When we sold our old house, one of the things we were most sad to leave behind was our finished basement. We put in so much work to make that basement beautiful, so it really hurt to give it up. The movie room with all that amazing molding and those gorgeous cabinets?? I was sad to leave them behind. Click here to tour the basement in the old house.
BUT… our new house had a large unfinished basement space that we knew we could make functional for our family.
We knew going into this project that it would not be nearly as decorative and crown-mouldy as the old one. Mainly we just wanted a large open space to serve as a rec room for entertaining and another smaller room for J to have an office. We also wanted some really big storage spaces that could be closed off to not see all of our ugly junk.
Here are the “Before” photos so you can see what we were working with.
Just a standard issue poured concrete basement. Big, open space. No windows, no plumbing. Very straightforward.
The Biggest Basement Challenges
- Eight metal support poles to work around
- Super low ceiling height
One of the biggest, if not THE biggest, downsides to this house was the basement ceiling height. The ceiling is SUPER low down there, at some points it’s barely above 6′-8″ high. Considering my husband is 6′-2″ high, this was a serious issue. We knew that we would never be able to put in a sheetrock or drop ceiling down there because it would lower the ceiling height even further.
You can see the doors leaning against the wall here- they are 6′-8″ high and they barely wiggle under that air duct.
So, we needed to find a better solution. At first we talked about spraying everything matte black for that industrial vibe, but I worried a dark black ceiling would visually lower the ceiling height even further. Then we considered spraying the whole ceiling bright white, but we decided that would not look good either with all the nails and junk that was sticking out of the rafters.
If you want to see an example of what a painted white basement ceiling looks like, check out my friend’s room over at One Project Closer: How to Paint a Basement Ceiling with Exposed Joists for an Industrial Look
Soooooo we finally compromised on a matte blue color.
We chose Sherwin Williams Smoky Blue (SW 7604) in a flat finish. This is the same color that we used on the ceiling in the old basement movie room, so we knew that we already liked the color.
Since there were so many pipes and ducts and things blocking different parts of the walls, I was really concerned that it would hard to figure out where the walls ended and the ceiling began.
To even everything up, we chose a line on the wall that was relatively clear from obstructions to use as our guideline. Everything above the line was sprayed blue and everything below that point was painted a crisp, clean white color. (Sherwin Williams Westhighland White- 7566)
My AWESOME painter, Francisco, has done all the painting in our old houses and most of the painting in our new house too. He is the best of the best, so if you ever need a good painter in the Birmingham area give me a shout so I can give you his number. Hola, Francisco! He sprayed the entire ceiling in just one day using his big industrial paint sprayer.
BUY A GOOD PAINT SPRAYER
I HIGHLY recommend a heavy duty paint sprayer if you plan to tackle this job. A small sprayer just ain’t gonna cut it for a 1,000 sq ft + job.
Check this out:
You can hook a 5 gallon bucket of paint up to it and you don’t have to keep refilling it over and over. That is an amazing timesaver. Think of all the trips up and down the ladder that will save you.
The Graco 695 Ultra Max paint sprayer that he used was a contractor version that is likely out of the price range for most of us, but there are cheaper options that do the same thing.
This one is still pretty expensive.
This one is way more reasonably priced for the average home DIYer.
Well worth the investment for this huge project, in my opinion.
MY POLE DANCING WOES
Ok, on to dilemma #2.
See alllllll of those red metal poles? Since I did not want my house to fall in around my ears one night while I was watching Outlander, all eight of those metal poles had to stay in place.
They were also not in alignment with any main walls, which was frustrating.
I just had to figure out how to pole-dance my way around them. 😉
So I set out to draw up a floor plan that would hide as many of the metal posts as possible inside of closets or storage spaces. Here is what I designed:
You can see from the Key that the small aqua blue circles are all the metal support poles. The other circles are pendant lights and can lights that we added in the ceiling, so don’t let those confuse ya. I managed to work up a plan that placed five of the poles inside closets and left one more out in the unfinished area.
