Cottage KERF: Downstairs Storage + Office

Welcome to the dungeon!!!

This basement makes up 50% of our house. In fact, it’s not really a basement anymore. It’s more like a “lower level.” When we first toured the house, I didn’t know how I’d feel about having stairs divide our living areas so much, but the space down here is so modern, open and BIG that we decided it was worth it!

From the other side of the dining room lies the staircase. When we moved in it had a door to close off, but we removed it and are so happy with the decision. It would have been in the way all the time!

At the bottom of the stairs, you see the wall of photos at the top of this post, and as you turn to the left, the first of 3 big closet doors.

U turn!! You can see the hallway at the end with the guest bath, to the left you’d find the opening to the family room and to the right, tucked away, is my desk.

The first one is our pantry. It’s a little bit of a hassle to have to go downstairs for chicken broth or an appliance, but at the same time, I’ve never had a pantry this big before and it’s GLORIOUS!

You can see rows of canned goods, jars, extra sauces and things to try and the appliances we don’t use everyday on the bottom. They made Matt utter curse words, but now that they’re installed, it’s all good.

The nice baskets are great to carry up all the juicer or food processor parts at once. We built this shelves from IKEA Ivar parts.

Reusable bags are hung inside the pantry as well!

The next two closets in the row are also part of what sold us this house. So much storage! I love storage space, and our previous two houses (one owned, one rented) really didn’t have that much.

We got these racks from Lowes and they are great for holding all kinds of things.

On the right you can see cubes labeled things like “Tupperware” and “Gift Bags” as well as plastic bins with things like picnic ware and décor like extra candles. I hope someday that these all match, but since I already owned these cubes, they work well.

I also have a designated Goodwill bin, and it’s great to have a space for things that I decide I don’t need to sit until they are ready to be donated. [Mom that basket on the left was on its way to Great Harvest – not Goodwill!]

I also have a space for paper recycling (near my desk) and trash. We got these plastic totes from IKEA and they have revolutionized our recycling system!! We have one for cans and plastic under the sink upstairs and then paper and trash downstairs. Matt is in charge of taking out the trash and recycling, but I often help him by carrying all the totes to the porch. So easy to have handles, and they are spacious enough to fit a week or two worth of paper without overflowing (like our last house’s system did!)

More things stored on the shelves: file boxes, a hat box full of writing paper, and a bunch of my blog/office supplies hidden from sight.

I use this awesome antique box my mom gave to me for all my desk odds and ends like extra camera lens, thumb drives and power cords. So helpful!

And finally, I store my purses and bags in here. Since I usually pack/unload these near my desk, this was a much better spot for them than in the back of my clothes closet. Baskets at the top house things like art supplies and extra electronics.

We have one more fun storage area under the stairs that currently houses sports equipment and summer things like beach chairs. Maybe someday this will turn into a kids’ clubhouse!

To the left of the closet wall is my office – a little nook with a built-in desk by our only window in this part of the basement.

It has a lovely view out to the yard and our porch for gazing while procrastinating a project! [Note we hope grass grows back soon! Construction just ended!]

This features the shade Matt helped install that blocks lunchtime sun. I also close it at night so scary people can’t see in. I love the shade because it doesn’t bother the supplies I have on the windowsill and also still lets in a ton of light.

Here are those windowsill supplies – an antique cheese box that stores notepads, a stapler, envelopes and our address stamp and two jars with Sharpies (love the rainbow!) and pens/scissors.

I also found a great spot for my food photography canvas!

If you do a 180 from my desk, you’ll find our family room – and that’s for the next post!

Storage + Office

Paint: All some generic white by the previous owners

Pantry Shelving: IKEA Ivar

Closet Curtains: IKEA

Closet Racks: Lowes

Mirror: JC Penny Linden Street [a blog review ages ago]

Storage cubes: Target

Recycling Totes: IKEA Dimpa

Storage baskets on top shelf: Davidson College event

Compartment box: antique store

Computer chair: Target (or Pier 1 – I forget!)

Desk shade: Bed, Bath and Beyond

Lamp, Ball jars, box: Inherited antiques