For the last week or so my big project has been working in the basement painting shelves in the old root cellar. When we first moved in we shoved all my canning supplies and a bunch of other odds and ends in there, knowing I’d get to organizing the space at some point.
My original plan was to get the basement totally organized before gardening season hit and for the most part, I’ve done that. Having things in the right place is one thing, getting the entire basement painted out and looking like studio space is something else entirely. But it’s getting there. One little corner of the room at a time.
In the end, it took three coats of paint to cover the old shelving. Had this been a colonial style house like we had before, I would have totally left the shelves alone. But since it’s not, and the room was kind of dark and depressing, I’m glad I went ahead and painted everything out white because now the space is light and bright and walking into the area puts a smile on my face.
I’ve have one of those big kraft paper roll dispensers for forever and twenty seven days so I instead of spending money on fancy shelf liners {or a boatload of baskets} I just lined the shelf with kraft paper and called it good.
I even hung an old Dig for Victory poster up on the wall that I had been hanging onto for the past 5 years. Finally, it has a home. 🙂
I put a few of my big Rubbermaid bins below the shelves to store things like dried beans, rice, flour and sugar. And repurposed some metal bins to store canned black beans and tomatoes on the floor so I wouldn’t weigh down the shelves too much. I’m sure it would have been fine, but I didn’t want to take the chance.
Canning equipment on the top shelf and extra rations on the shelving below. And yes, your eyes do not deceive you, that is an ENTIRE shelf full of snacks for the adult who believes getting 50% of your calories through snacking every day, is totally acceptable.
Whatever.
He doesn’t seem to mind my obsession with bakery treats, so who am I to say anything. 😉
And then there’s the autopsy table. Or at least that’s what my husband calls it. It freaks him out. I told him it was probably used as a work station, or for sorting vegetables or something. But he doesn’t believe me. I have no idea where it came from, it was there when we moved in and I suspect it was built in the room because there is no way the table would fit through the root cellar door {it’s much bigger than it looks}.
I still need to scrape the paint off the wall on that side of the basement, and figure out what kind of paint to use on both the walls and the floor, but once I do, I plan to paint the rest of the cement walls in the basement a bright while color. Grey cement walls are so depressing, and I want the basement to be a light and happy space to work in.
I’m still not sure what color or product to paint {or stain?} the floors with yet, but once I get that figured out it will be added to my honey-do list. 🙂
And hey, check this out… The autopsy table has four good sized pull out drying racks. Or at least that’s what I think they are. How cool is that? It may not be my ideal pantry, but at least it will look better than it did when we moved in when it’s finished.
The projects, they never seem to end around here {and I kind of like that!}.
Have a great Tuesday everyone, I’m off to play the garden.
~Mavis
P.S. If you have any experience/ideas about paint or stain for the walls and floor, I’d love to hear them. I haven’t got a clue. Peace Out.
Kim says
That looks soooooooooooo nice!
Cathy says
Thank you for sharing, looks great
What about painting the walls warm coffee cafe colors . Mediterranean colors . The table could it have been for seafood ?
Christie says
The autopsy table! LOL! That is totally something that my husband would say! 🙂
Deborah says
I love you autopsy table. LOL Although I think it’s a prep table. Love the drying racks, too. I love your pantry. My house doesn’t have one. And just two cabinets for storage. Lots of lower doors under the counter, but no high storage. You are doing so good!
Diana says
Check out HD or Lowes for floor paint for cement. They both have them in lots of colors. There are even textured paints normally used in garages that may be what you wish to put down there since there will be water on the floor at times. It would help prevent slipping/sliding…
Melissa says
It looks amazing! Great job! This comes at a time when I am re-stocking my basement with food. I haven’t done that since I was an avid couponer. Can I ask what type of rubbermaid bins are used to store your flour, rice and beans? I was just thinking about ordering some.
Also, maybe the autopsy table was where pasta was prepared? The drying racks look like they are in good shape, maybe they were used to dry it?
Mavis Butterfield says
We’ve had them a while so I can’t provide the actual link, but they are something basic like this one: https://amzn.to/2WnS1RU
Terri L says
Your “autopsy table” is an antique laundry sink.
Emily says
They are referring to the table behind the sink….
