The Patriotic Basement, Part II

Are you still there? Or did I bore you to death with my excitement over our new ceiling in the basement? 

Did you miss it? 

You can read The Patriotic Basement, Part I Here.

Today, I'm excited to show you our wall treatment and the entertainment wall. Hopefully this will prove to be a bit more exciting.

For a quick refresher, this was our basement a few months ago...

A boring, dingy, beige basement.

For the walls, I wanted to do a bold wall color, so we chose Ralph Lauren's Ashlar - a rich blue grey. This color would also help fulfill Kev's desire for a 'Merica themed basement - yet still felt sophisticated.

We knew it would be too dark to be the only color for the basement, so we decided to pair it with a crisp white board and batten, trim, and cabinetry.

The board and batten was actually pretty painless to install, it was all the painting and the caulking that took up the majority of time.

We love the way it pops against the bold blue grey walls. Here you can also really see the trim work and the tray ceiling. We decided to paint the first level of the ceiling the same Ashlar blue. I think it made the room feel a little more luxe.

And now, on to my favorite part of the room...the entertainment wall. As I mentioned before, Hubs really wanted a big screen television. In all honesty, I don't love the idea of a TV being the focal point in any room (our other two TVs are tucked away in armoires), so I wanted to do something tasteful around the monstrosity.

I wasn't quite sure what "something tasteful" really meant until I saw this gorgeous fireplace facing at an antique store. When I spotted it, something just clicked. THIS would be our focal point.

We decided to build a faux fireplace with builtin cabinets and shelving on either side. I wanted lighting above the shelving and electrical moved behind the television so no cords showed. So Hubs got to work.

Hubs built a fake surround around the fireplace and we purchased the shaker style cabs from a local store, Builder Surplus.


Once the cabinets were in place, Hubs built a counter top for both cabinets and for the mantle out of stained wood. Then the bookshelves were constructed above the cabinets.

My favorite detail is the sconces we wired up and mounted above the bookshelves.









Everything got trimmed out and painted the same crisp white we used for the ceiling and the board and batten.

Finally, hubs used small subway tile to mimic the look of an actual fireplace.

It should be noted that we did keep electrical wiring in the fireplace should we choose to ever put electric logs in there. For now, I look the look of my driftwood filled basket.

Once everything was built, painted, stained, and caulked - The TV went in (all 65 inches) with only a half inch on either side for wiggle room. I was sweating BIG time while trying to help Hubs mount this thing. I was CONVINCED it wasn't going to fit - or I was going to drop it. I may have shed three tears over the whole ordeal. But once again, Kev proved me wrong. 

Not even five minutes after the TV was mounted, I began filling the shelves with some of our favorite things. If you look carefully, you will spy a brass eagle, brass pineapples, horse heads, blue and white porcelain. 

 

I especially love these framed school photos of Kev's dad. I mean, don't they look like a mugshot? HILARIOUS.

The majority of the book spines are blue. I went through Goodwill on a day that the books were heavily discounted and picked out any book that I would like to read... that had a blue spine. This was an easy and eye catching way to decorate the majority of the shelf space. 

That wooden box is one of Hubs' favorite Estate Sale finds. It's an antique construction level. How appropriate!

Also, if you look to the right of the shelf, you might notice our electrical box. We painted it the same color as the wall so it would blend in. 

I love the way the cabinet countertops and the mantle top contrast with the rest of the builtin. We used this same treatment on our dry kitchen (will be posting about that soon).

To the left of the entertainment builtin is our little 'Merica corner. We found this vintage flag at an estate sale. 

The plates are Wedgwood History of Georgia plates. Each plate tells a different story about our State's rich history. My mom has been giving them to me for years.  I'm so glad to have the perfect place to display them now.

Woo! It's a far cry from a beige box now!

Price breakdown for the builtin:

$100 antique fireplace facing

$200 for shaker style cabs

$120 for wood for shelves and fireplace surround

$30 for additional trim 

$30 for paint and caulk

$40 for tile

$40 for lighting

$22 for hardware

Arm and a Leg for that television

Not bad for $582!

The board and batten was around $380 for the room.

Can't wait to show you guys the sitting area next! Talk soon, friends!

xoxo,

The Patriotic Basement, Part 1

Twenty-six weeks. Twenty-six DING DANG weeks, y'all.

That's how long it took us to overhaul our basement (we were only able to work on it on the weekends and a bit in the afternoons). But guys, it was worth every single dusty second of renovation.

Let me begin by telling you that a basement was a "must" for us when we were house hunting. We really wanted a place to entertain and watch movies apart from our family room. When we found Project Stoneywood - it had many of our "must haves" ...including a basement.

Our basement is not very large... In fact, it's only one room that's roughly 12ft by 22ft. Our garage makes up the remainder of the footprint of the house. Since the basement sits directly off the garage, it serves as Hub's and my main entry and exit point.

