Name: Jarrett Knox
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Style: Mid-Century Bungalow Bar
I had so much fun doing this basement bar redesign with Valspar Paint and the homeowner, Jarrett. He wanted something bright and not too serious — the kind of place where he could host parties and poker nights.
Over the last five weeks, my team and I have been creating a fabulous 60s throwback to the golden age of basement bars. Check out larger photos and links to a before and after slideshow below the jump, and get inspired!
JARRETT'S BUNGALOW BAR PALETTE
Jarrett's basement was covered wall-to-wall in dark wood paneling. I wanted to highlight the vertical lines of the paneling but brighten it up quite a bit, so we settled on an offbeat stripe that goes around the room and really pops around the bar area. The main walls were painted with a beautiful canvas color that lightened the room tremendously, and the stripes are a series of neutrals and oranges. (At the last minute, we also decided to throw in a few extra stripes around the bar in an orange color called Spring Squash 2008-1B as a final touch.)
• Orange Fruit 2011-1 - orange stripes
• Soft Duckling 3001-2A - yellow stripes
• Tagsale Linen 3001-10C - base canvas color
• Milk Toast 3001-10B - darker neutral stripes
• La Fonda Boulder 3001-10A - darkest neutral stripes
Jarrett's basement bar before
Paint was the key to this makeover. The canvas color makes the room feel much more open, and the various stripes keep things interesting. They make a bold statement around the bar and set the color palette for the rest of the room.
Jarrett's bar and rec room after
I love this photo. Wouldn't it be fun to have a party in this room? The bar's been outfitted with the full 1960s treatment: retro shakers, glassware, and cocktail sets.
Jarrett and his wife, Catherine, have already begun using the room for small get-togethers. Jarrett emailed me yesterday with this quick note: "The basement looks great — we had a few friends over last night, and they were blown away!"
"When you first suggested stripes around the room, I was really nervous. When the first coat of the base color went up, I thought we should just stop with that. But, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. The lighter colors and vertical stripes definitely make the room feel larger. It's something I never would have come up with on my own, but I really like the subtle color changes between stripes and the way it brightens up the room."
When I asked Jarrett about his favorite feature, he said, "I really like the new poker area. It's amazing what adding a table and new light fixture can do for that corner of the room."
"This room never got a lot of use before. It was dark, dirty, and frankly a little scary. We've already started using the room to hang out with friends, and we're looking forward to having parties and hanging out with large groups."
Thanks, Jarrett, and I'm so glad you like it!
In addition to the striping, there are lots of smaller paint projects around the room that offer DIY inspiration. The items in the trophy case have been coated with Valspar Spray Paint in Salsa Orange Gloss and Orange Gloss. You might remember the odd wood-chip planter (see the before here) which we restyled by filling with a 'screen' of branches coated in Porcelain White Gloss Spray Paint.
A HUGE thank you to Jarrett and his wife, Catherine, for doing much of the basement cleaning and a few key repairs themselves. They helped us lay the groundwork for all of the painting and furnishing that came later. Thanks also to our painters, Reliable Decorating, who did the main walls, and to Josh Cooper for his excellent work on the striping. Special thanks to Joe Maer for all his scouting, shopping, and styling, and to our photographer, Jim Franco, whose work shows off the space beautifully.
SOURCE LIST
- All paint courtesy of Valspar Paint
- Sofa — Mellow Sectional from CB2
- Rug No. 1 — Switchback from CB2
- Rug No. 2 — Marimba from CB2
- Patterned pillow — Stardust from CB2
- Orange pillow — Crate & Barrel Outlet
- Vintage coffee table — Edgewater Antique Mall
- Vintage lamps next to sofa — Brown Elephant
- New handmade lamp shades — Benko Lamps
- Bowl on coffee table — Edgewater Antique Mall
- Elephant statue — Jarrett's
- Orange bar stools — Jarrett's
- Martini glasses — Jarrett's
- Thriller orange double old-fashioned glass — CB2
- Vintage bottle holder and vintage hi-ball glasses — Edgewater Antique Mall
- Aluminum ice bucket and bar tools — Brown Elephant
- Orange vases — Broadway Antique Mall, Edgewater Antique Mall, Ravenswood Antique Mall
- Disco ball — Target
- Dart board — Sports Authority
- Trophies — White Elephant and Brown Elephant
- Rackets, balls, bat — Play it Again Sports
- Orange/red dining chairs — Broadway Antique Mall
- Round wood table with chrome legs — Jubilee Furniture
- Cushions on banquette — Custom-made
- Sticks — Ikea
- Beige side chairs with chrome legs — Gypsy (going out of business sale)
- 60s large orange ceramic table lamp — Lincoln Ave. Antique Mall with Benko lampshade
- Air Hockey Table — Jubilee Furniture
- Wall Clock — Ikea
ABOUT THE INSIDE MAN
We've teamed up with Valspar Paint to create The Inside Man, a special feature dedicated to daily (Monday — Friday) posts from Apartment Therapy and GQ about men's color conundrums and style questions. From sofas with cup holders to brilliant bachelor pads, we’re focusing on the décor dilemmas men often bring to us.