Virginia says
My guess is that the “autopsy table” might simply be a repurposed cabinet (gray part) with a work top added later (white part). Being in two parts, that might be how it was carried down to the cellar. I was wondering whether there was once a cabinet door where the drying racks are now. Maybe there is some evidence that hinges were screwed into the vertical board to the left of the drying racks.
Sarah says
I spy more Rao’s pasta sauce. Are you a convert now to the expensive sauce???
Mavis Butterfield says
The HH is totally a convert! 🙂
Tanya says
I tried it after you mentioned it and it is delish! Well worth the $8 and then I saw that Walmart has it for $5! Unfortunately our Costco doesn’t carry it but I will definitely be buying more!
Erin says
Epoxy paint works well on a concrete floor. As for the walls, we have cinderblock walls and I used latex leftover paint and it’s been holding on for quite some time.
Sherry in Sumner says
Mavis, my husband painted the cement floor in his shop and used Rustoleum enamel paint. His is a high gloss and is easy to clean. He just rolled it on using a long handle with the roller. It looks very nice. He painted it gray, and although that wouldn’t be my choice of color for living in the Pacific Northwest, it does keep the shop on the brighter side.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thank you!!
jillyk says
Well now I know where all the Ritz crackers are that we have not been able to buy here in California, lol.
Judy Zent says
Ritz crackers just aren’t the same since they moved to Mexico
Mavis Butterfield says
My husband doesn’t like the new wrappers. 🙂 Said their not the same either.
Joely says
I love peeking into other people’s pantry contents. Thanks for sharing Mavis. It looks great!
Jamie says
Paper making table? The screens look to be too shallow for fruit and veg…but the screens would totally work to dry paper…Its very cool either way 🙂 Happy Painting!
Katherine says
Would be great for drying herbs.
Gail C. says
Your “autopsy” table looks like the examination tables that were in our pediatrician’s offices
when my kids were growing up. There were drawers to one side for assorted instruments
and behind the door in the middle was a heavy pull out step for kids to climb up. Your current configuration
looks like it would serve well for preparing the results of hunting and fishing.
Elle says
Love the autopsy table and drying racks 🙂 I would love to have that space available. All my garden proceeds come straight to the kitchen for processing.
Concrete walls: Scrub well with TSP. Let it dry thoroughly for a few days. Paint with a heavy primer and do a 2nd coat if not well covered.
How about butter yellow? (yellow finch from Benjamin Moore).
Happy times at your new homestead!
Renay Bennett says
I lol’ed on the autopsy table. 😉 If the drying screens are big enough, can’t tell how much space is in there, could be used for drying sweaters, things like that. I have seen those in high end laundry rooms.
My neighbor painted her laundry room concrete floor and stenciled it. It looks WAY COOL!
Mel says
That’s a great idea! I vote for lobster or shell stencils across the floor!
Also, I’m very jealous of all that food storage space. We are currently storing flour on our dining room chairs since we really have zero food storage space.
Linda Sand says
I love the white paint now that I now your use it as a pantry rather than a root cellar. You do good work.
Amy says
Adding Kettle Chips to my grocery list…
Patti says
Your pantry looks very nice. I would love all those shelves! I cannot imagine it in a root cellar – is that not too humid? Our basement is huge but very humid and we cannot store any kind of food or anything we deem important in it. We do have our washer, dryer, and a sink like yours and keep our lawn tools, camping gear, etc. but no food. I picture your shelves lined with canned vegetables after your garden produces!
Teri says
Love the new look. Is there any chance of rodents getting in there and tearing into the packaging? Love that poster!
Cathy says
My first thought was the sunflower destroying squirrel.
Julie says
I’m so envious of your root cellar!
In regard to your autopsy table – When the local funeral parlor went out of business, my partner purchased at auction the table used for preparing the recently deceased. I’m happy to say that he sold it on Ebay and it is NOT gracing his home. I might have difficulty using it as a buffet!
Linda Practical Parsimony says
Gray concrete floors would seem like a prison. Paint the floor a pretty light color like blue or yellow or light green. That way, there is more light and you can see bugs or ants or mouse droppings. These things will occur. Dried beans, rice, flour and sugar are subject to pests and moisture if kept in a rubber bin. Canning jars, half gallon or quart, are best for foods stored that will be affected by moisture. I put these foods in jars and leave in the freezer for 3 days, then store on a shelf. Well, not the sugar, just in a jar.
I suppose the blood from the autopsy table could be drained into the sink.
