Basement

Last summer, we decided to finish the basement. We did some hiring out and a lot ourselves and I was terrible at taking pictures! Yep, not a single picture of the construction process. BUT here is the finished project!

• We started in August with framing. Our neighbor and friend Jake Staker did this for us. 
• In September, Mike and neighbor Chad Hendrickson did the electrical. 
• In late October, our neighbor Howard McMurdie did our sheetrock and drywall. 
• In October/November, Mike borrowed his good friends, Eric's paint sprayer and he sprayed the basement. We sprayed the basement revere pewter. I painted the bedroom and bathroom rock port grey. The doors and trim are painted semi gloss white and the ceiling is ceiling white. Loved having Sherwin Williams so close! 
• In November/December, Mike borrowed his good friends Jake and Jake's saws and did the trim work around the doors and baseboards including hanging the doors. 
• Early December, we got carpet!! It is so soft and I love the color.
• And then we took a break! 
• In late January, we started the bathroom. The most expensive part of the basement and the part we were clueless on. The plumber came before the sheetrock went up and after the shower walls and vanity were up he came back. We put cultured marble in the shower on on the vanity from CMS, It goes from the ceiling to the floor and surrounds the shower. 
• Mike installed the floor, it is the newest thing and looks like wood floor but lays easier than tile. I love the look and that it is waterproof! it is called Adura Mannington. 
• The vanity and counter were also installed in early February. 
• Everything was complete just before mid February. 
• In March, I finally found the area rugs I was looking for to tie everything together!

Here are some pictures of the day we got carpet installed. 

and the day we got the vanity installed.

and now the finished product!

the storage room is still unfinished. In December, i bought new racks for all my storage bins to go on. BUT still need it seems like 10 more to finish the room. The other half of the room isn't organized but also has furniture, luggage and tools. 

Here's Makinzee's closet yet it looks like my kids have been in here playing games on a table and chairs. I'm hoping to set up my scrapbooks again and work on them. One day, I'm only a couple years behind! 

This is the bedroom. We also still need to get shutters in the two windows. The kids also think this is their room. Right now it is no ones room, I'd like to make it a guest room or a room for Grammie if she decides to come live with me!! hint hint grams!! 

And a look across the family room. Down the hall is the storage room, the bathroom, a closet under the stairs, the stair case and then the little door opening to the right is the kids play room (my favorite part of the basement!!) 

Another look at the doors (and a blue piece of tape for me to fix paint touch ups). Mike did an excellent job with the molding on the doors! Love it, I am already hinting at slowing move through the house and re-doing the baseboards to match this! 

Big shout out to Mike for finishing the basement without ever doing one before. We are thankful for wonderful friends who helped along the way and Mike said he could have never done some of these things without his knowledge he gained from scouts. So a plug for scouts!!