Redecorating basement/teaching studio

[DevaMajka]

*added pics post 4*

The biggest thing I need help with is colors, and perhaps some organization ideas. I'm clueless when it comes to colors and making areas look nice (or at least better).

And we have very little money to work with. A couple hundred, max. Dp won't be happy about it, but it seems to me that it would be good for business to have that area look better. He doesn't think it will translate to more money, so doesn't want to put any money out for it.

It's actually the waiting room that needs the most help. It looks so...basementy. lol. It's in the same room as my washer/dryer, but we have it separated by curtains (a light denim color). It's a small room (I'd have to measure). It has windows that let in a good amount of light, for a basement. The bottom half of the walls are concrete blocks, the top half are drywall. The floor is concrete. Right now, it's painted gray- different shades on the floor and walls (I know, lively color for a basement, eh? lol). We are using folding chairs for seating.

I need a way to store ds's outside toys. I have some shelving units (this with 6 cubes and similar to this) I could use, but they are open in the front and I *know* it will look messy. It might be tricky fitting something in the laundry area.

So- color ideas that are good for areas with clients, that will liven up a basement? Dp and I aren't big on bright colors. I've been toying with the idea of a blue/brown theme.

Any other ideas of decorative touches that might be nice, but cheap?

[CoBabyMaker]

Can you show us some pictures of the space as is? What needs to included in the space? You mentioned chairs and storage, is that all?

[DevaMajka]

Good idea- I will get pics tomorrow

[DevaMajka]

Ok, here are some pics:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...y/100_5753.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...y/100_5754.jpg

It's basically the same angle. I tried other angles, but the room isn't big enough in any other direction hehe. I was standing in the laundry area looking towards the waiting area. On the left just past the blue curtain is the door from outside. Directly to my right (where it looks like a wall/hallway) is the door to the teaching area. At the far end of the room on the right is the door to the closet with the water heater and furnace- that door closes, but is open in the pic (I was in a hurry to get it before ds woke up). The fuse box on the far end is inset in the wall, so I think we could just cover it with anything- I would like to make it look ok, but still obvious that it's the fusebox, in case there's an emergency of some sort. There is a glass top end table for magazines and drinks.
On the floor is an area rug; the rest of the floor is painted gray.

I may have solved my storage problem- I think I can get a shelf in the closet.

I would love to have a coat/umbrella stand by the door, or even just some coat hooks. I've also debated a storage bench in that room. But the only thing we really *need* in that room is chairs and end table.

So- and suggestions on painting/colors? Other ideas of things we *really* should consider that would make it look much nicer with a minimum amount of money?

[zoebird]

ok. first of all, it's not that bad. the description was worse than the photo.

what do you teach in the studio? this can help with any manner of design ideas. Also, what colors are in whatever logos and promotional materials that you use? do you have examples of those that we can see?

finally, are you sticking with the denim curtains for the laundry area? it's ok if you do, it just becomes a design element that way.

then, i can help.

[DevaMajka]

Thanks It's not awful (when it's all cleaned up) but I'd love for it to be more...inviting, kwim?

Dp teaches guitar, mostly, and some piano. His students range from kids (who's parents wait in the waiting area), to teens, to adults. No promotional materials or theme colors, but dp is a "rock n roll" kind of guy. hehe

I'd like to keep the curtains just to save money, but if it came down to it, we could use them elsewhere and get new for the basement (I like them much more than the curtains in the rest of the house!)
Here are the curtains- they look more light denim irl.

[zoebird]

i'm thinking that clean, modern, and spare (almost industrial) with a bit of warmth should do the trick.

first, remove everything (save the washer/dryer if you can't move it). start with a clean slate.

beginning with paint, i would start on the floors. i would paint the base coat, then tape out a diamond pattern to do in an alternating color. then, i would do the walls in a related color. but what color?

next, i would build this cubby-bench to fit on the far wall, and perhaps a second one (or a double one to work like a console) that would fit on the wall where the two folding chairs are now. but what color should they be?

well, this leads us to color. because it really depends upon where you want to go. personally, i would go very natural and neutral, with a good pop of color somewhere (that isn't the laundry room curtains). but which neutrals and which color?

alright, lets get rolling on color. i'm actually inspired by the sheepskin that you have.

so, i would start there. I would go and find a color swatch at the paint store that basically matches that color. typically, a swatch has 4 colors on it from very pale to very dark hue values in that color.

1. the very lightest color i would get to paint the cubbies (bench and console);
2. the second color (above the lightest) and the very darkest would be the colors for the diamonds on the floor;
3. the middle shade would be for the walls,
4. and again the lightest shade (same as cubbies) for trim (if you have any) and the ceiling.

this creates a very neutral back drop. i would put the cubby bench on the back wall and toss the sheep skins on them. i would find curtains that matched the sheep skin. i would likely get baskets for the bench's cubbies--just a general natural fiber color that is lighter in shade. for the cubbies, if you are going to use them to store your DS's stuff, you might want to continue and get baskets for that as well.

so, it has a nice, warm look, but still modern and clean. right? but, very "snore" because it's all in one color family and beige, to be quite honest (with a few green plants).

