I've been trying to save files from our failing external hard drive. In the process, I've uncovered a wealth of information -- photos, documents, etc. -- many of which (at least the photos) are of our house in its beginning stages. I thought I'd give you all a glimpse into our most embarrassing room: The Man Cave.
(Oh, and if you haven't already . . . today's a great time to check out our house and all its ugly early photos! I found even more befores this weekend that I'll share in the near future.)
No, we don't call it the Man Cave because Stephen gets to hang out there with his guy friends. It's far too cold and cruddy for that. The previous owner's late husband, however, had converted the basement (like many other men on this block) using more snazzy paneling than you can shake a stick at, maroon and tan checkered tile (which we believe contains asbestos, and we'll revisit that topic later today with a guest post), a plastic-y bar, and a strangely textured drop ceiling.
As you can see, we mostly use it for laundry:
(Wait, is that a grocery cart? Uhhh, long story on that one . . .)
But we had high hopes for this room when we first moved in. We did actually hang out down there from time to time . . . mostly to play darts and cool off (it was summer after all). What we've decided is that we'd like to convert at least half the space to a more finished look. Likely not the fanciest of rooms -- but something with a less carcinogenic floor, real walls, and better insulation so we might be able to use the room for more than 4 months per year.
But what will we do with this bar?
We definitely have our work ahead of us. And I don't imagine we'll get to this space anytime soon. This weekend we made a list of all the things we'd like to accomplish on the house in the next year. This project does not make the top of the list. Instead, it's at the bottom.
But now I'm wondering. What is your least favorite/most embarrassing room in your house? Care to share it? Or, even, what steps have you taken to renovate it on a budget? As you'll find out later today, sometimes older materials call for special handling (in the case of our possible asbestos tile). Has anyone else run into issues while bringing a room into the twenty-first century? And do you think someday people will be saying the same mean stuff about our work?
So many questions. But here's one statement: The H20 Bottle Giveaway ends today. Go check it out!
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7 comments:
OOooh, that looks, um... classy? I like the grocery cart. ;-)
I don't know- 1960s tile, wood paneling, AND a grocery cart?? Why would you want to remodel?
a grocery cart, eh?! Ha those are my favorite grocery cart sizes.. yes I have a favorite sized cart..no biggie! How did you pull that one off?!
Ah, the joys of an old house. I actually think the bar is pretty cool-- not sure what I would do to update it, tho. Probably re-upholster the stools with some Amy Butler, paint the thing and call it a day.
A note on your asbestos tile-- all asbestos is not created equal! There are two kinds: the awful, super-heat resistant carcinogenic kind, and a more benign, non-carcinogenic kind used in things like siding and floor tiles. Do a little research, by all means-- but I'm pretty sure you'd be fine ripping the stuff up and taking it to the dump.
We rent, but it's our bathroom. They did this bizzare thing where they made it super narrow, and put a thick wall behind the shower, and then put the toilet behind that wall. There is only a room for the toilet back there. Very large people cannot use our toilet because, frankly, they won't fit.I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just true.
Also, we have wood paneling throughout the apartment, paired with brown carpet. I've kind of gotten used to now, but at first I thought I was going to die from lack of color.
Our 70's era house is still filled with embarrassing bits - even after doing quite a bit of work on it. Yes, our kitchen still sports the Brady Bunch harvest gold double ovens - just like Alice used! We did get rid of many ugly light fixtures including one my son dubbed "the booger lamp". The foil wallpaper (three prints) is long gone too. Thank goodness! You'll get there. Do take pictures though as it's fun to look back and see what's been accomplished.
I love the record player and records - it looks like you go down there and have hootenannys! (not sure you're old enough to know what a hootenanny is/was) :)
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