Just like in the previous basement, the J and his dad did all the framing and we hired out the rest of the work to subcontractors (sheetrock/paint/electrical/flooring). We saved so much money doing it this way versus working with a contractor. Semi-DIY is the way to go, IMO. We have access to a lot of really excellent subcontractors, though, so that helps.
When it was all said and done, we only had two exposed beams to cover up in the center of the large room. We were able to take it from this…
To this!
How awesome is that?
The other posts are hidden inside the closets. Out of sight, out of mind. We didn’t box these in- they just got sprayed the same white color as the walls.
The two columns got trimmed out with 6″ Speedbase around the bottom and the top. It’s a simple but elegant way to finish off a sheetrock column.
Here is the office area we created right when you walk down the steps from upstairs.
And here it is finished!
The water heater and air handler right against the staircase, so we needed to have easy access to those.
To take care of that, J and his dad built out a big storage closet with two 3 foot wide doors that provide a 6 foot opening for easy access.
And here is that area with the doors closed- the door on the right leads to the storage area under the stairs, which makes an excellent storm shelter during tornado season.
Here’s another before shot of that area that leads to the stairwell.
And here is the finished area.
Back out in the big room we added a MASSIVE storage closet
This area will hold all my Christmas decorations, including the tree. In fact, we don’t even have to take the tree apart anymore. It can just slide right into this closet full erect and still have plenty of room for other stuff! It’s great!
This door leads out to the unfinished parking area of the garage and J’s woodshop.
I’m SO pleased with how the color scheme turned out. It’s neutral and manly but not too man-cavish. The wood floors are the exact same ones we used up in my attic office. They are a cork-backed vinyl that snap together really easily. They are completely moisture resistant so perfect for a basement floor.
J bought these industrial pendant lights for really cheap from Amazon. They are actually a hunter green color but you cannot even tell with that dark blue ceiling. They just blend right in.
So there you go!
The Great Basement Remodel is almost complete. We still need a few little things like doorknobs and door stops, but it’s already being used by the family.
RECREATE THIS ROOM
If you are interested in finishing out your attic space and want all the details of how we created this room, here ya go! (contains affiliate links)
- Wall Paint: Sherwin Williams Superpaint in Westhighland White (Satin finish)
- Ceiling Paint: Sherwin Williams ProMar 400 in Smoky Blue (Flat finish)
- Flooring: Coretec 7″ wide Kingswood Oak from Carpet Express
- Base trim: 4″ white Colonial style baseboard
- Doors: Jeld-Wen Smooth 5-panel interior prehung doors (various sizes)
- Door handles: Kwikset Cove door knobs in Venetian Bronzes
- Pendant lights: Sea Gull one-light pendant, green finish
- White switches and electrical outlet covers
Like this post? Come see how we decorated the office area here:
Leslie says
You are an excellent designer! Your new basement is fantastic!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks so much Leslie! I miss your face!
Julie says
This is my favorite basement remodel! Thank you for all of the details regarding materials.
Laura Ingalls Gunn says
There are so many great takeaways in this fabulous room remodel. Truly wonderful work!
It was such a treat to sit next to you at the Haven closing ceremony. I was quietly having a “fangirl” moment.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Awwww Laura, I appreciate that so much! No need to fangirl over me! I’m as normal as they come. 😉
Lisa says
Beth, it looks fantastic!! Love the color scheme!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks Lisa!
Diane says
Wow Beth! What a gorgeous job! I grew up in the Midwest and now live on the East Coast. I miss having a basement! I can’t wait to see it decorated! You rock!
Allison | Upright and Caffeinated says
What a transformation!! I love it! We will be finishing our basement next year- thanks for the inspiration and tips!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Share some pics when you get your basement finished, Allison! I’d love to see it!
