Basement On A Budget

When we bought our house, one of the features I was most excited about was the beautiful bath tub.

The problem:  there was no stand up shower in the house, so we had to put up with taking baths for a while. I didn't really mind other than it being chilly during the winter months, but it was hard for my husband the millwright to really feel like he was clean after sitting in a dusty, greasy tub of water. We decided to install a free-standing shower in the basement. The addition of a shower stall was suitable enough for my husband, but to me it felt like... well, like showering in an icky basement. So, I decided to get to work and create a more inviting atmosphere with a $200 budget.

Before: Cluttered, cold and scary; complete with a previous owner's growth chart!

 

 
 

 

   

 

  

After: Clean, warm and inviting!

 

 

The budget breakdown:
2-in-1 Paint & Primer  & Paint Tools... $44
Window Treatments...$22
Shower Curtain...$14
Bath Mat...$40
Tablecloth...$5
Decorations...$40
Hardware & Accessories...$30
Total...$195

I realize most of the improvement comes simply from decluttering and cleaning, but to me it was a worthwhile project. It's still a basement, but now it feels more like any other comfortable room in our home.