MORE FROM THE INSIDE MAN
• Jarrett's Bungalow Bar: Phase 3 - The Progress Report
• Jarrett's Bungalow Bar: Phase 2 - The Prescription
• Jarrett's Bungalow Bar: Phase 1 - Local Inspiration
• Read more about guy style at theinsideman.apartmenttherapy.com.
• Check out GQ's guide to guy style at gq.com/theinsideman.
Photos: Jim Franco
Tina Wilson's Striking Style 
30 DIY Projects for the 3-Day Weekend
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunter Bennie Garde...
Make Chocolate Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping with Only 2 Ingredients
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways: Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Comments (41)
WOW! This is fantastic! Man, the only thing you're missing is a bowling alley! SUCH an improvement. This gives me hope for my dingy basement (with identical "wood" paneling from the before shots.)
While certainly an improvement (an understatement if ever the was) the hyper color coordination and overwhelming retro feel seem to fall flat.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great space and I'm criticizing only because I have this little soap box...
There's something about the space that feels a bit contrived and cute. perhaps it's how everything is coordinated, or how there's such a homogeneity in the accessories...etc... that make this space feel anything but natural or organic.
Again, it's worlds better... that said, it could be better still...
Ditto what @Julian said. Every word of it. With a hats off to preserving and integrating the columns so well.
Too much orange going on.
I LOVE this space and wouldn't change a thing about it. It's cute and although I would have thought that the multiple stripes in different colors would just clash and be too busy, I think it really works in this space because of how the bright colors were matched up with the more toned down neutrals. And, the mid-century decor really works with bright colors so that was a smart choice. I think the furniture and choice of accessories really pulls the whole space together and although it's obviously a bit "contrived" I don't think it's too much or "bad" at all.
Love the space with all the citrus-y colors - The collections of vintage glassware and lamps are perfect for this space!
Reminds me of the great late-1960's diners and restaurants my folks would take me to as a kid - I'd sit up at the bar with them sipping a Kiddie Cocktail & munching on breadsticks while waiting for our table...
...all it needs is a big aquarium with some pink, yellow and orange fish!
Great job, Maxwell!!!
I love ORANGE!
Massive improvement, but I'll echo Julian's observation that it feels a bit too contrived and cute. Knowing when a look becomes forced is difficult to discern (and obviously in the eyes of the beholder), but I think your toes went over the line a bit on this one.
Some may call it "hyper-coordinated", "contrived" or "homogenious"...
...others would simply consider it cohesive.
BTW: I just noticed that Maxwell did not paint the old cabinet like he threatened -
Here's one for leaving old furniture alone!
@bepsf, I noticed that too. The question is, where is it?
me likee, lots!! great job & perfect for a rec room!
Wow, that's a huge improvement!
As for the paint and high impact color....wasn't this sponsored by Valspar? What did people expect? Clearly, paint was going to be involved.
My only concern, and this comes from living in Jarrett's area for all my life, is that the basements have a propensity to take on water in heavy storms. I'd be worried that the nice new furniture would be ruined. Otherwise, I dig the paint job.
I like it. But it really doesn't feel at all right for a straight guy's man cave. You know?
Wow, way too much orange. Geez. Especially for a bachelor pad. Yikes.
Wow, I love orange but not this much. I also wondered where the 'paint/no paint' cabinet went to. It looks much better down there, just a little OD on the colors. JMO
I love that 70's show!
yay! - i'll be using soft duckling in my laundry room in the new house i'll be renting soon... very happy to see it here... the room is okay - i think id have some other random, not matchy-match color in here, like a blue or jewel green....
My fave colour is Orange - that said this space is an overkill. The orange wall behind the bar is just too much. I would have been fin with it if the entire space had been painted as the room - there is no need to define the bar - you think his friends won't know where the bar is???