I would then warm it up with some more textiles. i love to see rugs hung on the wall as art, and Ikea has some really affordable ones. for example: this one is 2 ft by 3 ft, and it would probably look fabulous above the bench on the far wall. the bench is 48 inches, the rug only 35, but it would still work nicely, i think. i would hang it over the brick, just below the dry wall part of the wall.

to double the light, i would hang a mirror above the console cubbies, and then put a plant on either side of it (like the one you have on the side table currently).

Now, here is the budget if you are going with Ikea:

mirror: $20
rugs: $40
baskets: (say 12 because you have a console with 9 cubbies and a bench with 3) $156

now, other elements: wood and supplies for benches--estimated $120? I really have no idea, i guess it depends upon the materials, where you are, what yuo have, etc.

paint: $100 in paint at the most, i guess. I haven't shopped for paint in a while, so i can't say. i also don't really know how big the room is.

so, perhaps a budget of $500 could do it?

anyway, that's one of my takes on it, if you are interested.

[rere]

How about slip covers over the folding chairs to make them look a little more "home-y"(if you sew you could do something fun like make them out of rock band t-shirts from the thrift store).And I would hang a painting(or a piece of nice fabric stretched like a canvas...or some sort of framed record album art?) over the electric box.You could hang coat hooks on the wall under the electric box.And what about a magazine rack on that back wall?Or even little shelves(something like these.They're from Ikea but I couldn't find them on line.) that hold some thrifted books.

I'm having a hard time thinking about color because it seems so personal.Maybe have a look around on Flickr and see if you can find some spaces that you like the color of?

[DevaMajka]

Wow! Some great ideas, from both of you! I'm inspired now! I love the idea of building the cubby/bench! Dp has been looking for a way to use his newfound building skills I also think a magazine rack on the back wall would be nice- useful, and it would add some detail that would make the walls look less empty.

Awesome! I'm excited to get started on this, though I bet it will go very slowly.

Originally Posted by zoebird

alright, lets get rolling on color. i'm actually inspired by the sheepskin that you have.

I don't have a sheepskin in there- I'm curious what you think is a sheepskin, so I can try to match *that* color
The idea of picking a color card and using the 4 colors is fantastic, and probably something I wouldn't have thought of doing. And I definitely wouldn't have known which color to put where, kwim? Thanks so much!

[zoebird]

i thought i saw one on one of the folding chairs. LOL then i realized it's probablt just a cushion. but i didn't have time to come back and write that until now. LOL

you can get inexpensive sheepskins from Ikea too.

[dawncayden]

Remember that craigslist is your friend. Keep your eye on the free section as well as the furniture section for cheap finds.
I'd go for red for the colour and black and white just for simple. Or blue, white and black are great too. I love the mirror idea.

I'm a craigslist junkie, so I can keep my eye out for specific items if you like

[zoebird]

right, another way to go, if you like the rug i picked but not a sheepskin (or whatever), just pick the neutral tone in the rug and do the same process with a single color swatch. or, choose another rug or art item that you like, and so the same.

good luck!

[DevaMajka]

I have trouble finding good deals on craigslist- maybe I'm not on often enough, and I miss the good things?

I bought shelving for the closet, and got paint chips to start thinking about that- this is probably the first time I've felt capable of making a space actually look good (though it won't be great because of money restrictions. But I can live with "good" ) Thanks again all!

[zoebird]

welcome! i look forward to seeing some "after" pictures.

[luv-my-boys]

Please whatever you do get rid of the folding chairs As a parent who waits countless hrs in waiting room folding chairs...my butt (well padded by the way) hates them. But seriously, I would consider finding other more comfy sitting arrangesments. On any given day how many parents/people do you have waiting there at one time, could you get by with 2 nicer chairs? Maybe a folding *in case* there are more but tucked away.
for instance something like this
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Toledo-Tuf...ather/14138758 (upside easily cleaned as well)

The coffee table is nice for reading materials but a wall mounted on will clear up floor space a big (especially if you go with other seating) kinda like the kind you see in doctors offices (they make nicer wood or steel ones)

As for colors really thats personality for me. I know people will say oh paint x for small rooms or x for this or that but really if you dont like the color it'll never seem right. Maybe not all the walls the same color but a accent wall with some lighter ones or even using the curtains as your "accent wall"/pop of color and design without overwhelming the space or even an area rug with design would look nice

Some of my favorate places to find nicer cheaper things are

Ikea (as some great organizational items:bins,baskets,)
walmart (their Canopy line is quite nice)
target (has some hig end looks for a good price)

[DevaMajka]

Originally Posted by luv-my-boys

Please whatever you do get rid of the folding chairs

I'm glad you said that. I just mentioned getting chairs from CL and dp said "but our chairs look just fine in there." I was going to just drop it, but I think I'll push a bit harder