So it’s been 8 weeks since I shared any updates on the man cave and I actually feel rather guilty about that! The whole remodel has been a bit slow going with all the little crappy bits and pieces that needed boxing in/fixing that Wayne had been getting to as and when he had a couple of hours. And then before we knew it, summer was here and with that, weekend plans and things to do and suddenly, it’s 8 weeks later and you go WE ARE PAINTING THIS WEEKEND DAMMIT and so yeah, magically there’s progress.
Now, we’re very very clearly not yet done down here but we’re now to the final bits and pieces and then I can just dress the space and call it (mostly) done. The most transformative things we’ve done as you can see is paint everything in the gloriously rich Tanner’s Brown by Farrow and Ball who are one of the lovely sponsors of this project. I actually approached them about working with them on this one after falling in love with their paint when we used it in the dining room remodel. And once again, it has not disappointed.
In pictures, you might assume it’s black but the best indication of the colour is above where the natural light from our one small window hits it. I wish I could accurately describe the colour because it is so nuanced. It is neither black nor a true brown. There are purple-y undertones but it’s not really purple and it’s a little bit grey but there’s a rich warmth in the colour so I hesitate to call it grey. No matter what, I absolutely love it – which for me to like a ‘sort of brown’ is crazy I realise but this is no normal brown paint. Not just that but it goes on like a dream. Two coats covered everything wonderfully.
The beauty of going dark down here is that all those little higgledy-piggledy bits and pieces that have been boxed off (mostly cables and electrical wires as we can’t drill into concrete to hide them) now sort of disappear when you are down here. In white, the room always looked a bit dirty and grimy and now it’s just beautifully cosy even with nothing in the room. Also, that huge 50″ television is no longer such an eyesore!
Welcome to my lair….
Now, I will admit there is always a point at which you go very dark in a room (back me up, here, peeps who’ve crossed to the dark side) when there is a moment of panic. Where you start to see the full effect and think, ‘Oh my god, we’ve made a horrible mistake’ and that moment came when I looked down the stairwell which has also been painted and I remarked to Wayne, ‘It looks like the entrance to some seedy nightclub…’ and he responded, ‘Yeah, actually, it does.’ Oh crap.
But this just shows the importance of finishing off a room – that mid-way point is just always such a weird one. When the room hasn’t quite come into its own and it’s still unfinished and it just doesn’t look like you’ve envisioned. Not yet anyway. But I know full well that once we put some art on the walls, add accessories and a rug, some shelving and lighting… it will indeed look amazing and not at all like some seedy underground club!
Ignore the bit of black matting at the bottom of the stairs as well – that will be going and was just temporary as this is actually the area where the cats normally eat their food so it was just to protect the flooring for a while. I considered removing it for the pictures but after doing so much work on the room this weekend before I took the pictures, I really just couldn’t be arsed!! #keepinitreal
So… what’s left? Well, we realised we didn’t have the right primer for the already painted louvred doors so that’s why they are still white in the pictures so those need doing. And I will probably be painting that bright white radiator out but again, I just need to get some primer on it before painting. We need to replace the door to the little storage area (not seen in the pics here) with another louvred door which will be painted. We have to get some lengths of skirting board for that area at the bottom of the stairs too. Of course, we need a stair runner for the stairs as well.
I also still need to pick up a few bits like the shelving unit and I’m still waiting for the gorgeous gold sideboard from Swoon Editions. I also need to get some lighting in here which I’m hoping to have by next week.
So that’s where we are on the cellar remodel/man cave/glam snug. There’s definitely progress being made and I’m absolutely itching to get things finished down here as I know we are now in the final stretch! But what do you think of the progress in the meantime? Do you think going dark and sultry was the right decision for this underground space?