I have to say I preferred the dark paneling. Isn't that coming back in style? I think a man room is supposed to be more dark and cavey...like a good corner dive bar that hasn't been touched since 1962! I think the furniture, lamps, and accessories are a great fit, but I would have left the walls as-is and replaced the floor with a cool checkered linoleum tile or terrazzo.
Can there be too much of a good thing? Well in this case the good thing is the color orange...and it is not a good thing when there is too much of it. That wall behind the bar is overkill for me. Also, what is up with painting the trophies? Makes everything a little to matchy-matchy for me. Other than that, I think that overall, the space is much improved.
The last time AT talked about man caves there were tons of complaints about how men shouldn't get a whole room to themselves. Now people want to know why the room isn't darker and more manly, and that it doesn't look like something a bachelor would like.
What bachelor? Dude's married, and they want to use this space to entertain and play games, not sit in a dark corner nursing a drink.
I dig it.
unholy 60's batman!
would've worked for me as a bachelor pad. I'm still grumpy that this Man Cave is a whole basement.
I still want to see the Woman Space that the wife gets. The Kitchen?
This basement is more than one whole room to himself. Seems like half the house to me
It doesn't look like a basement or a bar. The colors are fun. If the breakables were removed, then this would be a great place for kids to play. I can imagine them competing to create different ice cream beverages and desserts as a birthday party entertainment.
Just realized why I responded that way--when this look was in, I *was* a kid making floats and sundaes my way!
I like it, but my favorite element was there before - the tiled columns, which beat the ugly gray ones that are in my basement. I agree with a previous comment about water in basements and ruining the pretty furniture and lovely rugs. I like my basement unfinished, because even though we spent a fortune on grading, drainage and watertight windows, it could still get wet in a heavy mid-western rain or thaw.
I agree with Julian as well.
I like the furniture and accessories (except for the painted trophies.....it's just too much) but I really HATE the wall colors. If this were my house, I would paint over that the second AT stopped taking photos. Reminds me of a movie set.....for a baaaad movie.
Yikes, not my cup of tea AT ALL. It kind of looks like a psychadelic 60's pumpkin threw up. My eyes are bleeding.
I love the big orange couch! Then again, I grew up in the days of Snick (Saturday Night Nickelodeon). Visit this link for a video showing what I mean:
http://www.nartube.net/93677e8550:wvpbYmx2m0o.html
The neutral paint job on the paneling looks amazing! It's probably the only way I'd ever admit to liking paneling!
yall realize that you're talking about an ad... right?
Saying it's an improvement really isn't saying much. Doing just about anything to the space would have improved it. Having said that, it is improved, but there's so much that's wrong with the new space. Orange is fine, but whereas other posters think there's too much of it, which I also believe, there's also far too many different tones of orange. It's like Maxwell couldn't decide WHICH orange to go with, so tried them ALL! The painted trophies - simply bad. The vertical stripes - not a bad idea as a limited application, maybe on one wall only. But here it's far too much and just plain awful looking. What would have been nice is to have seen the other colors of the tiled columns, the light and dark blues, pulled into the space as well with a reduction in the orange.
It's a huge improvement and I like it a lot! I would however, like it even more if those barstools were clad in black instead of orange. Otherwise, it's a fabulous change!!
Wow, that is crazy! That room is a party all by itself! But it's a fantastic transformation, a complete 180 from where it started. I love orange and this is a really intense orange even for me, but for a basement bar hangout, it's perfect. Bravo.
It's too campy and that dude doesn't look campy, so it comes off as fake. Like if the guy or his wife collected stuff from the '60s and filled it with original quirky stuff, then I think the look could be pulled off, but doing that crazy paint job and painting the trophies matching colors and throwing a red couch in the mix look just plain dumb.
I DO like how you used the paneled walls to create stripes, but I really wished you went into more detail on how to do that. You credit the guy who did the stripping...I'd like to read more from him on how to go about painting wood paneling since a LOT of us have that ugly stuff in our houses.
I might like this room if it weren't orange, my least favorite color that's not brown.
that huge orange lamp is so great. i just want to hug it.
This a big improvement on a basement rec room. Not into the monochromatic painted trophies, though. But good job on a tough task. Jason, I hope you and your wife have a good time there!
Wow -- this is so un-basement-like.
Where is the end table (with the books inside) under the big orange lamp from?