So, we decided that our basement needed to be a few things:
1. A welcoming and functional space for us when we came home
2. A place for us to be able to entertain guests
3. A place for Hubs and I to be able to relax (roughly translated: a place to Netflix Binge)
4. A place that did NOT feel like a cave (y'all - I don't do dark and dingy)



That seemed like a tall order for 264 square feet, but somehow we managed to make it all work - taking advantage of every square inch.

Hubs' main requests? 1) A large television.  2) Some America themed decor.

When we first bought the house, the basement was basically a ugly, beige rectangle with bad flourescent lighting, a drop ceiling (think dingy office space), and a GIANT outdated map.

 I will say the map was fun  - and we debated keeping it, but ultimately decided it needed to go. 

 The seller installed new flooring to replace this carpet just before we moved in.... SCORE.

One thing we LOVE about the house is the large, multi level deck off the back. The door you see here leads to the lower level of the deck. This is where Hubs has his Big Green Egg and we have our outdoor dining space. Again, making this the perfect entertaining area

When we were prioritizing projects in the basement, we both agreed the ceiling and lighting situation had to be remedied sooner than later. The ceiling only 8 feet high - and the tiles looked dirty. It wasn't a good look, y'all.

Hubs made quick work ripping out the old ceiling. 

He then moved the mechanical works (duct work and electrical) around to the perimeter of the room so that we could create a tray ceiling. Doing this gave us an additional foot of height in the center of the tray.

He wired up new can lights and a pendant - YAY for no more ugly office lighting!!

Can we just talk about all that beautiful trim work? I have always loved a coffered ceiling. We opted to do a low profile version to jazz the place up a little bit.

The final product is just perfect. Is it weird to love a ceiling THIS much?!

All of the lights are now on dimmer switches - HUZZAH!

 

The carriage house pendant was a major score from the Ballard Outlet. I really, really love that place for lighting. It never fails me.

The inset of the tray really makes the room seem so much bigger. I'm so happy we decided to go ahead and raise it. 

And just for comparison sake

Okay - I hope I didn't bore you to death with a post dedicated ENTIRELY to our ceiling. I can't wait to share our entertainment builtin with you next!

Happy Tuesday, friends! Talk soon!

xoxo,

                                                   

#ThriftScoreThursday - Guest Host

Hi there friends! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed I've been playing along with some awesome gals for #Thriftscorethursday. The hashtag is exactly what you think - a fun way to share your fun thrift store finds - POP THEM TAGS, Y'all! 

This week, the masterminds of #ThriftScoreThursday have asked me to be a guest host (ummm.. yes - please)! I'll be sharing one of my recent finds - AND giving some love to other thrift store divas. 

 

My score:

This brass pineapple lamp is a  new favorite. You may have noticed my love for pineapples (#TwerkingForPineapples - that hashtag is a loooong story) on Instagram... I spotted this GORGEOUS lamp at an estate sale last Saturday and IT HAD TO BE MINE. Swooooon.

I will admit, the $50 price tag almost made me leave this baby behind. But after a quick search of the interwebs, I realized these vintage beauties sell for $250! So yeah - it came home with me.

And I have not regretted it one teeny bit.

More #ThriftScoreThursday Love:

1. I love this magazine rack @TheEventMaker found for just six dollars. Midcentury brass is SO yummy!

2.  @ElevenGables always amazes me with her #ThriftScoreThursday finds, but this brass and glass dining table is DROOL WORTHY. Seriously?! (Our mutual love for blue and white and Spanish chandys also helped in deciding on this one)

3. Finally, I have to share @RefreshRestyle's Pink Flamingo... because PINK FLAMINGO, y'all! 

Hope you enjoyed these swoon-worthy finds! And maybe they inspired you to pop in a local thrift store. You never know what you mind find.

Thanks again to the our hosts for having me. Be sure to check out their #ThriftScoreThursday posts below!

Happy Hunting, y'all! Talk soon!

xoxo,

The Fairy Tale of the Buffet

Do you want to hear a fairy tale? Well, it's not really a fairy tale... but sometimes I can barely believe the deal we got.

Once upon a time, I was surfing the social medias and I saw a post from my 7th grade teacher (Hi, Miss Minton!) about her search for a buffet. She wanted to find one to convert into a bathroom vanity. I loved this idea (especially since we converted an old dresser into our master vanity in our old house) and made a mental note to be on the lookout for her (side note: I've been selling a few pieces of furniture on the side).

Well not even a few hours later, I saw a post for this gorgeous buffet.

I picked my mouth up off the floor and exclaimed, "WHAT?!? Surely, she means $375... not $75 for this beauty!" Then I realized it wasn't a mistake. She was really selling this thing for just $75! I privately messaged the woman and told her that I could come and get it that very day. She explained there was a bit of a bidding war happening - which I promptly promised to beat. And boy did I come out the winner... I walked away with this beauty for ONLY $90! Yes... you read that correctly.

