!  Sorry, to yell, just passionate that milk chocolate and mustard never ever need to meet again.

Progress!

Happy March!

March is my birthday month! Yay cake.

Here are the desktop calendars that caught my eye this month. To download, click on the link below each image and follow the prompts on the artist’s blog. A lot also have smart phone versions too so if that’s your ‘thang’ then go and get ’em.

Enjoy!

Craftberry Bush

Dawn Nicole

Purple Trail

Sarah Hearts

Verónica Valenzuela via Smashing Magazine

Red Stamp

cu-rio

papier bon bon

Salt Design

Silvia Bukovac via Smashing Magazine

Moira Fuller

Last month I left you with our progress on the double desk in our office/bonus room. At that point it was looking like this:

The desk was complete but in need of stain (if you are new to this blog you may wish to catch up on the vision for this space here).

Well, wait no more. Ta da!

Stained!

We went with a nice rich brown that was deep, but not too dark. Here is how we did it…

First, I taped around the wood desk top along the walls and cabinets. The desk is fixed to the wall so I could not pull it out.

Then, I gave the desk a thorough light sanding (220 grit sandpaper) and followed that with a tack cloth to pick up all the dust.

Next, I did a coat of wood conditioner. Wood conditioner is great for prepping your surface to receive the stain uniformly. I used Miniwax Water based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. I chose the water based product because it has less fumes and clean up is easier.

I applied the wood conditioner with a brush and used a rag to rub it in and pick up the excess conditioner. After it dried I did another light sand and followed again with a tack cloth.

For the stain, I tested a water based stain (on a scrap piece of wood) but was not happy with the results. In the end I went with a oil based version as I liked the finished product better. I chose Varathane Ultimate Wood Stain in Chocolate.

To apply, I used a foam brush and applied quickly in sections. Then I followed with a rag to rub it in and pick up the excess stain. You can use a brush or rag to apply but I opted for a foam brush because I could just throw it away when done. I hate cleaning brushes after they have been used with an oil based product. Blech.

I only needed one coat of the stain, so once that was dry I applied my first coat of polyurethane. The poly protects the surface and helps seal in the stain.

For the poly, I went with Miniwax Oil-modified Polyurethane.

Chef Kev’s recreation room (or “man cave” as some may say) needs help. We haven’t done anything to the room since we moved in this past summer and it’s time to show it some love. Manly love of course. So, we’re going to be a dude and bromance this space.

Eventually we are going to take over our whole lower level and make a large media/recreation room (part of the basement is currently a suite). The future reno will be a big one, so won’t happen for awhile. Until then, we definitely want to infuse a little character into Chef Kev’s space and make it look better then it does currently.

The room does not have much natural light since it’s in the basement which isn’t a big problem really, as the room is mostly used for TV watching. However, it still feels drab and dull.

Here are a few photos that I shared in my “settling in” post back in the Fall.

Well, this just can’t work the way it is. Sure, it’s moderately functional but… Oh but. The mustard walls and brown painted doors and trim sneer at me each time I walk downstairs. I sneer back mind you, but they are still #winning. SO, I did what any person who claims a wall is sneering does… I made a plan to change it!

Here is a mood board of where we are going…

1) artwork – I have some AMAZING vintage London Underground posters that my mother-in-law gave me. I plan to frame those and get them up. I also have some awesome English pub trays too which will definitely find a home here (Did I mention Chef Kev’s family is British)?

2) industrial shelves – will add a masculine touch plus provide room for storage. Something like these ones (shown above).

3) a manly clock or something along those lines. The one in the mood board is from here.

4) bookshelves to go in the weird ‘nooks’.

5) our existing sectional

6) our existing TV – we’d like to update our TV stand too (not shown)

7) farmhouse style coffee table – I’d like to redo a Craigslist find with a rustic treatment (reference photo)

8) paint! – a light grey on the walls and a dark charcoal in the media alcoves. And the trim, all getting a fresh coat of white paint.

So this is the vision for where we are heading. As you can probably tell, I’m going for a rustic, masculine space. Everything Chef Kev needs to drink his beer in peace. I mean watch hockey. No, I mean drink his beer. Actually, I mean drink his beer and watch hockey in peace.

Until I come down. Bwwaaa haa haa.

AND, the best part? The painting has started! I will post an update soon!

Yay! February is here! Break out the cinnamon hearts and pink decor!

Here are the desktop calendars that caught my eye this month. To download, click on the link below each image and follow the prompts on the artist’s blog. A lot also have smart phone versions too so if that’s your ‘thang’ then go and get ’em.

Enjoy!

dawn nicole

cu-rio

the cottage market

beauty and the chic

the front door

sarah hearts

salt design

Zsolt Szilvai via Smashing Magazine

Ugh. January 28. I hate January 28.

Today is the third year anniversary of my sister’s death. We lost her in 2013 after a horrible, long, painful and heart wrenching battler with cancer.

I. hate. that. disease.

However, when I think of my sister – Tanya – the images that come to mind aren’t the long days filled with pain, medication and sorrow. They are the happy times. And I am so thankful that they flood my memory and push the painful ones to the far, far recesses.