Terrace Level Renovation Completed

Renovated terrace level space in our home!

Since June, we have been working on a major renovation project in our terrace level (aka basement or lower level).  I reported on the beginning of this project in this posting - link to post.  Since then, I have been providing some information about the "process" and also a recent posting on the mostly-completed bathroom link to bathroom post.

Today, I am showing the rest of the space - it is at about the 95% point in terms of completion including furnishings.  I think it will never be at 100% because I want to exercise the continued option of changing things out and modifying the details.  Decorating should never be static!

I'll start with a brief summary of the project.  We started in early June after hiring a general contractor who we've used for two other major additions/renovations.  Like all our projects, the end result came in over-budget (many because of changed/expanding requirements) and took about 45 days longer than the initial projected.  Having said that, we are VERY HAPPY with the space and how it works for us and would change very little.  I will end this post with some suggestions on how to save money and get the best value on this type of renovation - advice we did not always follows.

This is a view of the main "media" room area which includes a large-screen TV to the right.  

Another view of the same space looking at built-in media cabinet, display cabinet and TV (we have noted how out-of-date our TV is and may have to spend just a little more for a new one)! 

Built-in Bar area including refrigerator behind door on right.  The backsplash is a mirror.

This is a glimpse of the adjacent "pool room".  The only change in this room was the addition of the surrounding flooring to match the new floors in renovated space.

Detail - Built-in bookcase next to stairwell. 

Detail - Hall table just refurbished with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue. 

As you can see, the space is totally transformed and we are already loving doing our TV-watching down here.

Saving $$$ on renovations - our lessons learned including some things we might do differently if we were to redo:

• Since our general contractor worked on a cost-plus basis (very common when you cannot predict everything you're going to run into), we saved money buying some items ourselves such as the wallpaper for the bathroom, as well as light and plumbing fixtures (the latter bought on-line for further savings).  We probably should have pushed to do more of this and save more money.
• Since this was not totally "raw space" before (had been done when house was built in 1988), we kept the existing doors and bathroom cabinet (painted a new charcoal color and given new hardware).  We also did not replace the shower tiles since they were in good shape and the cost would have been high.
• We chose to create a built-in media cabinet to house all media components and the surround sound equipment we had already been using.  The contractor and his electrician sub developed the specifications including communicating with the cabinet-maker.  This proved to be problematic and the communications were not ideal.  Next time, we would ask the contractor to bring in a media center expert to coordinate all elements and we might even skip the built-in cabinet for a stand-alone.  It turned out be pretty expensive and while we like it, we could have bought a very high-end model that we could take with us if we ever moved.  
• We were refurbishing this area adjacent to space that had been newly added (by same contractor) in 2004 and already had high ceilings and nice trim.  We worried about the results being out-of-sinc with each other.  To alleviate that, and at not significant additional cost, we had the flooring sub add a border of the new floor in this space and were able to keep the old carpet - just re-tacking it back in place.  This was a winner!

Those are some of the highlights - I'm sure other things will come to mind but the end result was great and we were very pleased with the outcome!  

Shopping for Rugs at HomeGoods - I'm a Fan!

We just completed our lower level renovation (aka basement) and one of many struggles was finding a nice rug that would work well in this new space.  I hadn't shopped for rugs for quite a while and didn't quite know how to approach it.  I wanted something a little more contemporary for this space but couldn't quite get to buying a jute or seagrass rug although I saw MANY beautiful settings with just such a rug.

One of the things that really frustrated me were the seemingly huge selections (and recommendations) for buying an online rug using a site like Overstock.com link which offers a huge selection at great prices and great shipping ($2.99) and does allow returns - although not at this price.   Another site was Josh and Main link which also offers wonderful options at pretty good prices but doesn't allow for returns.  Most on-line sets were variations on this theme - lots of choices but either costly or no returns.  Considering I have a business selling refurbished heirloom upholstered pieces mostly on-line link to Wydeven Designs, it was unsettling to find that I just didn't feel right about buying a rug that I couldn't feel in colors I couldn't quite trust.

A friend suggested I check out HomeGoods - link.  There are quite a few stores in our area and I had barely visited them more than a few times.  I checked on their rug return policy and learned they accepted returns for up to 30 days.

I visited the one closest to my home and did find a nice but  limited rug selection at really good prices and also noted that several people were in the process of buying rugs.  I visited two other sites and found the same pattern - not too many rugs but at great prices and active purchasing.  One store clerk told me that the rugs arrive (different ones at different stores) three times a week and are usually put out the next day.  They move quickly!  With that wisdom, I developed a plan to visit each of the three stores at least once a week and sometimes more if convenient.  

