Decorate... Redecorate

I love decorating! It's a fun and easy pastime that anyone can get involved in. Many people have this misconception that decorating is an expensive hobby reserved for the wealthy, but it can be inexpensive and as easy as slapping some new paint down or rearranging furniture for optimal flow. This weekend, I took on re-doing my basement, a formerly depressing space with dents in the yellow (cringe) walls and off-white ceiling (I feel that ceilings should only be crisp white, or, if so-inclined, a rich statement color).

With a bold hit of red behind shelving and on the TV/fireplace wall, and a warm taupe for the rest of the space, the room is now cozy and inviting with an energizing hit of color. Minimal accessories tastefully make this a fun yet not-too-fussy room. To give the shelves a little extra hint of crisp, I removed the jackets of hardcover books and replaced them with white paper.

The bar went rarely used and often unnoticed before, but it now lends depth to the space through the use of a mirror, a handy decorator's tool to visually enlarge space.

I worked with the existing couches and coffee table, adding a tray and some books for interest's sake.

The crisp white cupboards and mantel also used to be painted off-white... what a difference!

The ping-pong table was already in the room, but often folded up against the wall and, I felt, not getting enough use. So, by moving the existing game table over to sit against the back of the couch, we are now able to have it down all the time. Also, the colors of the table play off the silver-framed union Jack we bought last weekend. We now have a useful and fun lounge, thanks to a coat of paint and some well-chosen accents.