We just moved into a new house. We got an awesome deal on it. It’s a rental, and it’s rented out as a two bedroom, because there are two bedrooms upstairs, but, there is a HUGE basement. The problem is that the basement was in pretty bad shape when we moved in. One of the rooms has mold in the ceiling, and all the rooms are super dirty. The family room had previously been used as a recording studio… or something. It had layers and layers of fabric (black) on the walls and a stage in the back of it. The room that should have been a bathroom had been transformed to a recording studio that now has cinder blocks piled into it. It’s considered unfinished, but the walls are in. There is just no carpet and no sheet rock on the ceiling in most of the rooms (with the exception of the room with the mold on the ceiling).
One of the rooms downstairs has my washer and dryer in it. It had no working light fixture and it was SUPER dirty. I wish I would have taken before pictures. I had to keep reminding myself how cheap our rent is.
So the previous renters had done nothing with the basement. We decided that we weren’t okay with that. We have all this space, plus the fact that I have to do laundry down there means I spend a LOT of time in it. I am not okay doing laundry in a dark, musky, smelly (and oh boy did it smell) basement.
So we got to work cleaning it. We bought a light fixture and swept… and swept… and swept. It looked a lot better after just a little bit of time.
I felt like it was a little bare and that the concrete was a little cold and uninviting. Since I am planning on making that room into a craft room/sewing room, I want it to be pretty! However… I didn’t want to break the bank, so I decided to make a drop cloth rug. I had heard that you could do all sorts of things with drop cloths and I was really excited to test it out.
To make one, you need:
- a painter’s drop cloth
- paint
- a paint brush
- painters tape
So, I went and bought one of these:
I bought this drop cloth for $10 at Home Depot. I wish I would have sprung for the $13 one because it was a little heavier. This one is pretty thin, but it works.
The first thing I did was tape off the pattern. I know this doesn’t look like much of a pattern, but I swear it is. Oh, by the way, I ran out of painters tape at the end and had to use masking tape.. not a good idea. It was way harder to get off.
Once I had my pattern all taped out, I started painting. It only took one coat of paint, and for this pattern I used about 2 pints. I actually got the paint for free awhile ago when Ace Hardware did their free quart of paint day.
After the paint was dry, I peeled back the tape. Easy enough, right?
I love it because it adds color and it feels better on my feet than the cement. I also love that I only spent $10 on it!
What do you think?
It turned out really well. Thank you for the idea.
You are welcome! And thanks for the compliment!
Great idea! I need something for our laundry room floor!
this is super creative and what a great idea..You can paint all the colors of the room. Love your idea. GOing to share this on facebook.
Thanks so much! And thanks for sharing. I love it when people like my posts enough to share them with others!
it was just so creative..I had to share it…
Cool idea and came out great!!! Julia
Thanks!
I really get in the mood to paint a rug, seeing this. 😉
Do it! It was so easy. Be sure to tell me how yours turns out!
Wonderful!!!!! I came over from Monday Funday to see your fantastic rug, great job!!! ox
I love the rug and can't believe how cheap it was to make! It definitely brightens up the space.
If your landlord will let you, I've seen in the past some tutorials on doing paperbag flooring that's supposed to be pretty cheap and would let you cover the entire area. Though I'm not sure how well it would hold up in a basement.
huh, I've never heard of that.. I'll have to look into it! Thanks for the tip!
Great effort you have done for your new home. I am amazed to see this transformation. This all look beautiful. And really thanks a lot for sharing your experience and also inspiring me a lot. Now I am also in a mood to clean my home.
This is an awesome idea!! I have been looking for cheap, but expensive looking rugs for my new apartment but with no luck! So this would be the perfect solution! Thanks!
I'm so glad you like it. If you are using it in a living room, make sure you buy the heaviest canvas you can (it'll cost a few more dollars, but it'll be worth it).
Isn't it great what you can do with a little paint! Found you on Monday FunDay.
If you're interested, I'd love if you shared this at my link party this week. http://www.gingerlymade.com/2013/08/show-tell-41-…
Wow! What a great idea! Don't forget to link up to The DIY'ers. http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-diye…
Done! Thanks for stopping by!
excellent idea to get a beautiful floor.
thank you! I love it.
My Pleasure….
The idea was very new and innovative and i am looking this kind of idea for my floor too.
nice Idea.. thank you 🙂
Thankx for more info
Just want to say your article is astounding. The clarity in your post is simply spectacular
Great idea! I need something for our laundry room floor