Decorating the basement (a little!)
October 08, 2012
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I’ve had all of the pieces for quite some time now, it just took a little time to make them work together. It started with this awesome vintage sewing cabinet I picked up at a local barn sale this past spring:
A quick back story behind this barn sale – two local ladies (Kara and Johnna) ran a furniture refurbishing business called Lila’s Pockets. What’s funny is Kara was the very first TDC reader I met in real life, years ago, and I’ve followed their business since. I love their pieces and love that they’ve created this awesome business together!
AnyHOO, isn’t that cabinet awesome? I’ve never seen one like it! They painted it a blue color, painted over it in yellow, then sanded that down so the blue can show through. The colors are EXACTLY what I’m using in the basement, so it’s just perfect.
It does have storage inside, we use it for puzzles. The shelves are a little awkward, so I have a plan to make it work even better…stay tuned. :)
Next up, it needed a lamp. I had a glass lamp on there for awhile, but I moved that up to the side table in the family room so I needed a new one for this spot. I ended up taking this vintage one from the family room sofa table and putting in down there:
The color (it’s been spray painted at least three times) is a perfect match to the walls. At first I was going to spray it (again), but I am digging the tone on tone – it’s staying that color, at least for now. (The lamp shade is the only fairly recent purchase – from HomeGoods this summer.)
Then it needed some art – and I wanted it big. I grabbed a Goodwill frame I think I’ve been saving for YEARS and gave it a quick redo. I just painted it (no sanding!) with a color called Storm Cloud (the one I used on the back of the dining room built ins). Then I put a really light coat of dark wax over it to give it some dimension and taped a NYC poster inside:
I found the map at my favorite toy store in downtown Indy months ago (I can’t remember how much, maybe $5?), and I just turned the (kind of scary) little girl poster around and taped it to the back. That’s my “mat” – free baby!
I didn’t accessorize a lot, because it’s not a big table. And what I have on there was a total accident – I placed the wood tray there to put it away one day, then someone laid the drum sticks in there and it looked cool, so it stayed. :) Love when that happens!:
Want to know one of my very favorite things about the basement? Have I mentioned this before? Probably. It’s ALL of the wall space. It’s AWESOME. We don’t have a lot in the rest of the house because of our open plan (which I love), but it’s nice to have spots to add a little somethin’:
You can see how the wood plank wall looks on the staircase – so cool. But WAIT…blech…gag…hives…I see CORDS!!! You know how I hate the cords.
I grabbed a little sticky hook and stuck it to the back:
Ahh, yes. I can breath. :)
So much better:
I love the combo of the blues and yellows in each piece (and the wall!) and how they work together. And I think it’s worth mentioning that every blue and every yellow do not match exactly.
Psssssst…that’s OK. Really! At least in my house it is. ;)
I’ve mentioned before that the basement will be a bit more industrial/rustic/contemporary than the rest of the house (how’s that for a combo?). But I also want this space to be a showcase of all the things we LOVE, and this little vignette includes two of the big ones – New York and music:
I’m just happy to “nest” down there a little bit. Now it’s on to tiling the bathroom! :)
Are you seeing the direction I’m going down here? This spot is a great representation of how I want the rest of the basement to feel too. Love it!
I hate cords too! You came up with a good idea to hide them away, I will surely use your idea the next time we move funiture. My husband is a total technology geek so there are rats nests of cords everywhere to hide. Behind the entertainment center is especially scary. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteLori in Atlanta
I am in love with the blue/gray/yellow color combo lately! What a gorg sewing cabinet. I'm jealous! So glad I found your blog recently. It has given me some great inspiration as we are in the process of remodeling our "new" home.
ReplyDeleteLooks awesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am in love with that lampshade! The map and drumsticks are perfect. Love happy little accidents like the drumsticks.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, the cord comments made me laugh out loud, I am always hiding them!
ReplyDeleteI love your cabinet, I have never seen a sewing cabinet like that!
Everything looks great!
Elizabeth
Still pining (pun intended) for your gorgeous stair walls. Love the pops of colour on the cabinet and lamp.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that yellow cabinet!! It may be my inspiration for a cabinet I'm going to paint with chalk paint - though I only bought the Louis Blue color. Maybe I should get a yellow to paint on top of that and distress it down to let some blue show through? It'll be my first chalk paint experience so we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDelete~Kim in Iowa
Looks amazing! I love the wood wall. So cozy! What color did you use for your walls?
ReplyDeleteIt looks great - love the colour combination and the lamp! Can't wait to see what you come up with next x
ReplyDeleteThat little table is just so pretty! What a lovely yellow! And I love the way you have styled it -- especially the placement of those drumsticks. Happy decorating 'accidents' are the best! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove it! I adore maps! And I love the funky lamp shade too!
ReplyDeleteLOVE that little cabinet!! Years ago I picked up what looks like a tiny wardrobe from Ross. It's the same color as your cabinet. The basement is coming along nicely! I really like your decor style. Mine is a mash of different styles too. Have a great week! =)
ReplyDelete~ Catie
In love with the furniture and lampshade!
ReplyDeleteI love it Sarah, a beautiful little vignette!