I planned to buy each and every rug that might work for me.   I needed a 8X10 preferably wool rug with some or more of the following colors - cream, taupe, charcoal/black, pale gold and/or seafoam blue.  I was really hoping to add the latter color to my decor, but figured it might be the hardest to get right.

I saw many rugs but nothing worked quite right.

 After about ten visits (and close t the time I actually needed the rug), I found a black and white and grey patterned (unfortunately, I did not photograph it) but thought it might work.  I purchased it and planned to pick it up last week Saturday to actually place in the just-completed space.  I wasn't 100% sure about it but it was a nice rug (8X11 wool - $299) so I felt it was worth a try.  As I waited to have it put into my van, I checked the rug section again and found a seafoam blue and cream/gold patterned rug (8X10 wool - $299) that looked even better.  I brought it home as well and there is remains.

Rug in new space - love it!

SO ... perseverance pays off here.  HomeGoods is not a quick solution unless you are incredibly lucky to find just what you want right away.  I also found that, generally, some of the patterns and colors are not the most popular ones - nice neutrals were also hard to find.  But, if you can wait it out, it's a great solution at the right price!

Chalk Paint Mirror - Graphite and Old Ochre

For a change, for me, this is a total do-it-yourself posting featuring my favorite paint finish - Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) link to website.  Most of my projects (approaching 50) are chairs with woodwork but the upholstery work on these is being completed by my professionals - Mr. and Mrs. Lee of Norcross, GA, so I can't fully claim the DIY mantle!

Mirror at sale - good not great price at $75

I picked up up this oversized round mirror at an estate sale two weeks ago for $75.00 - not a great price but a pretty good one for this size, level of detail, beveling on mirror, and overall condition.  It is destined for my newly renovated lower level (aka terrace, basement) but has not yet been hung - more on that later.

I got the mirror home and propped it on two sawhorses.  My first step is always to clean the surface as well as possible to smooth out the surface and increase the adherence of the paint.  Although ASCP claims that it will go over anything, I have had a few instances where I've had difficulties with adherence - usually in small spots.  Also, who wants to just cover over all that accumulated dirt and oils and smoke residue that is present on most furniture of any use and vintage.  

I use Goof Off link to clean most of my wooden pieces - it works well but does take off some finishes so you want to make sure you are not using it on pieces you are not refinishing.

In deciding how to finish this mirror, I wanted to emphasize the great details on this mirror by highlighting the carvings.  Once before I had used the technique of doing an initial coat in a lighter color and than loosely brushing an second layer of graphite over it allowing the deeper crevices to remain white/light - I thought this would work on this piece.  

Mirror after first coat of Old Ochre - a darker cream color than Old White providing a little more warmth

Mirror after brushing with Graphite over Old Ochre.

Details

I used clear wax to finish mirror and it is ready to be hung in our newly renovated terrace level.

The mirror is ready to be hung - I really like how it turned out - it almost has a "stone-like" look to it with the Old Ochre and Graphite combination.  I have even chosen a place for it to be hung over a narrow console table.  Unfortunately, I do not yet have that table and my husband refuses to hang it since it may have to be moved to center later - so it will stand here until that date - hopefully soon!

Let me know what you think and check out my facebook page here - WYDEVEN DESIGNS FACEBOOK PAGE

I am linking this posting on the following link parties - Home Stories A to Z and Savvy Southern Style and Shades of Amber Chalk Paint Link Party

Home Renovation Update - Bathroom

We started a terrace level (aka basement) home renovation project in early June with a planned for completion in 45-60 days.  Here we are 90 days later and it is almost ready to be occupied.  There is, of course, a "punch list" that may take some additional days/trips.  We did hire a general contractor who had done two earlier good sized renovations/additions for us, so this is definitely not a Do-It-Yourself project.

I plan to show the entire basement in a future posting and talk about what we did and how it was done but this discussion is about the bathroom.  I will describe some decisions we made and where we were able to save some money - this may be useful to others contemplating similar remodeling jobs.

The bathroom was part of a 1988 "finished" basement area completed when the house was originally built with dropped ceilings and builder grade tiles, cabinetry and fixtures.  The room does have a large shower which has come handy over the years when we have a large crowd.

The various decision points are as follows:

Cabinetry - NEW or REFURBISHED?

