How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

This summer we finished our basement. By "we" I hope you know that I mean we wrote the check to make it happen. Brian helped "the worker guys" (as Jaxon called them) do miscellaneous things and we did all the painting. Phew! They say life is a dance and you learn as you go...sometimes you lead and sometimes you just pray that the song will end so you can sit down. Well, during this dance we learned A LOT and I am so glad it's 99.999% done.

Besides resealing the tile in the kitchen, building the shelves in our storage room, installing blinds, and getting all the furniture...I am happy to say that the basement is finished!

Can we get a great big hallelujah from the crowd!?!?

Here are the before and after pictures:

North side of the house

Left: View from basement door Right: View from far west wall.

North wall looking south

(the door is at the bottom of the stairs)

South side of house
Left: View from far east wall (garage on the other side) Right: View from the far west wall

HALLWAY

Left: Bedroom #1 and under-stair storage Right:Bathroom and food storage room

Left: Looking west Right: Looking east

(the door sticking out is a pocket door to separate the basement if someone is staying with us)

BEDROOMS

Left: North bedroom Right: South bedroom

FAMILY ROOM

Left: view from hallway Right: view from fireplace

(door on the right goes to playroom)

Another view of the fireplace and the toyroom cubbies!!

Love them, love them, L.O.V.E. love them!!

The toyroom isn't very big, but it's big enough and it has been oh, so heavenly!

BATHROOM

Does it need an explanation? It's located on the south side of the house.

KITCHEN

Left: Kitchen Right: view from kitchen door

The cabinets were a nightmare, but thankfully we have very generous and talented friends. Thank you Dave and Ken!! They are beautiful!!!

view from hallway: Family room/game room and kitchen

Soon after moving in my dad built the walk-out in the basement with the intent of putting an apartment of sorts in for my brother Trevor. He subsequently moved to Korea to teach English. We've always talked of finishing the basement with the same goal...a place for friends or family to stay...a place for our family to grow and enjoy.