Basement Progress: Completed Bar

I feel like it's been forever since I shared an update on our basement makeover. Unfortunately, it's currently still a disaster thanks to a major garage project that forced us to move everything to the basement. Thankfully, the garage is now complete and I can finally focus on getting our basement back in order.

The bar had been piled with project materials, tools and odds and ends and I finally had enough. I cleared off the counter, grabbed a can of spray paint, gave the handles an update and finally decorated and finished the space.

If you have been following along on our basement progress than you might remember what the bar area looked like before.

We gutted the original bathroom down to the studs and moved the entire bathroom down a few feet in order to create a little bar area. You see that old wall mounted bathroom sink and the wall to the right? That's where our current bar area is. We used the original bathroom plumbing for the bar sink and ran all new plumbing for the new bathroom.

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We built the bar using inexpensive unfinished cabinets from Lowe's that I stained using Minwax Ebony stain. Saving on the cabinets then staining and installing them ourselves allowed us to splurge on the granite counters and travertine tile.

I recently updated the space even further by installing a subway mosaic tile backsplash. Although it made a huge difference the space was still missing something.

I didn't dislike the original brushed nickel pulls, but I always knew gold would pop against the ebony stained cabinets and add a touch of sophistication.

I'm always amazed at the difference a can of spray paint can make. One of the easiest ways to save on home improvement projects is to try and work with what you have. The original pulls were bought on clearance and were extremely affordable. I could have went out and bought all new pulls, but I knew I could update the ones I had without splurging on new ones.

That doesn't mean I don't ever splurge. If you are able to save in some areas it frees up more of the budget to splurge in others.

Does anyone else have a thing for hand soaps and towels? I love finding decorative bottles and inexpensive turkish towels. The best part is once the bottles are empty you can fill them with store brand soap and no one will know the difference.