Basement Updates including Crazy Big Clipboards

We've made several changes to our basement in the last few months.  Back in November, it was looking like this:

During IKEA's big sofa promotion this past winter, we picked up a Karlstad sofa that I hemmed and hawed about.  There were parts I liked about it and parts I didn't.  One of the parts I didn't like was the birch legs.

We spray painted them oil rubbed bronze, Young House Love style, and I like them much better now!

And then I came across this pillow (and a few others) from Pier 1 that I needed to have:

Cool Chevron Yarns Pillow

Pier 1 Imports

(You might recognize it from my Christmas Wish List.)

And with the pillow came an overall color scheme for the room: blue, green, white and brown.  The room was looking like this:

After adding a bit more furniture we already owned:

(Most of the furniture (aside from the couch) is temporary since we'd like a cushy ottoman instead of a 'coffee table' and the white rocker is intended for Charm's Room once I no longer need the ugly but comfortable rocker that is currently in his room:).  

You also may have noticed there is blue painter's tape on the wall indicating there is something planned for the wall behind the couch:).  

If you've been reading this blog for a long while, you may remember that way back in September, I wrote this post inquiring about sources for huge clipboard clips so that I could create some enormous clipboards for displaying artwork or large photographs. Well, I never found any big clips, but that didn't stop me from ordering the ones that I linked up to in that post.  

I also picked up a 4' x 8' Eucaboard 3/16" thick from Home Depot that I had cut to 22" x 32" rectangles.  I was able to get 6 rectangles out of one piece of Eucaboard.  Bill and Lucky worked together to get the clips attached to the boards using a few parts he picked up from Home Depot.  I honestly have no idea what he used, but could find out if anyone would like to know:).  It was cheap though, costing only a few bucks for all six of the boards.

Then I filed down the corners of three of the boards using a metal file to create rounded corners.  Finally, we hung them up using 4 medium 3M picture hanging strips per board.  I spaced the boards 5 inches apart.
  

I love the display options these boards will allow in the future including the display of kids' art projects, black and white photographs (Sam's Club offers 20" x 30" prints for about $9) and even something simple like this:

I painted the numbers using acrylic paint on IKEA art easel paper rolls, which are a great width for the clipboards.

I love how bright and kid friendly this space is turning out to be.  The pop of blue on the walls is exactly what the space needed.  And I cannot wait to get some great photos of the kids in the near future blown up for display.  I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as I make that change!

Now, I realize this post is getting ridiculously long, but I must mention that I thought I had the rug picked out for the space.  I posted about the rug I wanted in my birthday wish list post.  I even ordered that rug...Happy Birthday to Me (Thanks Oma and Opa!)...but then it showed up, and instead of being Kermit the Frog Green, it's Oscar the Grouch Green.  I love everything else about the rug...texture, pile, material, but the green is a little 'off'.  

It's not horrible, but it's not what I was anticipating.  I haven't even unrolled it yet, because I'm scared I wouldn't be able to get it packaged back up to return it (at the cost of $46!).  Oh decisions!  I don't know where else I would be able to find a similar 100% wool rug for the same price...I got it on sale for $300 with a coupon and sale combination.  So...who knows what's coming next for the space (except for those individuals who attended our Halloween party this past weekend, because I wrote this post a week ago:).)  What I do know, is I love those clipboards!

Clipboard Cost Breakdown:

1 4' x 8' Eucaboard 3/16" thick for $13

6 Clipboard Clips for about $5 shipped

Attaching Bolts/Nuts 'less than $5' per Bill :)

Total for 6 clipboards (I have 3 more that I don't know what I'll do with...yet.) = $23 or $3.83 per board!

Anyone else have a color 'fail' while ordering online?  What a bummer that is!  Overstock has never let me down before!

Linking up to The Rooster and The Hen.