{Dream} Home

I suspect it had to do with Hip House Girl's post about a church house, but I had a strange dream last night.

I dreamt I had, let's say, come into possession of a house. I don't know how. That's one of those irrelevant details in dreams. The house was a split level, with a few bedrooms. One of them was at the very top of the house, completely staged by the previous owner and never used.

What I recall most about this house was the basement bedroom. In my dream, it was my parents'  basement, but in this house that now belonged to me. You know how those things happen in dreams. It had the exact same cement steps as my parents' basement. It also had the cold feeling typical of farmhouse basements. Instead of the stone and plastered foundation, also typical of farmhouses, my dream basement bedroom had a brick-like stone wall.

It sort of looked like this:

Courtesy of Country Living via Candace Rose

But a little rougher, like this:

Courtesy of GREAT INTERIOR DESIGN

Or this:

Courtesy of TripAdvisor - yes, TripAdvisor

In one corner, next to the bed, there was a fireplace and across from the bed, there was a TV. It was actually quite similar to a hotel room; perhaps, reflective of the too much time spent in them?

The floor was old cement, except for the more recently poured steps, which I previously mentioned. I'd decided in my dream to tile the floor and steps with ceramic tile. I imagined in my dream, it would turn out like this: 

Courtesy Aerials Home Construction

There you have it. Not enough time spent in my house lately, reading blogs before bed, and I'm dreaming about renovating a basement room in a home I don't own. It gave me a great excuse to blog today though! Does anyone else have dreams about renovating that are this vivid?

Help My Eyesore Basement Win a $15,000 IKEA Makeover

As if the 2010 Catalogue was not reason enough to celebrate, IKEA is giving this Savvy Homegirl even more to be excited about- $15,000 worth to be exact!

The IKEA "Any Space Can Be Beautiful" contest is just what my basement has been yearning for! All I could think about during last weekend's Bridal Shower was how convenient it would've been to have a finished basement for all the sleeping bodies sprawled throughout my home!

I wasted no time snapping some photos and getting my entry submitted. Now, "Jen's Eyesore Basement Reno" needs some votes. This is where you come in! Check out my basement and vote!

(Just in case the link doesn't work - here it is) http://www.anyspacecanbebeautiful.ca/index.php?spaceID=1525

In fact, bookmark it to come back daily, because you can vote every day! Think you have your own space desperately needing an IKEA facelift? You'll find a link to submit your own entry also!

Another bonus? Throughout the contest, IKEA Designers Janette Ewen, Karen Sealy and Karen Kayne will be commenting and providing design advice to lucky homeowners, who will then win a weekly prize!

Does Your Yard Get an "F" for Grade?

Your yard may have a failing grade if it slopes towards your house. This can cause water to pool near your foundation, leading to damage and even basement flooding.

I suspect this was my problem. In some areas, I had 10-12 inches difference in depth from my foundation to the ground a couple metres away from the wall.

If you have a poorly graded yard, you might want to consider fixing it before the ground freezes. By spring, it will be saturated with melting frost, snow, and rain, leaving little opportunity for correction.

To fix the grade:

1. Measure the area that you need to fix and calculate how much dirt you will need. The landscaping supply company I consulted suggested 1 cubic yard to cover 100 square feet 3 inches deep. To give you a better idea of quantity, I ordered 6 cubic yards and this filled about about half of a dump truck.
2. Most places will deliver. Consider ordering more if you have plans for future landscaping (flowerbeds, gardens, lawn top dress, etc.), then you can save on the delivery charge.
3. Put a tarp down for under the soil. Not only does this make easy cleanup, but it will allow you to place all the dirt exactly where you want it. If you are home when the truck arrives and it's possible, have them dump it closes to where you need it. It will save a lot of back-breaking work!
4. Start throwing dirt! Build up the area closest to your house, gradually creating a slope away from the house. Be sure to pack the dirt down as you go.
5. Leave the dirt to settle for a few days, then check back (preferably after a rain) to see if you need to add more. Aim for a 2-3 inch drop per 10 feet.
6. Don't forget to look under decks and porches for problems. We had to remove several boards off of my deck, dump the dirt in by wheelbarrow and rake it out further under the deck.

Finally, be sure that all your eaves and drain pipes are clear of debris and angled away from the house. Consider attaching an extension tile or pipe to carry water further away from the house.

If you need to fix the whole yard, you may want to hire a pro. Here is an article that details this further.