Joy says
That was super awesome! Spraying the ceiling gray was so smart! It looks terrific!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks Joy!
Pam says
Spraying the ceiling was sort on ingenious! Loving the transformation. My basement is already finished but you are making me want to rip out the drywall on the ceiling and industrial-ize it!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Yes, spraying it made it quick and easy work out of a daunting task.
And never, ever rip out drywall unless you’ve got a water leak. LOL I wish we could have sheetrocked the ceiling for the acoustics, so enjoy your pretty clean ceiling just like it is.
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Beth! You guys knocked it out of the park. Wow! Now I have basement envy. ♡♡
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks so much, Larissa!
Angela @ Simply Beautiful By Angela says
This looks amazing!! I am super jealous of that large storage space–that’s going to be so handy 🙂
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Yes, all my Christmas crap finally has a home the other 10 months out of the year. 😀
Lisa Mothersead says
Boy, you really have an eye for details and it looks great! Good job!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
That’s so sweet Lisa! My husband has a great eye, too, so we made a good team.
Dorene says
How much will all of this cost?
Greg Gagne says
Was wondering the same as I’ve been considering a near-identical remodel of my basement. Regardless of ceiling height, sprayed ceiling looks so much better than ACT.
Also wondering if any impact on sound travel above given there doesn’t appear to be any insulation in the ceiling? Any need for a K-13 spray insulation type finish prior to spraying ceiling?
Thanks!
Bliss says
Most excellent!!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
😀
Margaret Kersbergen says
Love the color of the celing
We are finishing our basement and want to leave our ceiling open to make it look higher. We will use your color. We hae a question. What did you attach the frame to where the ceiling joists ran parallel to the wall? Did you do it without blocking?
Margaret
Susan says
Wow Beth! That room is amazing!! I totally love that ceiling. Have fun in your new space!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks Susan!
Jeanie says
Wow! This looks fabulous! I love how you dealt with the low ceiling and that massive closet – who doesn’t need one of those! Pinned. You’ve inspired me to think about doing something to my unfinished basement.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
YES that closet space has been so handy. I’d love to see pics if you finish your basement, Jeanie.
Sharon Rexroad says
Oh, Beth! This is FABULOUS!!!!! I’m going to have to look into that moisture resistant wood floor for my basement if I get to buy the house I’m currently renting. I’d love to really turn it into a usable space. Oh, and that paint on the ceiling – stealing that too. And the hiding columns in closets. And…
Heck, just come to Missouri and do mine for me! (Bring hubby and the cute kids and Francisco too). While you’re here, we’ll do my attic studio too.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks so much Sharon!!
Chris says
Looks amazing. I’m trying to decide between spraying light or dark for the ceilling. One question, what factors went into your lighting decisions, ie when and where to place pendant lights vs pot lights.
Beth says
My husband bought six pendant lights so I just spaced them out around the room as equally as possible. The can lights were supplied by the electrician and we just put them in the areas that were darkest.
We used LED bulbs so it is bright down there!
BrandyBr Kellenberger says
Are your can lights painted the same color as your ceiling? My husband is questioning me because I want to paint the entire inside/outside of the can light to match the exposed ceiling.
Junior says
The basement looks great.
The end joist looks clean, did you remove the insulation material?
Mario Rodriguez says
Awesome work! The basement looks spectacular!
I’m looking to do the same with a basement of mine, I am looking to demo the whole basement and have nothing but the foundation, what would you say your cost was all in all? I’m trying to get an estimate so I can have an idea of what it would cost me. Thank you!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
I think all total we spent around $10k for everything.
Ivory says
My hubby and I have this exact problem in our basement. I would love to have a basement outcome such as yours, it fabulous. I will try to recreate this lovely basement of yours.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Glad I could inspire you, Ivory. If you ever refinish your basement, send pics! I’d love to see it.
