The Basement Project: Series 5 – Frieze Frenzy

And we’re done. HELLO? Did you see that? We’re finally done with our basement renovation! And it only took a year! 😉 To see our progress from beginning to end, click here. Of course the last step of the process, laying down the carpet, did not come without a few bumps. We looked high and low at carpet styles, carpet colors, carpet pads, etc. We got prices from multiple stores and it took weeks until we finally landed on one, we had a 20% off coupon which helped too. The carpet we landed on was a light creamy plush carpet where the strands stick straight up. We were sent a samples of the carpet but were sent a different style, it was twisty, also known as frieze. We immediately called our sales guy and said, thanks for the sample but that’s not the carpet style we ordered, we ordered the plush one. He said he’d make sure the computer had the correct one and all was well. We decided to go with it and a few weeks later the carpet installers arrived at our house. The two guys went downstairs and did their thing. Once done, they called up for my husband to come down and look… and the first thing out of my husband’s mouth… “You installed the frieze carpet?” Profanity was strewn from the installer’s mouth. They messed up, they were supposed to verify with my husband before laying the carpet but they did not. But apparently the sales guy didn’t update the computer either… Mind you, I was on a business trip and my husband wrote to me and said “We have a problem. They installed the wrong carpet.” My mind was racing, my heart was beating fast, my husband sent a few pics and I wasn’t so sure about it. Pretty much we had two options: keep the carpet and get a discount or reinstall the whole thing and have to spend another day at home. My husband wanted to wait until I got home to make a decision, and the moment I stepped into the basement, I LOVED THE CARPET! I immediately dug my toes into the threads and laid down on the ground, big sigh of relief! Needless to say, we got a good chunk of money back so that sure was a bonus! 🙂

So without further ado, I present to you, our FINALLY finished basement!

As you walk down the stairwell, you’ll first notice the bamboo wallpaper.


And as you turn to the right, we have the wide open space with a beam in the middle and a cozy fireplace.

Say hello to frieze carpet, I just can’t get enough of digging my toes into it! 🙂

I just love the big open space without any furniture, maybe we’ll leave it like that for a bit longer. Marvin and I are such pack rats that I know once we start putting stuff back in the basement, it’s going to look cluttered. Although that means we can’t park one of our cars in the garage since it’s currently holding all the furniture… well parking outside is totally fine for summer/fall but I suppose we’ll have want to have that garage space back before it snows yea? 😉

51 Comments

  1. August 26, 2010 / 2:22 am

    oh wow!! congrats on finishing your basement! it looks amazing (and i’m sure it’ll look better when there’s furniture + decorations in it too) ;D

    <3

  2. ChantaleP
    August 26, 2010 / 4:28 am

    Looks great Sandy! Loving the bamboo walls.. feels cozy down there. I know what you mean about keeping it sans furniture. We just finished our basement and want to keep it clutter free too! ;p

  3. August 26, 2010 / 4:30 am

    It looks great! There is something so exciting about empty spaces. I am a pack rat too, so I understand the appeal. It isn’t snowing yet–you can enjoy it for a few more weeks. 🙂

  4. August 26, 2010 / 4:45 am

    It looks totally amazing!! Great job my friend and I think the carpet is a win for sure! XOXOX

  5. August 26, 2010 / 7:59 am

    Looks awesome! Probably feels great to be done:)

  6. August 26, 2010 / 8:40 am

    WHAT! LOOKS AMAZING!!! Congrats on a great job! I wish FL had basements! I love that it has a fire place <333

  7. 来来Lai
    August 26, 2010 / 9:44 am

    Congrats Sandy! You guys did a good job! Can’t wait to see your basement!

  8. Nani
    August 26, 2010 / 10:20 am

    wow you guys did an awesome job! I cannot wait to see it decorated, but we are pack rats too so I understand the empty appeal.

  9. August 26, 2010 / 1:28 pm

    whoa, your basement is AWESOME! i totally want a basement! 🙂 we dont have any in california.. i hadn’t even ever been in one till I visited nick’s house hehe. xo.