Nancy says
Given the age of your home and the “root cellar” area, I’m guessing your table was for dealing with vegetables coming in from the garden. They would be washed in the sink and set over to dry and deal with. We had family with a large table in their basement area that got used the most when they were cutting corn off the cob for canning and freezing. Much better than the mess it leaves all over your kitchen. Winter squashes could have even been set out on it to keep better in storage. The drying racks definitely look like ones for drying herbs. The sink is an old laundry sink so the table might have been used for laundry purposes too. What a perfectly lovely space! I’m jealous!
SUZANNE Q says
Hi there, I have to say that I love what you are doing with your “pantry”. I think that painting the walls white was the right way to go. I have lived with kitchens that have dark cabinets and dark floor and felt like I was living in the basement of a dungeon.
Since the walls are essentially a blank canvas you could either pain or stencil fruits and veggies in bright colors OR if you like them, get replicas of the lovely labels that used to grace the ends of the old wooden fruit/veggie crates.
I’ve collected a few over the years and am now ready to frame them and place in my kitchen.
Let me tell you what my niece did for the floors in her pantry and screened in porch. She painted the floor with two coats of a medium brick red paint. Then took a stencil and gray paint and created a beautiful “brick floor”. Then she finished it with one or two coats of a combination sealer/clear finish.
If she hadn’t told me, I would never have known.
Whatever you decide, I know that it will be beautiful when you are done.
I’d give anything to have that space. Since we are renting, I’ve taken the third bedroom, set up steel shelving and that’s where I store my “hoard” of food stuffs.
I’ve planted a huge “container” garden and pray that it successful so that I can do a lot of canning and dehydration to provide for us through this coming winter.
Much success to you and be sure to show us a picture or two of the “finished product”.
Stay well and stay safe.
Lori says
Is that a double sink near your autopsy table? It looks like the double sink at my uncle’s farm. I remember it was to the right when you came into the back door of the farm house. On the left side when you came in the back door was three stairs that went down to the root cellar. It had a dirt floor and was loaded with Aunt Millie’s canned goods. The big sink was used to was veggies from the garden and the Uncle David’s hands when he came in From the barn. I can even remember us kids washing a piglet we caught and wanted to keep inside the house as a pet. Thanks for that memory.
Annette says
My favorite part are the tiny shelves next to the victory poster.
Cheryl says
I really like your nice bright room!
My laundry room had a concrete floor, so I got peel and stick tiles in black and white squares. Really retro and durable too.
Gina says
Autopsy table, (snort, haha!) It does kinda look like one! Who knows. I am more interested in your colorful, well organized pantry! It looks lots like Ina Garten’s! (Google it!) And I spied the SPAM! lol
Linda from Wisconsin says
Re: paint for basement wall and floor. Go to a professional paint store like Pittsburg Paint or Sherwin Williams where there is expertise to advise you. It will be helpful to snap a couple pics of the wall and also a representative pic of the condition of your floor. If the floor is wet/damp or greasy that needs to be addressed first. The walls may need to be primed first in order for the paint to stick, since it’s old block/cement. I have always used an oil base porch and deck enamel for old basement floors with good luck. It’s always a great idea to pay for the best paint product you can buy, it gives the best outcome and lasts the longest . My dad was a painting contractor so I learned at the hand of the best, who preached prep, prep, prep, then use a great product. Good luck!
Amy says
I second the butter yellow color for the walls…we did our block walls the same way and it gave a sunshine effect instead of just white. Lasted for more than 15 years, while my little ones spent many happy hours in the basement!
Cathy says
I wonder if the gray wall paint is a moisture barrier. The “autopsy table” looks like the produce tables i have seen at the produce stands that pop up in my area.
Thinks are looking more homey every week.
Glad you don’t feel the need to change the name of your blog.
Ruth says
We have used Drylock brand paint for basement walls. It forms a moisture seal to keep moisture from seeping through the walls. It comes in white. For the floors, I’d do a garage floor epoxy paint with the chips sprinkled on for texture. I know that comes in grey or tan. I’d ask at your local paint store for their recommendations just to be sure.
Karin C says
I would love to have a root cellar or cold room , my granny’s was a treasure trove of items .
I am an avid canner and put up in the 750-1000 jars a season .
To have some where to store veggies as well would be wonderful.
My MIL has a small one .
Karin C says
Kilz primer on the walls then you can do any colour , that stuff is amazing .