Tracy says
Thank you so much for sharing this! We have a very similar basement and I have been stumped for years on how to deal with the ceiling of ducts, plumbing and such. Love how your basement turned out. Your design has definitely inspired me.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
You’re so welcome, Tracy. When we walked through the house for the first time I was so sad to see how low the ceilings were in the basement. It was one of the biggest negatives about the house, but I think it’s totally turned into a positive now! 🙂
Roxy says
How warm is this basement with no insulation just painted ceiling? But even thought it looks great!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Since it’s completely underground, it stays a constant temperature of about 68 degrees year round.
Filbert says
We’ve had a leaky kitchen ceiling for the past few years, so will have to pull out all the drywall that is now moldy. Instead of replacing the ceiling, we will be painting the exposed unfinished ceiling joists like you did in your basement. That smoky blue color would be perfect for us, and looks fantastic! Great choice, thank you.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
So glad I could give you some inspiration, Filbert. I hate to hear that you had a leak but hopefully it looks better than ever now!
Katie says
We are getting ready for giving our basement some love and this post is totally inspiring me! Can you tell me what your trim paint color is? I hope my basement turns out like yours!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
We used SW Westhighland White in semi-gloss for trim and satin for the walls.
Jacob says
This is almost exactly what I’m looking to do in my basement, but I was wondering what kind of paint you used on the ceiling?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Hi Jacob- it’s Sherwin Williams flat interior Superpaint. Color is Smoky Blue
Jacob says
Thank you so much!
Brian says
Very nice! How much paint to finish the ceiling? Our basement is 1300 SF. I love the color. We close on a house in two weeks with a finished basement but unfinished ceiling. My wife and I are not in agreement on white or black (ultimately it is probably my decision). I like the Smoky Blue. I have been considering a midnight blue, but that is almost black.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Oh gosh I cannot remember how much paint was used. I don’t want to steer you wrong, but I want to say about 10 gallons?? He hooked up the 5 gallon bucket right to his paint sprayer, I know that. 🙂
Sonya says
This looks great! We’re looking to finish our basement and want to stick with the basics. I hadn’t considered a painted ceiling. May I ask what do you budget for something like this?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
I think all total we spent around $10k for everything.
Peter b says
We are finishing up our basement. Mine was almost much much much much much more expense. All I will say is that when you are trying to remove an old empty section of 220 volt conduit, be careful.
When painted, it is virtually identical to the size of a gas line…….. side note, in a pinch, gorilla tape will seal a violently leaking gas line on an emergency basis till you can run to the shutoff. Don’t ask me how I know this… Lessons learned in home improvements. #neverdothatagain
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
This comment made me laugh, Peter! Glad you’re still here to post it. Whew.
Bobbi says
Did you insulate the exterior walls? If so did you use vapor barriers or just allow an air gap?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
The only walls that got insulated were the ones between the finished and unfinished basement. The exterior walls just had an air gap.
Wendi says
Gorgeous! We have the same type of basement if not way scarrier, this gives me hope. We are starting the planning process. Did you ever think of leaving the big ducting silver?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
No, I wanted the ceiling to be all one color so nothing drew the eye upward.
Good luck to you Wendi!
David says
Basement is so awesome. Did you guys use any primer on the ceiling or just the Pro mar 400? Thank you
Jessica says
Currently starting a similar basement project. Your ducts looks so nice (they have been my biggest concern about painting), but yours look covered in some kind of cloth? What is that? Where do u buy it?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
No cloth on the ducts- that just the way they were installed. 🙂
Jackie says
For some reason I teared up when I finished this post! I’ve been so frustrated with out new house! A finished basement was at the top of my list because as a child i was terrified of the basement. I don’t know how I ended up in a house with another basement I’m afraid to go in but this post helped so much! our basement ceilings are ridiculously low and we didn’t know how we were going to make this work. Thank you SO much! This is a fix we hadn’t even considered and I know my husband will he on board!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
I’m so glad to offer you some hope!! That makes my day! 🙂 Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Jill says
I know this is an old post, but I just stumbled on it and it’s perfect! You did such an amazing job!! We are about to start our basement and it is almost exactly like yours…ceiling is just over 6 feet high, and we want to leave the beams exposed and paint them. I want to do a lot of it myself and I have a few questions! Did you seal the concrete floor first? I don’t know if I should worry about moisture. Did you redirect any air vents into the basement? Do you nail into the concrete to attach the framing for the walls? Basic question, I know, but I’m terrified to nail into concrete but don’t see how else you would do it. Thank you!
