Category: Home Improvement

Despite finishing the basement nearly a year and a half ago, most of the rooms are filled with left over and unwanted furniture from the main level.  We don’t have a definite plan for decorating and we’re on a tight budget because we’re saving up money for our kitchen remodel.  Don’t get excited, we’ve made very little progress on that front, but we do have a mini change we’ll share later this week.

With guests coming tonight, I thought it was time to fix up the basement bedrooms.  The smaller of the two wasn’t so bad.

You know, if you think an industrial sewing machine isn’t so bad.  Or lack of closet doors.  The other bedroom wasn’t as great.

It’s a warehouse for chairs, exercise equipment, and flooring.

Fortunately for our guests, we’ve made some changes, but I have teased you long enough.  It all started when I got a bug up my butt to sell the massively dark queen bed from the larger bedroom.  Craig and his infamous list to the rescue.  I listed the bed for $500 or best offer, including a mattress.  A few days and phone calls later, a couple stopped by to look at the bed.  They said they’d take it, so Ben hauled the bed to their house the next day.  Finally, I could put my plan into action.

You see, I have always disliked the king mattress being in the smaller room while the queen bed was in the larger room.  Why didn’t we just put the queen bed in the smaller room?  Because the bed with headboard was too long to fit in the small room while leaving room to walk around the bed with the sewing machine.  Yes, I did just say sewing machine.

So, on Wednesday while Everett was napping, Vincent and I set to work to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.  First, I hauled the king mattress into the large bedroom and the queen box spring and mattress in the small bedroom.

We still have to get a bed frame and make a head board, but the size of the bed is much better for this room.  It allows for a larger side table.  I bought this table for only 25 bucks from Home Goods on our recent Minnesota trip.

It’s super lightweight, but the design is versatile.  The faux crocodile top adds interest, too.

With the king bed in the large bedroom, the mattress sat right next to the La Z Boy, so I had to think of an alternative layout.  Knowing we can’t get rid of furniture just yet, I worked with what I had.

I moved the chair over to allow for the bed to be centered on the back wall with a nightstand on either side.  Makeshift art that I hung above the bed and two small ottomans at the foot, just to give them a place.  We still have a pile of hardwood flooring stacked along the wall, but it’s the only place we can store it, so it stays.

The rocking chair now sits closer to the door, taking the place of the dresser.  To make the chair placement seem more intentional, I created a little reading nook, complete with a small side table and floor lamp.

Now, you see this from the doorway.

To the right of the entrance, we have a bookshelf Ben built, which originally lived in Vincent’s bedroom.  You know, before Everett was born and we needed to make space for the crib.  Really, we don’t need this bookshelf any longer, so it may find a new home via Craigslist.  Until then, I wanted to make it seem useful.

Ben’s weights had to stay, but by adding a blanket and towels, it can serve as guest storage.  A few random books, candles, vases, a mirror, and art add a little more visual interest, but still a far cry from finished or pretty.

While we’re on the subject of guest storage, where did the dresser go?

In the smaller bedroom, across from the bed.  Still, not perfect, but our guests now have a place to unpack and set junk.  Hopefully, some day, we’ll find a better place to house the manly sewing machine.  Overall, I think the rooms look better, and, we gained $400 by selling the too huge bed frame.  So, that’s how we updated the basement bedrooms without spending a cent.  Of course, we plan to add art, furniture we actually like, and accessories to make the rooms feel more complete.

What do you think of the changes?  Any free suggestions for improvements?  What changes have you made without spending any money?