I messaged Miss Minton, letting her know that I had found her perfect buffet, but if she didn't want it - I was planning on selling it anyways. And I let her know that I would take additional pictures for her that night upon picking the buffet up.

But when we walked into the woman's home, we saw it... my heart may have fluttered a bit. I immediately knew it would be too tall for Miss Minton to use in her bathroom... and there was no way anyone could ever cut into the gorgeous top of it for a sink.

 **Side note: I'm still looking for a buffet for her**

I glanced over at Kev and he had that same goo-goo "I'm in love" look that I knew I was displaying. 

The owner, Carol, told me she was in a bind. She was moving the next day and had no room for it. She was really just trying to get rid of it... and quickly. But she had tears in her eyes the whole time she talked with us.

The owner explained she bought the antique when she was living in England. She was told that a Scottish man made it for his daughter's wedding day. I may have teared up a bit too.

 If you look at the carvings, you will see hearts.

It's giant. The wood is GORGEOUS. It has been so well taken care of. Kev looked at me and said "there is NO WAY we are selling this one." She was coming home to live with us.

I knew immediately that this would be the perfect place to display some of my blue and white collection...

Hubs gave me the two ginger jars and the bunny for Valentine's Day this weekend. I *may have helped pick them out.

 

I dream of having tons of ginger jars grouped together on this buffet.

What I really love is that each piece (minus the tall modern blue and white vase all the way to the left - TJ Maxx find) was purchased either at an estate sale, a thrift store,an antique store, or a Facebook yard sale site. Each piece has a story... a history. And now they all share a home in my sitting room!

 

 

 Maybe I'm cheap. Maybe it's the hunt to find THE perfect items... but I'd rather buy OLD things than new things to go in our home.  Not breaking the bank to furnish our home?? BONUS!!

Oh, and Kev and I have a rule... we have to sell something OR give it away before we buy new pieces of furniture for Project Stoneywood. I think we are both afraid we will become hoarders if we don't have this rule in place. HA!

We plan on getting this gem appraised soon, along with a few more of our pieces. We have no idea if it's worth anything substantial, but we love it just the same.

Do you have an amazing thrift story? I'd love to hear it! Talk soon, friends!

xoxo,

A Stoneywood Christmas (Part 3)

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, friends!

Today has been super busy. I ran errands the majority of the day and finished wrapping up most of the gifts. Kev and I just returned home from a wonderful family Christmas dinner. I think it's safe to say - this elf is exhausted.

Currently, I'm sitting on the couch... soaking in some of the last days of the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. I'm going to be super depressed when I have to put all of this Christmas Cheer away. But today, the stockings are still hung by the chimney with care - so I will share our den with you.

You can read A Stoneywood Christmas Part 1 here.

You can read A Stoneywood Christmas Part 2 here.

Our tree makes me really happy. 
It's simple... just gold, green and a little bit of red. 

UPDATE:There are now presents under this tree. My hands are still sore from the wrapping session earlier.

These red and gold tear drop ornaments are my very favorites.

The mantle was kind of thrown together... But I love the hodgepodge-ness of it. A couple weeks ago, I found a paper mache deer head at Hobby Lobby. Of course, I decided to paint it with gold glitter. 

Pikes Nursery (where we got our tree) allowed me to take home lots of tree trimmings. I used those, along with some pine cones and ornaments, as the foundation for the deer head.

Full disclosure: I tried to make new stockings. That was a big ole' fat FAIL. I'll try again before next year. Hopefully my sewing skills will be greater at that point.

I also found the garland at Hobby Lobby. I love mini pine cones mixed with cinnamon sticks and berries. I want to buy so many more of these - but HobLob was sold out. 

I added some greens to my 'Merica galvanized bucket. 

 I seriously love the way it came together... especially with the mantle. It's an All American Christmas at the Wigleys. 
Did you expect anything differently from us?

This nativity scene is  a new addition. I've always wanted one to serve as a reminder that Christmas isn't about the gifts, the parties, the decorations... but rather about Our Savior being born.

When we bought the tree from Pikes, they were running a Christmas package special... So we got this fresh wreath and the most beautiful (and unique) poinsettias I've ever seen.

 

I added the ribbon. I'm mad for plaid right now.

(Sorry for the grainy iPhone pic)

My tobacco basket and boxwood wreath also got a little "joy."

If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen my "You Serious Clark?" pillow. This was my favorite Christmas craft this year. It makes me giggle every time I see it.

(Again, another bad iPhone pic)

Here's a view of the full room. Notice the little photo bombers.

Hubs and I have been joking that it looks like Christmas has exploded over here. I guess I was a tad excited to deck our new halls. I just couldn't help myself.

What's your favorite decoration in your home this year? Did you complete any Christmas crafts? I hope you are having a great week and getting some special time with family and friends. Talk soon, friends!

xoxo,