Amanda says
I can’t even handle how AMAZING this transformation is. Holy Buckets!! I’ve been scouring Pinterest for over a year gathering ideas on what we can do with our short tiny little basement and this is BY FAR one of the prettiest before and afters I’ve come across. Way to go, lady!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thank you SO much, Amanda! I’m glad it gave you some ideas on what you want to do with your basement. We love it down there now!
Logan says
Do you happen to have a picture or a way of showing the air vents in your basement? We are working on this same type of renovation but I can’t decide what to do with pulling hvac off of the main supply box.
Stephanie says
This looks awesome! I’m curious about the sound with having the ceiling unfinished. Can you hear what is going on in the basement from your main level? And furthermore if you’re in your office is it pretty distracting if someone else is in the rec room?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
There is no soundproofing at all. When we are in the basement we can hear everything that happens on the main level above us. Footsteps, voices, tv, etc. It’s not as bad when you are on the main level listening to what’s happening in the basement- it’s more muffled but still, sounds are distinguishable.
My husband is the only one who uses the basement office and the kids are in school on the days he worked from home, so it was not an issue for us. He put the door between the two rooms to make it easier to heat the smaller room in the wintertime.
It’s not a big issue for us since we don’t mind the noises when the kids are home (they are honestly not loud kids) but if you need to prevent the sound transfer an acoustical drop ceiling definitely helps with that.
Claudine says
I was wondering if you insulated at all? We are wanting to put a couple bedrooms in our basement and was wondering how spraying foam insulation first would work. I was curious if you or anyone else had any knowledge or thoughts on that
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
We didn’t insulate the basement since it’s fully underground and maintains a constant temperature year-round. I did use the spray-foam insulation in my attic office space because they temps fluctuate WILDLY up there between summer and winter. It works really well in the attic but I wouldn’t waste money on it for an underground basement.
Click here to see the attic post. https://bethbryan.com/2017/03/attic-renovation-full-room-tour/
Nancy Schipper says
We are going to be finishing our basement in much the same way with painting the ceiling a matte black or gray but worried about covering some of the flexible duct work we have. I noticed you had those as well. What did you cover them with? They almost looked bagged.
I did The Comparison Trap bible study with you and other bloggers. Enjoy your work.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
The ductwork is not bagged- that’s just the flex duct that’s been sprayed with the matte paint. The painter just sprayed directly onto the ducting and wiring without any issues at all. The only part of the ceiling that got taped off were the lighting receptacles.
Sharon says
Definitely painting my unfinished basement ceiling. I will choose black matte leave my silver ducts, etc. I am a black, silver kind a girl! My question is, “Will the paint be able to cover and not peel on all the wiring?” 10 years of dust to clean. Lol
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Yes, since he used a paint sprayer it kind of blew the dust off as he went. 😉 Our house is 20 years old so it had plenty of dust as well. No worries, it should stick just fine.
Joia says
Awesome! So is your painter in Birmingham, AL?? I would love to get his info if so….
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Yes! His name is Francisco Rivera and I have another great painter named Luis Robles. I can email you their phone numbers.
Sarah Beck says
Hi! We’re in the process of refinishing our basement. I’m using your approach, which is wonderful. Thanks for sharing! Do you mind sending contact information for both of your painters?