Since the original cabinetry was solid wood and a good size and shape, we decided to leave it and paint it the same color as the doors and custom cabinetry that we were incorporating in the other areas of the basement.  The color I had selected was  a deep charcoal grey!  We did add a granite counter top and new sink and bathroom fixtures.

Walls - PAINT or WALLPAPER?

Initially, I couldn't wait to pull down the old wallpaper and just replace it with a clean coat of paint.  I had wanted this wallpaper gone for so long.  I wrote about my about-face on this blog Wallpaper Selection and again on this one when my originally selected wallpaper was no longer available More Wallpaper Shopping.  I did end up with a paper that I loved.  at a good price (although it still would have been a lot cheaper to paint).

Flooring and Tile Work - ALL or FLOOR ONLY

We found that you can spend a fortune on tile and that is before someone is paid to install it.  The shower area in this room is very large and covered with small 6" white square (cheap) tiles including the floor.  The tiles were in good shape showing very little wear which is largely because less than a dozen showers have been taken in this room in the 12 years we've lived here.  The cost for replacing the tile in the shower would have been very high so we decided to just do the bathroom floor and the "step-up" to the shower which is visible on the outside.  We did decide to install a nice no-edge new shower door which gave it an up-to-date appearance.

 Those were the major decision points which had a financial component to them.

Here are some of the ways we saved money - other than those identified above:

1)  Bought my own mirror for over vanity.  I spent $30 at a garage sale for this mirror and had it painted at the same time as the cabinet in same color.

2)  Bought wallpaper from a shop that has an in-stock selection (see my linked blogs on this subject).  I was facing over $100 a double-roll before finding the in-stock option.  My wallpaper cost $33.00 per double roll which represents quite a big saving for five double-rolls.

3)  Bought bathroom fixtures on-line.  We found a huge selection and savings of 25-35% at various on-line sources.  The fixtures arrived in a few days and are beautiful.

4)  Bought floor tile at tile and flooring warehouse in town.  They had a lot of low-cost selections and we had no difficulties choosing one we liked.

Installation of Floor

We are very happy with our new bathroom and can't wait to add other accessories to finish the space.

Overall Look - Love the coordination of wallpaper and flooring .

Shower is to right showing new shower door.

My $30 garage sale mirror 

Granite counter top and fixtures.

Well, I hope that sharing our story is helpful to those contemplating similar projects.  What do you think?

Looking for that Perfect Rug - A Struggle

Chair I plan to use in my new basement (unless it sells and/or doesn't work with final rug selection)

We are getting close to finishing our basement renovation and I will unveil the end results soon.  Like any project, both the timeline and price-point have been challenging.

Love Seat I plan to use in basement - matches color of the walls

I am currently looking for a rug for the "media area" of the basement.  I need at least an 8 X 10 size - perhaps a little bigger.  It goes without saying that I want a great deal!

 It's been quite a while since I've shopped for rugs so this is almost a new experience for me.  The colors I am looking to put together are a pale gold taupe  (color of wall and loveseat I plan to use - see photo), a lighter cream pair of chairs and a seafoam blue (one of my own Wydeven Designs chairs unless it sells before I have a chance to move it it) - see photo above of this beauty!  I would really like to bring this color into my new space and this chair would work well!

My biggest frustration is the availability of very few in-store options for rugs compared to the vast array available through websites like Overstock.com Link, Rugs Direct, Rug Exchange and others.
The on-line prices look good and there are LOTS of choices in all colors and sizes.  Some sites such as Overstock.com offer really low shipping ($2.95) and do allow you to return the rug if it doesn't work - of course, not for $2.95.  Overstock also provides customer comments which, when present, are very helpful.

My problem is the issue of color. The wall color is set because we were matching with other spaces already redone.  One of the customer comments made by many on-line buyers addresses the accuracy of the colors seen on their screen and the actual rug once they receive it.  Quite a few say that the colors are quite off.  This would not be a huge problem if you like what you get and it doesn't clash with other color requirements.  But this is what worries me!  I am afraid to buy an on-line rug I fall in love with only to find it just doesn't match well enough with my colors.  Even if it can be returned, it will be expensive and a hassle!

So, I am dragging my husband to the various stores in the area to look at "store-in person" options.  You would think that in a metropolitan area such as Atlanta, there would be a lot of options but you would be wrong.  Here is where I've been:

Pottery Barn Outlet (Dawsonville, GA) 

Ballards Back Room (Roswell, GA)

HomeGoods (Norcross, Dunwoody and Alpharetta)

West Elm (Atlantic Station)

Restoration Hardware (Dawsonville, GA)

I have found the best prices at HomeGoods and even recognize some of the patterns from my internet search - e.g. $199-299 for 8X10 wool rugs!   The selection, however, is very limited.  Pottery Barn had a few possibilities but would not allow returns.  I am still looking!

