Ultimate White Box Challenge

Do you watch Design Star or the new white box challenge show?  Well, we have our own ultimate white box challenge going on over here.  Instead of about 100 sq feet of blank white…we have over a 1,000 sq feet!!!  Not sure we will get as conceptual as they encourage on the show, but we certainly have some awesome ideas and it will certainly be a challenge to bring our vision to reality.

We are nearing completion of all the contracted work for our basement project.  Over the last two months, the contractor has completed necessary rough-in plumbing work, framing, drywall, rough electrical, finished ceiling, and priming the walls.  This is the extent of the work we planned to contract out.  Now it turns over to us…eek!

Here is what the basement looks like now.  It is a big blank canvas and we love it!

As a quick reminder, here are a couple before pictures and you can go here for a refresher on the basement floor plan.

Now for the {almost} finished basement, which currently looks like a big white box.

Below is the future family room area.  Nothing special was done in this area, expect requesting the electrician add an extra outlet.  We did not want an extra outlet, but their original layout had one outlet dead center of the large wall.  We are dreaming up something cool for the center of that wall and did not want the outlet blocked behind it.  Per code the electrician could not just move the one outlet over, because then it would have been more than 10 ft. from the nearest outlet.  Therefore, our only option was to add an additional outlet.

Below is the future game room area.  I love how this little nook is turning out.  The pop up ceiling is super fun in the triangle area.  I had them add an electrical box in the ceiling, so I can install a pendant light over the game table.

Below is the future kitchenette/wet bar area.  Envision this space with a cool retro fridge in the corner, a small sink, and a microwave tucked into the lower cabinets.  Current plan is for some open shelving instead of wall cabinets.  On the angled wall to the right, we plan to put some sort of bar with a few stools.

Below is the future playroom on the other side of the stairs.  This is sort of a pass through room between the family room and exercise room.  It is a triangular space and we instinctively knew it would be a great play area for the boys within our view from the family room.

Finally, my favorite spot in the whole basement.  The bedroom down here is my favorite…because it is all mine!  This will be my studio.  No more sharing the laundry/craft room with the boys.  I cannot wait to dress up this space and make it functional for me and my creative process.

The only thing I have for my office so far is this Finn chandelier from West Elm, which I got an amazing deal on during a sale a few weeks ago (it is still available for $109.99, originally $399).  My plan is to have a work table in the center of the room with the chandelier hanging over it.

Over the next few months we will be finishing out these spaces.  I am going to let you in on one of our biggest design decisions so far.  If you have been following for a while, you probably know how much I love our whole house color scheme.  With a house full of coordinated colors, it may come as a great surprise that our white box, aka basement, is going to stay white!  I am excited for the challenge of making a warm and inviting white space.  I also think it will give me license to bring in lots of fun pops of color in other ways.