Monday, June 30, 2014

you're killing me, basement

Friends and countrymen, the basement reno is almost done.  I know i've been telling you this for years, literally yeeeears, don't think i don't know that.  But.  We have made progress on those incidentals that have a way of bringing the whole thing to a hault.  Or in our case, prolong something from progressing.  I guess that's actually what bring it to a hault means, but that implies there was actual work being done.  We sort of go in spurts where we focus on the basement, and then refinish a tv cabinet, and then go on vacation, and then build a patio. And then we're like, so what are we doing about that thing in the basement?

So.  There were two situations with the basement looming over our heads.  What do we do with the pole, and what do we do with all the electronic equipment for all the theatre stuff.



Starting with the pole, we wanted to make it have a purpose.  It has to be there, it may as well DO something.  So we're making it a table, for that little retro chair and for people who may be congregating in the bar area.


And since my darling knows i'm a visual person, he printed out templates from work so we can get a general idea of what the table would like like.  We like the look of the bottom boxed out, but for the top we may just paint it. 

Just enough space to rest a beer on, i don't want the table to take center stage.  Here i think it looks too big, but the picture below doesn't leave much room for your beverage.  However, if we don't drywall the top of the pole, it will mean the table will be plenty big.


The height is a little higher that the chair so that people standing can still use it.


This feels unobtrusive, right?


The many sizes he brought home, each adding an inch to the table top.  S keeps calling it a guitar pick shape, but to me it's a ouja board piece. 


Some a little less unobtrusive. Lordy. I think he was just trying to annoy me.

Some apparently, quite comfortable. 

And then finally we have the component bench!  This looks simple (at least to me) but it took him ages to draw up and was full of mathematical thought. I am telling you, this, for some reason, was a lot more complicated than it looks right here.   It looks like a pretty simple box....right?  I had hoped we could rig something from Ikea and be done with it.


But my darling is a man's man, and a man's man's theatre room has surround sound and wi fi tv and remote controls i can't even begin to understand. He put a lot of thought into making it perfectly line up with the electrical and computer input things...yeah.  I love how the sub woofer (that big speaker on the left) is partially sunken behind the face so that it looks just like the right hand side.


We realized the receiver gets too hot when it's in use, so he installed a fan on the right  The man just thinks of everything.  We'll install a flip down door that covers the whole front except that very bottom, and he (of course) has a fancy pants remote that works through the door. We'll also add pillows and cushions up top for seating.


Listen, just as long as i don't have to see this mess, i'm golden.

I need some input with the wall behind the bench, if you would indulge me.  So when the theatre screen is down, it won't be a problem.  When it is up in the ceiling (like in the photos) and we're using it as a bench, it's a big empty wall with an off center and high, typical basement window.  How do i decorate this?  Any sort of artwork would have to go really high so that people sitting on the bench aren't uncomfortable.  Should i just do something to balance out the window?  Do nothing at all?  Maybe just look into pillows for now?  Help!

 
 
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8 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

It's been so long I almost forgot about the basement! But I do see progress! I would think about a graphic on the wall, that way it's flat and doesn't interfere with sitting or the screen. You can get appliques or paint something! I love the little table on the pole. Very 60's!

House in the Heights said...

Wow, I can't wait to see what this looks like when you're done! I agree with Linda, a graphic might be a great option for your needs! Maybe some fun pillows, too?

jackie jade said...

having a table around that pole is a great way to hide it a bit. and also i'm all about hiding components too - so ugly!

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

I love the idea of using the pole as if it was there on purpose!

Artsy VaVa said...

Great idea!

Diana Mieczan said...

I love the idea of having a table around the pole. Brilliant and I can't wait to see it all finished:) Have a great day, darling. xo

Laura B said...

Wow! Your basement is looking really nice! I really like the idea of turning the pole into a table! Great way to make it purposeful (other than being a pole)!

Lisa said...

I was just wondering about the basement since I know we both started ours around the same time. You're so close now! I love the idea of the little table around the pole and it's so cool to do it in a fun shape too.