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on this one, I would love to hear it!  I would also love to hear of experiences with on-line rug purchases!

Wallpapers - Again - More Shopping for Papers

Display at Wallpaper Your World

 
Last month, I gleefully discussed a quick and easy trip to my Sherwin-Williams Paint store's wallpaper (book) section to review and select a wallpaper for our lower level bathroom - see see prior blog.  I was  surprised by my sudden interest in wallpapers (after many years thinking they were passe) and loved the patterns I saw in the books.  I ordered a paper and was told it was no longer being manufactured but  that my need of 3 double-rolls could be accommodated - my total cost was a little over $300 for the three double-rolls.

A few days later, I got a call saying that this paper was not available and I would have to select another pattern.  That started me on a MUCH longer journey trying to find something I liked as well as the initial paper and led to success TODAY!

Before lauding the shop (and price-point), I found in Snellville (suburb of Atlanta), I did all of the following - some more than once.  During this period (about two weeks), I decided at least twice to just paint the room but couldn't quite get the desire for wallpaper out of my head.

a)  returning (twice) to Sherwin-Williams to look for wallpaper options, bring home books - not finding anything I liked as well as the original selection.

Display at Wallpaper Your World

b)  visiting a shop in Brookhaven called Brookhaven Home that had lots of books and a very knowledgeable owner.  I was determined not to exceed the $100 per double-roll which I thought was about as much as I wanted to spend on paper and she was able to help me find some choices in this "middle range" - evidently you can go WAY higher than this.  She was having a 20% off sale (off of the listed retail price), so that was helpful.

Display at Wallpaper Your World

c)  visiting a shop in Buckhead called Wallpaper Plus link to website and dealt with owner/designer Sherrie who had about 150 in-stock papers.  They were well selected and I recognized a number of patterns from the books I had been perusing.  Her price was $66.00 per double-roll - a price-point that seemed awfully good to me.  We found several that looked promising and one that had all the right colors although it was a stripe - I hadn't been looking for and wanting a stripe.  It was so perfect, however, that I bought three double-rolls and took them home feeling very successful and frugal!  Unfortunately, when I got it home and reviewed it with my husband in the actual space, it was clear that the room would be too dark.  So, I returned it but did buy some custom blinds from Sherrie.

Display at Wallpaper Your World - Jack H. Poles Design Board

Display at Wallpaper Your World

d)  visiting a shop in Snellville called Wallpaper Your World link to website.  The shop is owned by designer Jack H. Poles III and he personally selects the papers which were wonderful - about 200 choices all together.  He also provides a much wider range of decorating services and I highly recommend him just based on what I saw in the shop.  The price - get ready for this - is $33.00 per double-roll - I had to ask two or three times!  I brought three home and selected one.

Today, with my daughter and sweet Eliza in tow, I picked up the rolls and will be handing them off to my general contractor to do the work - I am cheap enough but NOT that handy to do this myself.

Sample of Selections at Wallpaper Your World 

Display at Wallpaper Your World

MY selection

It is hard to project this into my space but I will definitely have to be a "before" and "after"!

Leaning Mirror Purchase - Trying out this Decorating Trend

Pottery Barn Leaning Mirror - about $600

My husband and I are, we are told, within a month of finishing our lower level (aka basement) "mini" renovation project.  The drywall is up and undergoing taping and finishing today; the new stairway oak treads are in; the bathroom floor tiles are waiting for grout, etc. etc.   I have, as usual, gotten ahead of the project and started actively looking for furniture and decorations for the space since much of what we had down there before was a mis-mash of furniture and accessories relegated from other areas of the house - comfortable and functional but not great!

I do want to put in a plug for the Salvation Army.  They have a "pick-up" program that is well organized and works beautifully to pick up donations that are too large to haul to the nearest Goodwill donation center.  They schedule areas of pickup; communicate a day in advance to verify pickup dates and times (within a three hour window); and, leave behind a printed donation sheet for tax records.  They were courteous and professional and I was happy to donate a still serviceable Southwood sofa and coordinated chair and ottoman.

Earlier View of window area (ceiling is now sheetrocked) - leaning mirror would be on left of this set of windows.