Christian says
Please send me your painters if you can. Thanks
Dean Eshelman says
So how did you insulate and finish the band board area between the floor joists??
I am thinking of putting R-13 inuslation and then inserting a 1″ styro foam board, then painting that the same as the ceiling.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
We didn’t do any insulation in the basement at all, mainly to save on costs. My husband is really the only person that uses it and he’s pretty quiet so noise isn’t too big of an issue. 🙂 The basement is underground 100% so the temperature stays pretty constant all year round at about 68 degrees. We didn’t feel the need to insulate, but if you do need insulation your idea sounds like it would work. Good luck with your project.
Rod says
So I like the color scheme and the idea of painting the ceiling. I have a few questions/ comments. I’m wondering about sound insulation and noise upstairs because I can hear everything going on in the basement without the ceiling being finished. Is that an issue in your case? Also you say the ceiling height is really low ( that’s why you painted) but in your photo of the guy painting he standing fully upright on a small step stool, and has his arm nearly fully extended. Photo looked really odd and seemed to make the ceiling look very high. Also I haven’t seen you answer many of the questions comments here.
Nice job on the layout, color scheme and pole treatment
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
There is no soundproofing at all. When we are in the basement we can hear everything that happens on the main level above us. Footsteps, voices, tv, etc. It’s not as bad when you are on the main level listening to what’s happening in the basement- it’s more muffled but still sounds are distinguishable. It’s not a big issue for us since we don’t mind the noises but if you need to prevent the sound transfer an acoustical drop ceiling definitely helps with that.
The picture of the painter is at the highest part of the ceiling. The ductwork around the outside edges is at about 6’9 at the lowest point, which is just an inch above the door frames. You can see pics of it in the photo with the water heater. So, if we had put in a drop ceiling that would have been the lowest point to install the ceiling and we didn’t want to do that.
My husband is 6’2 and the painter on the ladder is about 5’6ish”. My husband didn’t want to feel like the ceiling was just a few inches above his head.
We finished the ceiling of our previous basement with sheetrock and it helped with noise tremendously. The ceilings in that basement were WAY higher. We did not want that added expense for this house, but you can see the old house here: https://bethbryan.com/2011/12/finished-basement-revealed/
Hope that answers your questions and good luck with your project!
Leigh says
I have 2700sqft of basement…I just finished all the Sheetrock and painted walls a light gray. My dream was a vinyl plank type floor, but worried about moisture ( I live in TN). Your refinish is absolutely amazing!! I wish your painter lived closer, It’s the next step I’m dreading. Have you had any issues with moisture and the flooring? Was there a particular SW paint used for moisture or just standard latex?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Hey Leigh,
Vinyl Plank Flooring is 100% the best bet for a basement with moisture issues because vinyl doesn’t warp or rot. We have installed it in both of our basement remodels and it’s held up beautifully. I highly recommend it as long as it’s decent quality. Our basement is pretty dry (knock on wood) so we didn’t worry too much about moisture. We just used regular Super Paint from Sherwin Williams. Good luck with your remodel!
steve says
I would be mad at the builder for all those poles. should not need that many, that close.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
The house was built in 1997 so who knows if the original builder is still around. It definitely makes me more aware of smart design versus sloppy work if I build a house in the future.
Elizabeth says
I just found you on Pinterest and you are my main inspiration for my basement remodel!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Hooray!! That makes my day to hear that! 🙂
Reilly says
Basement looks great! We are planning to finish our basement in the next few months. I love the color scheme. How did you cover up the insulation at the top of the walls/ceiling? We are struggling with what to do in that area.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks Reilly,
We don’t have any insulation in the walls or ceiling, so that’s not something we had to figure out. It’s usually only my husband down there at any given time so we didn’t need a sound barrier and it stays the same temp all year round since it’s a full basement. Sorry I’m not more help!
Maria Campos-Vera says
Hi! I am in love with your transformation. How did you cover the foil insulation parts on the ceiling? Did you paint over them?
