Our Basement Renovation (An Update)
Our basement renovation is starting soon, and I’m under pressure to make some final decisions. See what they are and weigh in!
How was your weekend? Mine flew by and I cannot believe it’s Monday already!
On Saturday, my husband and I went and checked out some of the new showhomes that opened up in town in an area called Mountain View. Sounds beautiful, but the lots that are currently available don’t have what you’d call a mountain view. Those lots won’t be available until a later phase.
We also drove through the mud to check out a series of new acreage lots just outside of town that have recently opened up. Many of these have beautiful views and certainly piqued our interest. We definitely have a lot to think about!
Back to the current task at hand…
Basement Renovation
While we were going through homes, I was also looking for ideas for finishing our basement. Construction is going to start in one week, and we still have a few decisions to make.
Ceiling Finish
I’m still determining whether we want a completely smooth ceiling or a knock-down texture. I have been advised that smooth ceilings show every mark (from fingers, balls, etc.). Although I like the look, I’m worried about the maintenance. I think I’m willing to chance it and I figure if it works for Sarah Richardson, it will for me. (Hopefully my teenage son and his friends will take it easy!)
Flooring
I’m also not sure what type of carpet I’d like to install. Unfortunately our basement doesn’t have heated floors or I’d probably go with a solid surface floor instead.
I’m leaning towards a patterned low-pile mix of loop and cut. I want to select something that is family-friendly and resilient, but also doesn’t show footprints like so many carpets do. Any suggestions?
Budget-Friendly Beverage Cooler
One thing we did make a decision on yesterday was the beverage cooler for the snack bar area. I have been sourcing one for a while, and it seems like there aren’t very many options available in a mid-price range. Many wine/beverage coolers at a lower price point come in a stainless look rather than true stainless steel. I wasn’t willing to bend on this aspect, but I didn’t want to pay $600-1200, which seems to be the going price. Because it’s a family room, I also wanted something that holds both cans and bottles.
Luckily I found a new one made by Cuisinart. I’m crossing my fingers I will like it once we take it out of the box. (Update- we ended up returning this one and purchased the Kenmore Elite beverage cooler from Sears instead.)
Sectional Sofa
This week I’d like to make a decision on the sectional sofa as well since it will likely take 8 weeks for it to arrive. I have it narrowed down to a few selections and I’m going to weigh in on it later this week.
Do you have any home improvement decisions you’re toiling over at the moment? Do you have any suggestions for my basement renovation? I’d love your input!
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Enjoy the rest of your week!
Love that bedroom! So bright and peaceful. Good luck with your renovation.
Thanks Caryl. I’m looking forward to having the extra space.
The only advice I have is to try to keep the materials as durable as possible if you’re teenage son and friends will be spending time there. Love that room from Sarah Richardson!
Oh, that will definitely be a consideration. Thanks for stopping by!
Love your inspiration for your basement. I finished the basement in my last home and went with a low pile carpet very similar to the one you show here. It stood up to traffic, provided the modern look I wanted, and kept the toes warm even with a cold cement floor underneath. Good luck!
Good to know about the carpet. Was it bad for showing footprints in between vacuuming?
Hi, Shauna – thanks for all your great info on your basement! We are remodeling ours currently and I just ordered the Kenmore Beverage fridge after seeing yours! A couple years later, do you still like your choices? I saw some reviews that showed it didn’t cool it really low, but some said it was OK.
Any other updates on the basement that you wish you would’ve done the first time? Thanks for your tips!!
Hi Mary, Yes, we’re happy with our basement still. The carpet has held up well and everyone comments about how cozy it makes the space feel.
As far as the fridge goes, it is still working well and keeps everything cold. Keep in mind we did it built in, but allowed extra room for ventilation at the top and back, and it’s sitting on a cold cement floor. We never stock it right full either, which helps.
I like how this one holds cans and bottles. It’s also stainless instead of “stainless look” like so many others.
When we were shopping around, we found there was a huge jump in price. This one seemed to give the look and options without being too expensive. However, we did purchase it a few years ago, so that may have changed.
We really like the snack bar. If you have the room, consider installing a small sink. We plan on making the area bigger in our next house, but this one was more confined for space, so we packed in what we could.
Good luck with everything!