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Makeover Tour: A Dull Basement to Bright and Cheery Home Studio

by on Feb 11, 2013

We’re excited to share an exclusive makeover with you today! You may remember Alexandra Hedin and her fresh and colorful style from her week of inspiring guest posts last spring. Since then, she’s been busy giving her basement laundry room a bright, cheery, and oh-so-functional makeover. Read on to check out the new space and get some behind-the-scenes details!     

Name: Alexandra Hedin

About: I am a lifestyle and entertaining correspondent for local media outlets including television, magazines, etc.  Basically a doyenne of living a colorful life and bringing you the inspiration to lead your own colorful life.

Project: Need a work space, STAT!

Budget: Limited, at best.

created at: 02/11/2013

Tell us a bit about what this space was used for before and what inspired you to tackle a full-blown makeover!

We bought a mid-century house and love the bones of the place – the basement (spooky, cold, and dark) was completely unfinished and needed to be finished because we were having another baby.  The space was the laundry space originally so we didn’t have to move plumbing or venting too far to accommodate the new space (there is laundry in here too).

created at: 02/11/2013

Did you start with a clear vision or did the space evolve over time? What were your main sources for design inspiration?

Because the house is 1950’s era, we wanted to keep a nod to the design intact.  We chose cabinets that mimic mid-century teak cabinetry and found old knobs at LA Hardware.  We knew we wanted the basic design to reflect the era of the house, but also I needed a space that was fun.  Inspired by a yellow stripe floor that I couldn’t quite talk Mr. Hedin into, we transferred the design element to the ceiling.  And because it’s just paint, we can go plain any time or – more likely – change the color of the stripes down the road.

created at: 02/11/2013

Any setbacks, SNAFUs, or unpredicted design dilemmas? How did you solve them? Tell us the dirty secrets!

There are always issues when remodeling an old house.  Luckily, Mr. Hedin is a fabulous carpenter and we are both perfectionists, so the details were all figured out before starting and we knew precisely what we wanted.  For us, the only design challenge came with the slide out table – mostly because it’s not a standard item.  Mr. Hedin called on a family friend to help him engineer the table so it slides out on heavy duty drawer glides.  It’s now the crown jewel of the room.

created at: 02/11/2013

What is your favorite new feature? Your proudest DIY moment?

The best feature is truly the slide out table.  It hasn’t been slid in in a long time as it’s constantly covered with projects in process, but when it is, the room looks large and lovely.  Everyday there is something fun being created on the table and in the room.  It’s such an improvement over crafting on the dining room table!  Now the family can all be working on fun projects and still eat dinner together.

created at: 02/11/2013

Any advice or parting words of wisdom?

For us, the key to a happy marriage is getting all of my glitter and glue out of the main family spaces.  Because we both work from home, establishing a space that is just for making a mess was critical in keeping all of us sane.

created at: 02/11/2013

Thanks Alexandra! Be sure to check out more of Alexandra’s original DIY projects, recipes, and more at www.alexandrahedin.com.


Do you have a room makeover you’d love to share on Curbly? Let us know by sending an email to [email protected]

 

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