Don't know where to start with the basement.
When we built our house they couldn't move enough dirt to get our walkout the way we wanted it. So I had to redesign the whole basement in three days. I also found that they poured our basement walls wrong so we ended up with our support beam farther out which turned out to be a happy accident because there was more head room for the stairs. I need help with how to make a space that has storage for craft supplies, theater room, playroom and possibly a wet bar. It would be nice to have a guest bed someday but for now we can always use the sleeper sofa. I already wired the room for speakers and I can't move plumbing and I would like to hide the support posts. The difficult thing is the only natural light we get is from the windows on the north so how do I put the light were I want it and still have separate spaces or walls?
I like this for playroom/craft...
Or maybe build something like this between the beams to close off the tv room?
Or maybe leave them open and wrap them with a countertop between?
Looks so inviting!
Here is what it looks like now:
From the bottom stair looking straight ahead.
From the bottom stair looking right:
In our original plan the walkout door would have been where the table is. (Excuse our mess still moving stuff around and finishing it!)
From the corner by the utility room looking back toward the stairs.
I just have no idea how to get the most of this space! BTW the fridge has a GFCI outlet and I hate how it buzzes when the compressor comes on while you are watching tv! Maybe we should move it altogether?
Comments (14)
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Comments (4)How old is your home? Did the water come from all around, or primarily from the one location you mention? Do you have a sump pump to collect water from foundation tiles? Is there a drain in the basement floor and did water come up through it? Somehow since you say the problem is periodic, I don't believe your problem is a major one. Walk around the house and carefully inspect the foundation for any settling cracks. Do these align with the places water infiltrated? Also, check for low spots where water might not be running away from the building. These need to be filled with soil. If the source was from a foundation crack, the best solution is to have one of the basement companies like advertise all the time inject sealer outside. If it was from a floor drain, speak with a plumber. If you don't have a sump pump and/or water came from all around, you could have a blocked foundation tile, or no foundation tiles in either case solving the problem for the future is going to be more costly. You need to locate the source - even if it means removing some of the paneling. If you have actual paneling, it is most likely 4 x 8 sections and there is a strip covering the seams every 4 feet. Simply remove the strips (carefully, trying not to split them) and then a sheet of the paneling. You'll need a pry bar, possibly a hammer, wear gloves and it will come off. Hope this gives you some help and courage. Good luck....See MoreOverwhelmed by my kitchen and don't really know where to start.
Comments (34)Seems to just be a random post with no return? Scrub it!. We have all lived, well at least i have, in rentals when young. Scrub and scrub. A degreaser with lots of rinsing with water and scrub again. Your friends are hanging in the kitchen because that is where the booze is, lol. A nice thrift store bar cart parked just outside the kitchen in the living room might help social flow. Does your landlord know about the ceiling? Is another tenant upstairs? Or is your bathroom upstairs? A slow leak needs to be fixed. A scrape and paint is just a 'bandaid' solution hiding the festering disease. It could be a simple tub caulking with a bad shower curtain above. And like mentioned could be a serious heath hazard. I would not spend much money. Some landlords will chip in with paint purchase if you do the work. Just ask. It does need scrubbing first. Even the best primer might struggle with all the grease buildup. Visit sites like retro-renovation and apartment therapy for easy low cost ideas. You do not need to spend lots of cash to have an adorable kitchen. Clean, un-cluttered, a fresh batch of solid towels, pale blue, red, orange. Maybe your rent is low but don't be afraid to ask. Or let them know about a leak. If they don't care, just scrape the ceiling and make do with cleaning. Save your money to move on...asap. Move the microwave to the booze counter next to the fridge. Invest in a few things that you can take with you. A nice big cutting board, next to stove. Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend are good powder cleaners that do not scratch surfaces. It is such a cute kitchen and tons of storage. And the fridge opens in the correct direction! (so rare, lol) Take a very wet sponge and soak the wallpaper border a few times over a few hours. (in a small test spot). It might just peal off easy, especially if the paint is an old hard glossy oil. And do not paint without telling your landlord. He just might have paint from other projects that he is willing to give for nothing. If your cabinets and walls are greasy and old oil paint, they need proper prep. Primer before an inexperienced latex application. It will peel and be a bigger mess. Relationships and friends are so much more important. Embrace what you have...but at least scrub it! (should take about 4-6 hours.)...See MoreHelp! Want to paint my interior white, don’t know where to start!
Comments (5)Hi - why not paint a big board sample - (2 coats of each) and view against different walls in each room? It will offer a clearer view upon how the available light will impact upon them in each space. Changes in light quality and quantity effect all colours, but most especially near neutral colours such as these. You want to know what you are getting but neither are likely to look completely the same from room to room. Note what you like and what you don’t. Chantilly Lace is a much more neutral white than White Dove. (CL has lower Chroma) You may prefer that aspect. But equally, if one of the spaces feels a little dim, you may enjoy the extra Chroma (colourfulness) of White Dove, to help bust through the gloom. Also they have enough difference in Chroma between them, (minimum of 0.2) that should you choose, you could use both of them. One for trim, one for walls. Both Super White & White are more neutral again than Chantilly Lace, but not as light. 🌈...See MoreI’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.
Comments (212)I hope you still are wanting to lean into some fun pops of color in accessories. With the strong pattern and color in the drapes and your desire for bright color, I think bright color in accessories is needed. I continue to be on the yellow train... have you purchased any accessories yet or are you still in the looking phase?...See More
PROMark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
K H
3 years agoK H
3 years agoK H
3 years agoSorry of how crude this is. I don't have CAD software anymore. So I just used paint. But I tried to draw in the stair landing and the furniture that I currently plan to keep but of course can be moved. Thanks again for any looks!
K H
3 years agotendrac
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago@K H I tried to come up with a starting point for you. My thoughts regarding home theaters are that, for sound insulation, they are usually isolated spaces. Also, due to the close proximity of sleeping areas, this may be something that you should consider. For organization purpose and clean visuals, I like your idea about using cabinetry and shelving to contain toys and craft materials. I personally think that this set-up would lend itself to an open area off of the stairway. And, for yours guest room, I think that the storage room would be perfect. Regarding your husband's weights: perhaps a small weight room can be created from the large mechanical room by creating a mechanical closet?
everdebz
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoK H
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoeverdebz
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
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