Basement Living Space Illusion #2

Here is another basement that has been fixed up to have more "livable space" for little money. The concrete walls have been painted and furniture and area rugs added. Throw in a game table and for very little money you have a place for the kids to play with the noise a floor away.  Buyers will see more value in the home.

In this basement they used a warm, sunny color on the concrete walls. Then added some artwork and some furniture to make it feel homey. One thing to keep in mind, though, when doing a bedroom in the basement, it needs a fire escape window to make it legal and safe. Check with you local building codes to be sure you are in compliance.

The Illusion of More Finished Space

When selling your home, the more livable square footage, the higher price you will get. If you have an unfinished basement you can give the illusion of more finished space with some minor changes at minimal cost. Spray paint the walls white or a light tan or wheat color to warm it up and stage it with furniture to make it function as a family room, game room, craft room, etc. If you paint the unfinished ceiling so much the better. Add an area rug to warm it up. Now you have a friendly, get away space on another level of the home! Buyers will love it!

Southeast Art Walk

We saw this fun art work at the Southeast Art Walk this past weekend. It is by Anna VonRosenstiel. www.avrdesigns.com Had to buy a piece for my dining room. The Art Walk is a fun activity each year in early March in the Richmond Neighborhood along SE Division Street and the surrounding blocks. It showcases artists that live in the neighborhood. Come out and support them. Put it on your calendar to attend next year. You’ll be glad you did!

Under Sink Dishwasher Space Saver

We saw this dishwasher in my daughter's apartment when we were visiting back in New York. I had not seen one before where it fits in under the sink. Clever space saving idea for small condos.

 

Victorian Style House- Great looking!

This home has a lot going for it. Victorians are one of the two most popular style homes in the inner neighborhoods. It has a great, four color paint combination. The restoration is wonderful, the landscaping interesting, and everything feels immaculate. I recommend if people want a fence in the front yard for kids, pets, or security, they use a light, airy feeling one so the house doesn't feel cut off from the street. The home owner did just that with a black wrought iron fence. And it has a period look. What a great job! This property is a big 10+!

Exterior Paint Color on a Split Level Home

I love the paint combination on this home. Most split level houses I see have the same color on the entire house which makes it look dull, tiresome, and tedious. In other words- boring. This house, though, looks fresh and interesting and I think would command a higher sales price than one with a monotone paint color. The darker color on the lower level grounds the house. The lighter body color, white trim and the red door make it sparkle. Someone had a real good sense of color on this project!

Acid-etched, Stained, Concrete Floors

For my basement, I wanted a versatile space that could be used as a workshop and get messy with sawdust. And yet at other times I wanted to be able to use it as a big family room by adding an area rug and couches. Tile and wall-to-wall carpet do not hold up to the abuse of shop work. So going with a stained, concrete floor with several coats of wax works really well. We love it! We looked at floors in commercial stores with stained floors and found a color we liked. Something with warm tones. The photo shows the finished look

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