Basement Office Makeover

I've had these lamps for awhile, and Chet kept threatening to get rid of them since I had done nothing with them in over five years. They are the original lamps from the hotel that was turned into dorms at my college, so they are old, and definitely needed a bit of work.

Last time my friend Lindsey was here, she showed me how to polish the lamps (using baking soda), and we worked on them for awhile, only for me to take them back to the basement, where they sat for another year and a half. (Finishing projects is not my greatest skill.)



See the difference between the cleaned up lamp and the other yucky one? Crazy, huh?

Anyway, while Chet was out of town this past weekend, I decided to spruce up his office space (aka the most hideous corner of our basement), and use one of the lamps for his desk. I had gone down there to get something out of his desk the other day and was utterly disgusted. Not because of Chet - he is more tidy than I am - but just at the state of our basement.

Ok, this is embarrassing, but whatever. A bad before picture makes the after look better, right?



We are renting, and our landlord thinks he is handy and can fix things himself, but the truth is, he can't. I have no idea what is going on with the window-that-is-not-a-window covered in duck tape. Apparently that was a fix for something?



It would pretty much be a crime to let him study in that awful space, especially because he studies so much. So without further ado, here is the new office:



Really, all I did was paint it and make curtains to hide the window monstrosity, but I think it helped. I need to fix the curtains a bit (I want to make it all the blue fabric - I just ran out), and I have a different chair and a bookshelf from my parents that will complete the makeover.

I am glad I did it, but it was not very wise to attempt it while Chet was out of town. I was already exhausted, and to add painting and sewing to the schedule was a bit much. But at least it looks better now!