One item I have been checking out on Craigslist is a leaning mirror to enhance the visual size of the space.  I have been seeing leaning mirrors in decorating magazines and Pottery Barn and Ballard ads for some time and liked the way they were being used.  We have a window alcove that has only two of the three windows it previously had - the third window had been removed to build-out our 2004 home addition - this is the area I targeted for a leaning mirror - see above.

I checked out a usual web source for advice on using leaning mirrors and found helpful suggestions source :

Place a leaning mirror in a room that will benefit from its qualities. Place a dramatic leaning mirror in your living room or dining room to create the illusion of a fuller room when people are present. Use the mirror to balance a room that has limited window space.

 

Select a location that is structurally sound. Choose a solid wall that does not experience significant shifting or tremors. For example, if the walls adjacent to your front door vibrate slightly when the door closes, do not place the mirror against one of those walls.

 

Select a location that is not in a high-traffic pathway. You do not want people brushing against the mirror or carrying food near it on a regular basis. Find an otherwise overlooked wall in a high-traffic room against which you can lean your mirror.
 

Select a mirror that is framed tastefully. Unframed mirrors look cheap and unfinished. Many leaning mirrors have understated mirrored frames so that they look finished without introducing another dramatic element. The mirror and frame together should feel like one object, not an object in a frame.

 

Use the mirror to create drama and add glamour. Place the mirror so that it reflects a portion of an luminous light fixture or other decorative feature. The key is to balance the amount of light and shine in the space. If you have a large mirror in a room, you should have no more than one other significantly shiny or sparkly feature, like a detailed light fixture.

 

 Do not hide the mirror behind a big piece of furniture. You can keep other items close to the mirror, even overlapping it slightly within the lines of sight in the room. Do not obscure its qualities by including too many other elements in the room. If you have the splendid design sense to include such a dramatic piece in your home, do it justice and let it take center stage.

My theory, of course, is that you have to buy the items you are looking for when you actually see them.  I found a mirror with the dimensions (44X78) and simple good looks on Craigslist Sunday morning and we had the mirror by Sunday afternoon.  The owner was moving and she had purchased it new for $300 at American Signature Furniture and was selling for $150 ($100 if you could pay and pickup immediately) so a quick trip and $100 later, it was mine.  If will be at least a month before we get to verify that it works but it certainly should and I can't wait to place it in our new space!

Pottery Barn mirror  - about $400

Ballard mirror - about $700

My mirror (not in my space) - $100

Wallpaper Selection - Not What I Expected to be Doing

I am continuing the basement renovation saga with this blog.  It is going fast (could be mostly completed in another three weeks) so we have to start making decisions quickly.  One decision I did not anticipate making was a selection of wallpaper for the bathroom.

Basement Bathroom 

When we bought this house in 2000, wallpaper was very popular and the Atlanta area had a number of large stores mostly devoted to making in-store selections.  My husband wallpapered all five and a half bathrooms in the house as well as most of the kitchen.  I loved this look for about five years and started noticing the decline of wallpaper in decorating magazines and home shows.  I also noticed that the stored in the area were closing and today, I do not believe there is a single store still available devoted to wallpaper selections.  So, I looked forward to the day that I could rip out that (now) old wallpaper and paint the walls (never did care for the heavy faux finishes).  We redid our son's bathroom some time ago and eliminated the paper in that room but all the others remain intact.

The basement renovation was an opportunity to remove the wallpaper to give the walls a clean paint surface.  I was planning to paint it the same color as the surrounding area - warm taupe-gold.  And then, something happened!  I started noticing some of the GREAT wallpapers being used in show houses and decorating magazines.  It seemed like a whole, clean new look and much more interesting than plain paint.

I visited our local Sherwin-Williams store's wallpaper corner section and took note of some of the interesting papers that are available.  I waited until we selected the counter top (granite) and flooring (marble-looking white with hints of charcoal and pale gold) and cabinet color (charcoal) before returning to the store to look for options to present to my husband.

Yesterday, I brought home four books with about 18-20 choices - ranging from mostly taupe-gold patterns to bolder patterns with some charcoal black.  I did not want a hard black so many of the otherwise wonderful black and white images didn't work.

Some of the predominantly taupe/gold options - I liked them all! 

I liked this pale gold with grey highlights a log (stick shows color paint being used in adjacent space).

Final choice - swirls of charcoal with some taupe-gold accents.  The granite is not solid black, it has some greys and whites as accents.   

We are getting measurements to place the order as we speak.  So, the only things left to select in the bathroom are the light fixtures and new glass shower stall.  I call that progress!