we've been hiding this long enough.

What do they say?
'Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to recovery'.

So consider this public admission our first step.
Some of you know about this place at camp.
And have politely pretended that you didn't witness it (thank you).
We try to keep it behind locked doors, but usually aren't too successful.

So- we pledge,
as of today-
to clean up our act. (the basement)


 THE INSPIRATION:
Old Popular Mechanics workshop designs.
My grandfather's wood shop.
Old mechanic's garages.

THE SCARY CURRENT REALITY:
Martha Stewart didnt shoot this room.
We can't imagine why. so well organized and clean.

THE PLAN:

convert a 22x 19 foot section of the basement to a workshop. a fully-functional man-cave dream. well, as much of a dream as well be able to carve out of our $1500. budget to create said 'dream'.

THE DETAILS THAT MAKE IT WORTH SAVING:

a fantastic pressed tin ceiling.

lots of original hardware still anchored into the walls: the old-school heavy iron hooks, etc.

great vintage equipment, saws and such.

THE INSPIRATION BOARD:
tin ceiling.
concrete floor.
black gloss stairs.

david's vintage garage jumpsuit.
industrial cage lights.
pegboard walls.










stay tuned for the 'after'
(this one is going to take us a good chunk of the winter)

the "After" 3 weeks and $2500 later....

so we finally finished the new pantry!

...and learned in the process that sometimes it pays to hoard.

David pulled out of a secret stash that he's had tucked away somewhere -

bin a piled high with vintage hardware:

vintage towel bar,
ancient meat grinder,
iron wall hooks,
commercial utensil racks,
and a fabulous random decorative iron wall mount broom organizer.

and I pulled out of the nether regions of the basement:
every possible commercial kitchen appliance imaginable.
(i had no idea where we got a milk pasturizer, or a commercial deli slicer, but now it takes pride of place in the pantry.
where i might use it just once for the hell of it.

propping aside, the rest of the pantry came together as planned (for the most part).
the befores where pretty scary, so given the minimal investment, we're happy with the afters.

so- i you decide to convert a hoarders corner of your own, here's the nitty-gritty:

THE BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

ikea wine racks: $80 a pc

craigs list fridge: $200

chair - salvation army (grand ave) 4 for $100

ikea magnetic knife rack: $5 x 2

ikea butcher blockss: $9 x 2

ikea shelf brackets $4 each x 8

sink: neighbor's dumpster

porcelin light fixtures: home depot $2 each.

rug: outdoor early american woven (custom color palette made to order)

subway tiles with charcoal grout: home depot $50 for the wall

faucet: ikea $45

sink skirt: 3 kitchen towels @ $5 each - sewn with pockets 

...and the rest of the stuff we already had laying around,

the stainless steel restaurant tables were recycled from old desks from a former office space.

the apple crates, dishes, pots, etc. we had laying around. we even have a place for the microwave and wine cooler. yay!

picked up some new (vintage) knives and cast iron skillets on ebay.

put up a couple drywall walls, painted the concrete floor slate gray and ceiling white....

and now when folks come over they can finally spread out a bit when making dinner.

thanks to all who helped:

drew

bill

joe

alexei

emily

angela

keith

xoxo

(NEXT UP: the manly-man woodshop.)

submission to HOARDERS.

Our basement is a hellhole. Really and truly...an episode of Hoarders without exaggeration.

It's that dark space that we try to hide when folks come over. We deny that it's there but they always find it. So, last weekend after nearly a decade of failing to avoid the ugly truth, we put on gloves and hip-waders and literally dug ourselves out. Out of the mind-numbing culmination of 80 years of old trash that consumed our basement: skeletal mice, canisters of hardened cleaners from the Hoover administration...really, too painful to get into much detail here.

The good news? There is a plan!

Inspired by the parred-down simplicity of the staff kitchen in Downton Abbey, the linen room in the White House...oh, wait--our ceiling is only 6'5"...but we can dream.

Wait, back to the gutting: We filled two trailers--brimming to the top. Six city-sized trashbins. Mounds and mounds sent off to donation.

It was truly therapeutic. Except for the back muscles still hurting.

Here is some inspiration for the planned space which is to be a pantry / prep kitchen / kitchen textiles room. It'll have have a sink, fridge, some counterspace...and--be still my heart!--hopefully (God and Craigslist willing), an antique butcher block.

Above: the linen room in the White House, with its long industrial shelves, wood floor and white walls.

CEILING concept: exposed beams painted white.

SHELVING concept: basic wood on Wainscoting walls.

FLOORING concept: slate gray epoxy with vintage area floor covering on top.

PALETTE: white, gray, and weathered wood. 

Oh, the sketching, re-sketching and re-sketching had begun...

Then came the harsh realization that moving plumbing pipes, gas lines and heating ductwork is cost prohibitive to building the space out.

And so the room got smaller...and smaller. And, well, now its 13x10. But still respectible for an extension pantry / prep kitchen!

THIS is the moodboard for the new space, including wainscotting, cast iron and safety lighting. There'll be a place to stash my hoard of vintage dishes and antique restaurant cookware--finally!

HERE ARE SHOTS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW vs. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN MY HEAD (check back in a month to see how close we got for our Found Free & Flea budget...):