How to Make an Unfinished Basement Look Great Without Taking Out a Loan: Part 2

In 2006, my husband and I found ourselves in a strange situation where we had to move into an unfinished basement. We were left in a quandary on how to make the space into a comfortable home. I found techniques to make areas aesthetic with paint and pictures and such, but it left me with having to really use my creativity to come up with ways to make walls between each area. I wanted my little home to be nice to look at, so I didn't want to just run sheets between each area like clothes hanging on a line to dry. I came up with a few ideas that have worked well for our home. These ideas have worked to create beauty in each room, or, at least, a nice conversation piece, and have helped create the privacy we so desire.

The first wall I made isn't technically a wall, really. It is more of a curtain thick enough to create the privacy we needed, but looked nice too. I was given several large panels of fabric by a relative. These panels used to be curtains that a woman had used in her business that she had made herself. They were all the same color, but were not all the same length. I did not like the color, so I dyed them a color I found more pleasing. Next, I cut the pieces all the same length. I measured the distance from the ceiling to the floor, and added panels of the same color to each individual curtain. I then stapled the curtains to the ceiling in a straight line, making large pleats at each staple point so that it would have the feel of a curtain, and not a sheet.

The second wall I made was out of cardboard boxes. This does not create the privacy that the curtains made, but makes a definite difference in sectioning off areas of the basement. To make the wall, you need several cardboard boxes. They don't have to be the same size. You simply cut the cardboard boxes apart at the folded edges, poke holes in the corners (I used an ice pick), and string them together with twine or small rope. You can paint the cardboard pieces and/or the twine matching colors or different colors for appeal. Leave spaces between the pieces so that they hang freely, and don't get caught on one another so they won't pucker when hung.

The third wall idea was made out of aluminum cans. This probably created more privacy than either of the other two walls because it is completely opaque, and isn't easily moved like the curtain. To do this, you simply gather together the amount of soda cans you need, punch holes in the tops and bottoms directly in the center, run twine or rope through it, and tie off at the ends.

To get detailed instructions on making each of these walls, visit my profile on Associated Content (http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/299474/kimberly_grace.html).