Before and After: Basement Bar

Aside from our cool fireplace, our new basement bar is one of the few things that adds lots of retro charm to our otherwise-uber beige house. It needed just a wee bit of painting and some new decor and it's looking like a dandy replacement for our formerly attic "man room" area.

It may be difficult to tell from the photos, but the wall color (what there is of it) used to be mint green. Now it's "antique red" which is really a red/orange combo that makes the space seem a lot warmer, and more old school. The hubby has begun putting up his string of Schlitz beer lights, his vintage TV lamp and other barware and beer signs and generally just pimping out his new space. It's fun to watch it come together and imagine a time when we'll have some friends in the new town with whom to enjoy it!!

Our newest project has been painting our "office" which is open to both our kitchen and living room. The color is "Midwest Spring" which is a really nice blue color. The room has a TON of this kind of ugly wood in it, but at least now it won't be "Barbie Tan" color any more (hubby's word) or what I like to call "Terra Cotta" -- really just another shade of beige.

Today I had a bug to try to make cheese. Yesterday it was butter. Perhaps my body is telling me I need more dairy? Anyhoo, if you have any good cheesemaking stories or recipes, do share!