A Support Pole Makeover

Just a couple weeks ago I posted some before and after pics of my clients basement redesign.


I promised to explain one particular detail in the design- the support column.  Here is the before  picture again. Kinda sticks out at ya-and-not-in-a-good-way, doesn't it?

During our design discussions, one thing that came up in discussions was the support pole that essentially holds up the ceiling.  There were a myriad of different ways to try and incorporate this eyesore into the space.  If this were a more formal area I might have suggested wrapping it in wood and making a nice column out of it.  Then we threw out  making a tree out of it, adding some branches and faux painting the whole thing....but I needed to brainstorm a bit more, afterall this was primarily a kids space , and I wanted to do something really fun and out-of-the-box. The whimsical nature motif exists throughout the design, so the tree idea would defintely work.


One thing lead to another and I found this great shop on Etsy, Eve's Little Earthlings. Eve makes among other things, wine cozies from recycled sweaters.  They often resemble tree stumps. 

 I contacted Eve and she was happy to custom make the "pole cozy".  She did a really great job, and here is the completed Pole Cozy today: (I wish I had a better close up, and will try to add one to the post at a later date.)

I feel like it really becomes part of the design rather than some afterthought.