Homework: the basement

This week I won the bench lottery at my place of employ. Orchestra Hall was replacing old lobby benches, and I got to take home one of the old, worn ones. I've been looking for a bench for my private entry, a.k.a. the basement door from the garage. This works beautifully. I moved the shelving unit that used to be under the stairs, to try to make something functional here. I also added a coat hook. It kind of works as a makeshift version of something like this, I think:


Of course, it would look a lot better if I would tidy up the workbench and get rid of some of the junk leftover from the rennovations. And if only I could do something about that floor. It's clearly been painted a couple of times, and now it just looks yucky. I think I'll wait and see in the spring if the basement gets wet, but it would be nice to maybe just carpet the whole thing. It would feel a lot nicer down there with an even-toned floor. Although I'm not sure how that would work in the laundry room area, where the floor is all sloped.


I had plans to cover up that ugly old linoleum this weekend. I went back to Home Depot to buy some more of the carpeting that we used on the stair landing, but unfortunately it only comes in strips three feet wide, and my area was four feet wide. I was ready to make due with 12 inches of ugly showing, when I found big chunks of indoor/outdoor carpeting for cheaper, and in 6' x 8' pieces. I haven't cut it to size or laid it out yet, but I have high hopes that it's going to make the laundry room a little less ugly. I don't seem to have the energy for evening work anymore, so that will probably be a next weekend project.


The other big thing I did this weekend is rent a carpet shampooer for the basement bedroom. I got an email on Thursday from a girl I know who is moving overseas and is selling all of her belongings, so I bought her mattress, box spring, bed frame, down comforter, and bedskirt for $200! With a real guest room in sight, I had a burning desire to clean the carpet in there. It looks better, but it still needs some spot treating on some stubborn stains. I'll post pictures when the carpet dries and I can put the furniture back in there. The room looks great with a bed in it!