ReplyDeleteMy mom had that exact little girl painting in our house when I was growing up and I always thought it was SO creepy! Your map is a much better use of that frame :)
ReplyDeleteI love this so much!!
ReplyDeleteHow I love that!! Sarah, the map is perfect!! One question...from someone who has never (don't faint) painted a picture frame - did you spray paint it or just use a brush?
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love it!
ReplyDeleteooh, I love it! I'm kind of over gray and yellow, but the blues here make it seem fresh. And it took me like 3 tries to even SEE the cords in the before picture, so, yeah...I am not, it would seem, so observant.
ReplyDeleteWe've been taking small spaces at a time and adding little touches here and there to turn our house into our home. It's taking a while to get it done, and I doubt it will actually ever be done! I love that sewing cabinet. I'm considering making the trip to Indy to visit some of the stores you rave about! I'll have to add that barn sale to the list.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great! I can see the rustic/industrial/contemporary vibe, lol. What a good idea to use a sticky hook for the cords!
ReplyDeleteLoving that lamp shade and the color of the base.
ReplyDeleteYou're going a great direction down there, I think! Hard to believe that you snagged that lampshade that so perfectly represents your color scheme--or at least what I'm thinking is your color scheme for the basement! By the way, "basement" just sounds too pedestrian for a space like this. "Lower level," I think I'll call it. :)
ReplyDeleteEverything looks fabulous. Love your color scheme. Stunning. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteI love everything about this. I wish I had a finished basement to decorate. You have chosen so much of what I would have chosen on my own. I feel like we are decorating sisters. :)
ReplyDeleteAnon, if you are working with chalk paint, that would work beautifully! Just have a light hand when it comes to distressing. :)
ReplyDeleteMrs. J, these walls are a Ben Moore color called Marina Gray (mixed in SW), lightened 25 percent.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I used a brush for this frame just because I had the paint in a can. I use spray paint for many frames just because it's so easy!
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am always changing some strange old picture out of a pretty frame for a picture I like. Years ago I saved the pics from a huge Japanese calendar and I am just now using them in a bunch of frames I picked up to decorate my master bedroom. Some of the pics I am keeping the original size and some I am cutting down to fit smaller frames to put in the bath.
ReplyDeleteYeah!!! Thanks for giving Lila's Pockets some web love. :) We LOVE what you've done with the sewing cabinet! So beautiful. It's always fulfilling to see where one of our pieces ends up. Looks fabulous. See you at the next sale!
ReplyDeleteLove the whole vignette - very cute!
ReplyDeleteIt all works together so well! I love the sewing cabinet!
ReplyDeleteLove what you're doing! And I hate that creepy little girl pic - my grandma has the same one and the matching boy pic - I keep hoping she'll redecorate and they'll leave, but that's not how it goes. Glad you found a good use for her!
ReplyDeleteNo way! I bought that exact same girl poster print at my Goodwill about two years ago just for the frame. How wacky is it that a Goodwill in Phoenix had an identical thing?
ReplyDeleteWow - this color combo is great! So fun to have a new area to decorate!
ReplyDeleteSo cute! So...after reading for a while I know you are in Central Indiana. So am I. That frame you refurbished? I dropped that off at a local Goodwill a few years ago. Could it be? Funny! I will for sure (!) check out Lila's Pockets.
ReplyDeleteI left my results at Justa's but had to come back to say Happy Birthday to ya girl! I'm an October bday girl too! Mine's on the 26th - October bday's rock! Have a great day! I totally get you on not wanting to go back - I don't mind getting older either. I feel like I'm getting better with age - at least I hope I am ;)
ReplyDeleteWhere is Lila's Pockets? I'm from Indy and get home a couple of times a year to visit my sister. We LOVE to go junking and need new sources. Thanks. Don't you love it when everything you've had sitting around just comes together beautifully?
ReplyDeleteI see some of you asking about Lila's Pockets. I know the link isn't working quite right so here's our blog (which can also get you to our facebook page) http://lilaspockets.blogspot.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, love that wood plank wall, and the drumsticks are the perfect touch. What a sweet little cabinet!
ReplyDeleteit looks awesome! i love the frame redo with the pretty nyc map! perfect :)
ReplyDeleteGreat colours! And I love the wood plank wall peaking out in the one picture! Fab! And, oh yes! Hide those cords!!
ReplyDeletexo,
Shannon
That sewing cabinet is awesome!! I looked at that same lamp shade in Home Goods, but didn't have a lamp it would work on. Looks great in your vignette. Don't you love it when it all comes together. Wish I had a space to decorate. Sadly, I don't have room to add any more furniture.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you have here, Sarah. It looks very nice. You continue to inspire me, and often make it appear effortless.
ReplyDeleteHad to chuckle to myself imagining (for some reason) in many years someone coming across your framed map, and feeling they made such an amazing discovery; "oh my word, look at this hidden picture of a (creepy) girl we found! Wow, it was hidden behind this map!" Ha
Happy weekend, Chrissy
Such a pretty vignette! I love it!!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I inherited that same sewing cabinet from my great aunt at least 15 years. I've really wanted to paint it since the finish is chipped on the door panels, but I have been too chicken. Now I have an idea of how it will turn out. Ive really enjoyed your site since finding it last week. Thanks!
ReplyDelete