Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 20 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
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by Robin
Finally, we have more makeover projects to share! Our basement wet bar has come together in this weirdest time – and in the most wonderful way.
Months ago I shared our cozy industrial basement bar inspiration. Since then we’ve revealed the first project from that: our basement staircase with copper stair risers (which turned out even better than I dreamed!).
Plus we shared how to build storage under basement stairs that are totally hidden and integrated with a sleek modern railing (it came out great!)
But, hey, you get the very real idea of how ugly and malfunctioning this area was.
This space was the laundry room before we added a second floor to our house. About 13 years ago we added another floor with three bedrooms and a bathroom plus we moved the laundry up there.
That left this space – which became an unsightly drop zone/ brewery/ winery/ embarrassment. Emphasis on the embarrassment. You need to walk by this space to reach our gorgeous basement media room. We needed a better solution than just hollering “don’t look right!” at guests when they descended the stairs.
Besides holding junk, this area gets a lot of action by Ed – brewing beer and making wine. (He’s got tutorials on DIY wine making and how to make beer at home – check them out!)
Ed needed an intentional space to do his hobbies – and I wanted to design a space that’s fun and funky to hang out in with friends and family. (When we finally can again.)
So, without further ado, here’s our cozy, rustic 100% DIY basement wet bar…all the how-to tutorials coming soon!
DIY Basement Wet Bar – 7 Modern, Rustic and Budget Projects
1) Our DIY SMEG fridge knock-off
Our DIY upscale upgrade to our existing upright freezer was closer to $50 . (We found a very frugal substitute for this high end looking appliance handle.)
Now that price does not include the purchase cost of the freezer, of course (which in our case was free – sort of – it was included in our Mobile Home Makeover weekend place – conveniently located in the bathroom right where you need frozen food. Ummm…)
New! Our full DIY chalkboard paint fridge project tutorial is here!
2) Our Custom Bar Brewery Sign
Originally our plan was to paint the logo directly on the wall. But, in our usual style, I was too uncertain it would work while Ed was game to jump in and start. I was concerned that there was no going back if it looked terrible – there was no unringing that bell once we applied paint to the “bricks”. Often he’s the one who pushes us to act – but this time my reluctance led us to another idea altogether.
Soon I’ll show you how I designed the logo and how we had it made in a very affordable way! Plus we made it sparkle with an unexpected scrounged material.
New! Our full custom bar sign and logo design tutorial is here!
3) Our Faux Brick and Plaster Wall Treatment
This brick and plaster wall treatment was a total invention of Ed’s using materials we had at home already.
If you’ve seen our other rooms in the basement you know we used a lot of faux brick both in our Guest Room Library and our Basement Media Room.
Early in the design process I had planned on using real brick on the wall.
And then the “lockdown” started. We were not willing to take the risk of driving the hours away, or pay the cost, for actual brick. We needed a new plan.
After showing Ed a brick and plaster wall treatment that I thought could work, he said “l’ve got an idea, we can take it apart if you hate it.”
I didn’t hate it! In fact, I love it. It looks even better in person. His thrifty and ingenious method will be coming soon…including the key to making unpainted faux brick panels look more real!
New! Our full DIY Faux Brick Wall with Plaster tutorial is here!
4) Our Painted Basement Ceiling – without a sprayer!
It was a major transformation that we dragged our heels on a bit. We thought we’d need to use a paint sprayer, and the prep to control the overspray made us tired just thinking about it. All that plastic sheeting and taping and covering all the things – not our idea of fun. (I wish we had Dexter’s meticulousness and energy. 😉 )
So we opted to paint it by hand – we will share that process and our tips for this soon!
5) Our Converted Buffet into Wet Bar
Originally we were going to use those typical IKEA cabinets for the wet bar – until I priced them and realized just how costly (and dull) that would be.
Instead, I hunted for an old buffet that would suit our needs. I found it on Marketplace and we think it’s perfect. We love those scallopy legs and the vintage character it gives the room. We painted it boldly with my favourite paint in the most cheerful colour.