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Don’t panic Hun, I’m sure it’s going to look amazing when it’s finished and accessorised. I’m at the same stage with a client. The room is being painted as I write and I know they are probably wondering what I’ve made them do. I may have to reassure them later haha. Can’t wait to see Wayne’s room when it’s done. xx
Aww thanks darling – nah, I’m not in a panic at all, it was just a brief moment of second-guessing that I knew was coming – I’m absolutely confident now it was the right way to go in this space! But that’s it, there’s always that point, isn’t there? I’m sure your clients are going to love the end result ;) xx
I don’t know if you realise it but it’s very difficult to see what’s going on as the photos quite dark. I’m wondering if they show up better on your screens. x
Ahh sorry you’re having problems Sharon – on my laptop they look totally fine but on a phone, depending on your settings, they might be a bit too dark to make out details. Maybe try on a bigger screen! ;) Failing that, it’s just an empty nearly-black room so there’s really not that much you are missing! LOL! xx
Brown is not I colour I ever would have picked but I’m sure it will be amazing and I can’t wait to see it with all the dressing in! It’s going to be so cosy, and a major extra selling point when it comes to that :) The only room I’ve ever been brave enough to go full dark in is my bedroom, which is grey, but I do love it so maybe I should branch out? I have a black wall at the end of my hall but it would be too dark to go full black there. I have been debating what to do with our dull utility room though, so maybe I’ll take the plunge! I painted it white but it’s so dull in there that it looks greenish/grey, and while I know I could find a better white, after seeing this I’m thinking maybe a super dark shade is in order ;)
I know, I’m surprised myself that I’m loving this ‘sort-of brown’!! It really is a beautiful shade! And it was such a good choice for this space – mostly because it lacked natural light and was mostly used in the evenings anyway! Maybe my flowchart might help making a decision in your utility room? https://www.swoonworthy.co.uk/2016/01/handy-flowchart-should-i-paint-my-room-a-dark-colour.html/
You’ll have to let me know if you go through with it! I love it in my bedroom too but couldn’t do it in a main living space ;) xx
Absolutely beautiful it most certainly will be – I remember the panic moment when I painted our sitting room in rivington blue from abigail ahern but i so love it now…
Aww thanks Heather! Honestly, every single time I’ve gone dark in a room, I’ve had that same sense of panic about half way through painting! Hahaha! But I have already started accessorising the room now and I’m so happy with it now so panic averted ;) Rivington Blue is a gorgeous shade, sounds lovely xxx
Congrats on coming back to the dark side! I’ve never been a fan of brown paint, but maybe I could be converted!? Looking forward to seeing your next steps and am sure it will look fab x
this is pretty damn cool!
All looks like its coming together really well – that brown looks to be a great backdrop to the prints you plan to hang and is, of course, a great ‘man cave’ colour ;)
Going dark was definitely the right decision, I love how it blurs the lines and as you say, white looks dirty in a low-light space like this. Can’t wait to see it all dressed, I know it’ll be sexy!
Oh wow! I know it will look even more amazing when it’s finished but wonderful progress so far! It looks so cosy already :) X
HA HA HAA! Love this post. Please buy Wayne a disco ball to complete the nightclub look, and then hold a rave in there when you have finished. Can’t wait to see what you do to the space. Going to look awesome
I have used Tanners Brown in a living room.
It’s timeless and a grower!
The perfect shade….Keep the faith!
Looking forward to seeing the end result . The colour looks good.
WOW Kimberly I love the colour and it’s going to look great when you get it all dressed out xxx
The color looks amazing
Hi !
I can’t wait to see the room finished !
One question though : I regularly see rooms with painted ceiling… I understand that in the man cave, used mostly at night, it’s not a problem… But is there kind of a “rule” of painting the ceiling the same colour as the wall ?
I just discovered your blog… i’m about to renovate a house, I already found a lot of inspiration reading you, so thanks a lot !
Hi Marie, Thanks so much for your comment and I’m so pleased you’re enjoying the blog! :D I’ll be honest – it’s the first time I’ve painted a ceiling or felt it was the right way to go in a room and like you said, it’s because of the circumstances of the room itself. It has REALLY low ceilings (like, I didn’t even need a ladder to paint them) and it suited the room really well. I think if a space has really high ceilings, it can look great. If a room has really low ceilings, it can help to create a wonderful cocoon effect (as here). Anything in between, I think there is a danger of making the room look smaller/squatter as darker colours naturally advance towards us, lighter colours recede. However, it’s just paint at the end of the day. Sure, it’s a pain in the arse to repaint but there’s no reason not to give it a try if your heart is set on it. And if you hate it? Just repaint it. A couple hours’ work and you’ll know for sure ;) Good luck!! xx