Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...

Add a Little Vintage to Your Outdoor Living ~ Check out these FAB ideas

Express your personality by outfitting an outbuilding or porch wall with meaningful signage. On this structure, vintage advertising signs, outdated license plates, and road signs combine to fashion a fetching exhibit that reflects the homeowners' travels and interests.

Painted metal lawn chairs (just like Grandma and Granddad's outdoor seating) remain sentimental favorites that blast us back to gentler times. Find original vintage versions at sales, antiques shops, and Internet auction sites; reproduction options are seasonally available at home centers and discount stores. Complete the retro look with an antique iron table and a freestanding umbrella.





Whether crafted of lattice, fabric, or iron, walls define an outdoor room, create a sense of enclosure, and -- most important for the collector -- provide backgrounds for displaying cool things. This tented gazebo showcases a fine-tuned arrangement of vintage wicker, captivating fabrics, and accessories such as a tree-trunk table and the framed painting over the wicker love seat.

Think of your porch as an outdoor great-room that can easily and chicly! accommodate sitting, dining, and display. Hang vintage mirrors to reflect the landscape; lay area rugs for underfoot warmth; and repurpose flea market tables, shelves, and chairs (check out those vintage director chairs) to handle your form and function needs. Showcase canning jars, old-timey pottery, and vivacious fabrics to give shabby furniture finishes a lift.

Outfit porches and patios with seating that's guaranteed to kick-start conversations. Invite folks to stay awhile by hanging an old-fashioned swing made cushy with an antique quilt and colorful pillows. Place salvaged theater or stadium seats where they can be appreciated by passersby and used as front-row seats for watching neighborhood doings.

Make sure outdoor spaces furnished with flea-market finds stay in tune with their surroundings. Opt for an organic palette, worn wood finishes, and metal accents that gain interesting patinas with age. This textural grouping of old, new, and handcrafted furnishings takes its color cues from the stone fireplace and its moss-stained mantel, where vintage lanterns and flowerpots contribute sculptural silhouettes and worn patinas to the nature-inspired mix.

If your have a pool, live at the lake or near the beach this is for you! Fashion a spa-like sanctuary in a private corner abutting your home to wash away the day. Have a plumber install pipes that to carry water through a showerhead and a vintage faucet that can be used to fill a footed tub. Underscore the haven's pampering purpose by adding an antique garden chair, a shelf to hold toiletries and candles, and a repurposed bookcase equipped with iron baskets to corral plush bath towels.

Mount a thematic exhibit that rises from foundation plantings to create interest alongside your home, garage, or shed. Group like-minded treasures around a beat-up table that will look even finer with further weathering. This homeowner, who has a penchant for rural references, combines fowl figures and scintillating signage to compose a chicken-and-egg narrative.


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