  10. August 26, 2010 / 2:26 pm

    Great job here! So much work already done, & I can’t wait to see the fabulous final result, too! =)

  11. August 26, 2010 / 2:30 pm

    Congrats on finishing your basement! I’m about to start renovating a bathroom and it’s scary! I applaude you!
    xo Mary Jo

  12. August 26, 2010 / 2:34 pm

    looks lovely!! what a fun space for everything! we had a basement in blue springs growing up and loved it!! i’m so jealous you have a fireplace!!

  13. August 26, 2010 / 3:46 pm

    Aw it looks awesome! Just fill it with a bunch of pillows! 🙂 Make a fort, ha! That’s so awesome that you ended up loving that carpet.

  14. Becky
    August 26, 2010 / 4:30 pm

    CONGRATULATIONS! We’re in the middle of a project (painting the outside of our house) so we’re in the trenches too. I however, don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel!

  15. August 26, 2010 / 7:53 pm

    Sandy, this looks fantastic! You’ve done such an amazing job. And that carpet looks so comfy — even I want to run around barefoot on it.

  16. August 26, 2010 / 8:23 pm

    there is no better feeling than when you finish a renovation/construction project… now is when the fun begins!

  17. August 26, 2010 / 10:26 pm

    yay! looks great, must be so nice to have it completed. definitely using this as inspiration for when we do ours someday : )

  18. August 26, 2010 / 10:45 pm

    oooo this looks so good! how are you going to decorate it?

  19. August 26, 2010 / 11:05 pm

    I adore the feel of new carpet. That one looks so soft and makes me want to walk around on it barefoot.

    Yay for finally having it all done. I’m sure it’s a great relief to you both.

    P.S. Giveaway wise…I have a few thoughts. I might add in a few Etsy items too 🙂

  20. jennifer young
    August 26, 2010 / 11:24 pm

    sandy! it looks great! i can’t believe they installed the wrong carpet!!! lol
    happy (almost) friday!!!
    j.

  21. August 27, 2010 / 8:31 am

    Your basement looks wonderful! You and Marvin did such a fantastic job!

  22. Juli
    August 27, 2010 / 11:20 am

    Wow, looks great! I have frieze carpet too, it’s a different feeling.
    I’m curious what the rest of the house looks like. =)

  23. steph
    August 27, 2010 / 1:14 pm

    Looks amazing! I like the bamboo wall paper. Sean and I don’t love carpet so much but some really great carpet that’s soft and comfortable is fun 🙂

    Congratulations!

  24. August 27, 2010 / 9:59 pm

    It looks great! Doesn’t it feel good to have it done?? We have frieze carpet in our house and I love it… it feels so good on the toes.

  25. August 29, 2010 / 12:54 pm

    job well done!!!

  26. tintin
    August 31, 2010 / 12:53 am

    yayyy! basement is done! it looks awesome! i especially love the fireplace, how cozy! you and marv did a great job 🙂

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  29. May 16, 2020 / 11:51 am

    Pretty sure you need to become an independent building consultant – you think of all the things! I’d totally hire you one day when I am building to review my plans and think of all the little things!

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  42. December 3, 2020 / 5:36 pm

    congrats on finishing your basement! it looks amazing i’m sure it’ll look better when there’s furniture + decorations in it too 🙂

  43. December 7, 2020 / 2:11 pm

    I LOVED THE CARPET! I immediately dug my toes into the threads and laid down on the ground, big sigh of relief! Needless to say, we got a good chunk of money back so that sure was a bonus!

  44. December 8, 2020 / 10:29 am

    Looks great Sandy! Loving the bamboo walls.. feels cozy down there. best pics

  45. December 8, 2020 / 2:27 pm

    Looks awesome! Probably feels great to be done:)

  46. December 11, 2020 / 11:36 am

    It looks great! There is something so exciting about empty spaces. It isn’t snowing yet–you can enjoy it for a few more weeks. 🙂

  47. December 14, 2020 / 5:51 pm

    there is no better feeling than when you finish a renovation/construction project… now is when the fun begins!

  48. January 8, 2021 / 3:21 pm

    Looks great Sandy! Loving the bamboo walls.. feels cozy down there. I know what you mean about keeping it sans furniture. We just finished our basement and want to keep it clutter free too!

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