Annika Wiesenbach says
With the low ceilings, do you find that you occasionally hit your head on the pendant lights? I’m curious because my basement also has a low ceiling, and when I finish it I was planning on sticking to can lights and sconces.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
No, we hung the pendants so the bottoms were at 6’8″- same as the height of a doorway. My husband is 6’2″ and he has no issues with them at that height. Nobody elsethat tall has been down there yet. 🙂
Meg says
I also live in Birmingham and have a very similar basement. We are about to start working on it and want to spray the ceiling. Will you send me your painters contact information? Love your basement!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Emailed! 🙂
Stephen Knight says
Looks Great. Nice work. However, your pictures of the after are taken at 4-5′ height. Should take at eye level for a better understanding of the space. Otherwise people might not fully understand what they are getting into.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Well, “eye-level” is subjective, right? I’m 5’6 and my husband is 6’2, so we have different eye levels. I took these pics on a tripod at my eye level. 🙂
Emily says
We are trying to paint our basement ceiling right now. My husband went to Sherwin Williams and they told him the duct work, which is just like yours, would peel or flake. Are you having any issues with this?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Not yet. We are 18 months into it and it still looks great. I haven’t tried to dust it though. 🙂
Eileen says
Hey Beth!! Great basement. Question – does spraying the ceiling make it difficult for other contractors to find what they need? For example, plumber finding cold/hot pipes in case of an issues, or electrical finding correct wires? And how do you make sure everything in the ceiling stays up in a neat a tidy fashion? I really don’t want to replace my old drop ceiling with a fresher version, but I’m afraid in our older house (build in ’68) it will look unseemly. Suggestions? Thanks so much!!
Tara says
The basement looks great! We are fixing to start on finishing out our basement. Am in the Bham area. Would love any recommendations on any of the folks you used.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
I will email you a list of contacts. 🙂
Taylor says
I’m in bham area too and redoing an almost identical basement. I would love your contacts too if you don’t mind sharing? And if your husband and his dad want to do our framing it would get done 1000% faster than if my husband attempts it ?
Lauren L. says
Love this finished basement! It looks great!! I’m in a very similar situation with my basement and would love to pick your brain about a few things!!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Just shot you an email. 🙂
Jeff Rayford says
I think that for you to follow your project along and post pictures is amazing and your an amazing person for trying to help people in this way weather you get paid for it or not. I am still trying to convence my wife that this is the way to go and it’s been difficult but, with your testimony it should help alot! Thanks and I will be following your reports.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Thanks Jeff!
Ross Mau says
So over a year later have you had any issues with dirt/dust/crud falling from the floor joists? A carpenter friend warned me this might happen, when I shared with him our (your) spray painted ceiling idea. How is it looking these days? Thanks!
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
Hey Ross, No, we have had no issues with that at all. It’s definitely getting dusty up in the rafters and on top of the ductwork but it’s not falling down to the floor. It still looks exactly like it does in these photos except the floor is covered in Thomas the Train toys. 🙂
Hope this helps!
Briscoe says
I just deconstructed my old basement and ready to start fresh. Can you refer me to your sheetrock/paint/electrical/flooring subcontractors?
I’ve also considered leaving the ceiling open. How did you address noise reduction from main floor activity?
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
I’ll email you the info. 🙂
megan says
Thank you so much for this posting! Your basement is beautiful. We knew we wanted an open basement ceiling too, but I didn’t want black. Your basement was the only one I could find online with a blue-ish gray ceiling. We went one shade darker, but absolutely love it!!!! Thanks for the inspiration and example.
Beth at Unskinny Boppy says
That is great!! I always love hearing how folks redecorate using my ideas! 🙂
Trent says
Love the basement ceiling color. I’m in the process of finishing my basement. Did you also paint your cans or did you cover them? Any tips for painting the ceiling?