The Once and Future Woman Cave

Most of you who have been to my house have never seen my basement - because for the last several years it has just been a junk room.  When I first moved in, the basement was my den and I spent a lot of time there.  Actually, I think I can blame Spencer for moving out of this den - the timing coincides with when he came to live here - I didn't want to tote puppy up and down, so I just moved up!

After getting rid of a ton of stuff in the MOAYS (mother of all yard sales) Labor Day weekend, I am moving quickly on reclaiming the den. Tomorrow the carpet guy is coming to pull out the old stinky berber carpet.  I am hoping the concrete underneath will be in good enough shape just to use with maybe some rugs, or maybe I will look at staining it.    The stairs will be recarpeted in a dark pewter close napped carpet - I just think carpet will make for safer stairs.

Ok - here are the before pictures - first - the bar is gone.  The bar came with the house, and the reason that it is outside is because I tried to get rid of it at the MOAYS, to no avail.  So, last Friday I posted this pic on Craigslist under the heading FREE BAR, and an hour later, it was gone.

Here are some interiors.  The paint is the has not been touched since I moved in 14 years ago.  I slapped up the chair rail border over the trout-fishing border that was there before. 

The overhead bar lights are coming out and a big screen is going where the bar ware currently sits.  A 55 inch set will fit in there - do I follow my nephew Eric's advice - "buy the biggest tv that fits in the space."????

The furniture goes too.  The paint and the furniture are going to be very neutral grays and whites, then I can punch up the color with accessories - here are some things I have found that I really want:

I am also moving the pub dining table and monster lamp (pictures here from an old post)  from my sewing room down to the den, and revert the sewing room back to a guest room.  I can stash all my sewing in the adjacent storage room, and the table can do double duty.

Stay tuned for progress, and as soon as it all done, everyone is invited to the new woman cave!