We scored a countertop, also from Marketplace. Ed figured out how to do the conversion to add the sexy black sink (similar to this) I’ve been hoarding for years. He’s coming soon with a tutorial to do this more advanced project yourself.
New! Our full DIY wet bar from a repurposed buffet is here!
6) DIY Rustic Floating Shelf with Antlers
I knew we needed a long floating shelf to display Ed’s collection of growlers. We figured out how to make a floating shelf without buying any special brackets and Ed made it with the kids (Lockdown DIY school project).
Like any normal family we have a crate full of antlers. (Ha!) Ed got the idea of using a couple of them on the wall to give the appearance that they’re supporting the shelf. They look amazing to us! This antler shelf project is made even better because they honour his late dad, who had spent years roaming his acreage collecting these discarded antlers.
7) Not shown: Clever ideas to hide basement utilities, pipes, ducts and more
Actually, these ideas for hiding the ugly stuff in the basement ARE shown, you just can’t really notice them!
One of the challenges of a basement is disguising all the necessary uglies – ducts, pipes, shut-offs – you get the idea. This room and our whole Basement Renovation gave us lots of opportunities to get creative. Soon we will share our hacks and tricks for disguising all that.
Click here to see all of our Basement Stairs Makeover projects
Melissa Liu
Saturday 13th of February 2021
Will you please share how you painted the ceiling in the basement without a sprayer?
frugalfamilytimes
Sunday 12th of December 2021
I'm so sorry it took me so long to share this, Melissa! Here's the post: https://www.frugalfamilytimes.com/2021/07/painted-basement-ceiling-the-perfect-black-paint/
Kathleen Pierce
Tuesday 26th of January 2021
Robin & Ed, your basement wet bar project is absolutely fabulous!! Every time I go into my unfinished basement I envision a version of yours in mine! I don't know if you have already, but will you be posting how you finished your basement ceiling without spray painting it? I love the industrial look and want to keep mine exposed and painting it looks so cool. I love your website and all your projects and ideas. Thanks, and you guys rock!!
frugalfamilytimes
Tuesday 2nd of February 2021
Hi Kathleen! Thank you so much for your kind words! Absolutely made my day. :) We still need to post the ceiling painting! Thanks for the reminder. We've been so distracted with school at home etc. that we've neglected sharing more projects. Coming soon! :)
frugalfamilytimes
Tuesday 2nd of February 2021
Hi Katheen! Thank you so much for your kind words! Absolutely made my day. :) We still need to post the ceiling painting! Thanks for the reminder. We've been so distracted with school at home etc. that we've neglected sharing more projects. Coming soon! :)
Alex
Monday 16th of November 2020
Wow Wee that's amazing looking
frugalfamilytimes
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
We're so happy you like it too, Alex! :)
Lynn Spencer
Thursday 1st of October 2020
Robin! You guys are AMAZING! This is beyond incredible and I know you pinch yourself everytime you walk down those stairs. There are so many favs...the brick treatment, that gorgeous buffet turned sink, that faux SMEG! Wow! Now I am just awaiting my invite for some of Ed's homemade wine! Well done, you two!
Lynn
frugalfamilytimes
Thursday 1st of October 2020
I'm blushing, Lynn! Thanks so much for all your praise. We do love it. I purposely walk by just to smile at it. :) Robin
Mary Loveland
Wednesday 30th of September 2020
Wowser! I would like to see the frig. makeover! Gorgeous.... I also love the name of your "brewery", how cool is that. ALSO, I really want to know how you corralled all the normal stuff a person has in their basement. Really, it is important. Thanks
frugalfamilytimes
Thursday 1st of October 2020
Thanks so much, Mary! Our next project is on the other side of the room and is going to have a MASSIVE amount of storage. I'd like to say "coming soon" but we've got so many projects here to write up first. And I'm so slooooow. :) Robin