Our Workout/Game Room: Before and After

Since I moved in almost 18 months ago, our basement/workout/game room has been sadly mis-used as a storage area. Our goal has always been to have the room as a place to workout in the winter on our bike trainers, entertain friends with "game nights get-togethers" and have a place to work on our various projects. (Holly-Crafty Stuff & Jim - Bike Maintenance/Car/Motorcycle Stuff) The opportunity to paint came along when our largest obstacle, a sofa bed, was donated and taken away by the Salvation Army two weeks ago. Seeing an opportunity, we seized the moment and cleared everything out...the first goal - PAINT THE ROOM!!

As you will see, we don't do anything simply. We wanted the room to be brighter and more lively. Having watched too many "Trading Spaces", I felt that multiple colors and stripes would really break up the room and play up the beam in the middle of the room. Jim, as usual, was up for the challenge.

We are thrilled to say that what we saw in our minds eye and on small paint swatch cards was a stunning success and we are definitely satisfied with the results. The colors, in case you are interested are: Jonquil Yellow, Icebreaker Grey, and Coat of Arms Purple - all Glidden colors with a satin finish.

Now we just have to slowly add stuff back to the room. Eventually there will be flat panel T.V. over the fireplace to replace the "Lance Armstrong/NIKE Ad poster" (which will then move to another wall in the room). The T.V. will serve as our "on the bike entertainment" for those long winter days when it is too cold to be outside. That will come in very handy in the next year as Ironman USA 2008 training approaches. Until then, Lance stays as our primary motivation.

It was hard work painting and we won't be that ambitious again, we agreed we will pay somebody else to do it in half the time it took us. Still it is good to know that we have the skills to do something this ambitious!!

BEFORE:

Lots of stuff - white walls (Lance Poster)

Still more white walls...

Wallace helping Holly tape...

Wallace and Grommette - keeping "safe"...

AFTER:

Grommette is feeling "lucky"!!

Wallace showing why possession is 9/10ths of the law...

Already the room is looking so much better!

We carried the color scheme through to the windows too..

Lance in his rightful place, front and center on the wall...

"This is my body. And I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it. Study it. Tweak it. Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I am on. What am I on? I am on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?
-Lance Armstrong, NIKE AD