I always knew we were going to paint the basement. It felt like the best way to brighten up the space, which is half the square footage of our entire home and is completely underutilized. We have a long way to go to get the basement family home where I want it to be, but let’s enjoy the first transition period, which is great.
Today, I’m sharing a basement color scheme…
The process of choosing these colors
I have my favorite color white. It’s the same thing we used to do everything on the small floor in our previous house. In harmony, we decided White Dove by Benjamin Moore is the right choice for trim, wainscoting, and flooring in basement family rooms. We’re going with a semi gloss finish to bring some dimension to the woodwork.
Choosing the second shade is a bit tricky. I wanted to bring a little taupe shade to the wall but when I looked at the preview, it was clear that I just wanted the *comfort* of the cream to be noticed. We went together Boats by Benjamin Moore. I love this shade and think it warms up this space while still bringing a light, bright feel.
The plaster used in the fireplace is a three-fold process, the first one uses white plaster, which is attached to the Sail Cloth, and then the back is beaten with the shade of White Dove.
My reaction to the updated basement family room
Ugh, WOW??? I know it will be different but I don’t think the whole house will be new. I’m glad we don’t paint everything in one shade of white. Highlighting the differences in trim, finishes, and planks gives the room a more carefully finished feel—plus it brings out the subtle nuances in the shades we use in plaster.
What’s next for the basement family room
We need to paint the rest of the basement, so it will be next in the list of projects. It’s a big problem that our painter doesn’t have the right to do the bar and stairs at once. We will be painting everything, but the bar will have a soapy finish on the brick to keep a lot of the texture that is already there.
Additionally, I will update some of the furniture and bedding in the family room. I have ordered some beds and know which beds I would like to buy for this area. Before I buy anything, however, I need to do a thorough floor plan and spend a little time with it to make sure I’m making the right decision. I’m dragging my feet here and really need to decide!
We are already using this space way more than even I expected that only this part of the basement is painted. The space feels much brighter and more attractive with the color update and plaster. I look forward to completing this project!
Kate is now learning to play the Ukulele, much to the dismay of her husband, children, and dog. Follow him on Instagram at @witanddelight_.