Post-fire kitchen rescue leads to cat-in-tree call. Wait. No. Actually: basement remodel.

We know, we know. What we do is downright cushy compared to reaaaal rescue workers. But we do like the idea of saving rooms from a dire state of out-of-date-ness.

A few years back, we got a panicky 911 call about a Glen Ellyn kitchen fire. We were needed on the scene – stat. We pulled up our suspenders, slid down the pole and sped over – siren blaring, ladders and hoses ready. (Ok, TBF the GEFD got to do that part, since they’re specially trained for it and all. We got called in a little later – more for kitchen remodel duty. Please just humor us and let us remember it how we envisioned it all goin’ down.)

We quickly assessed the damage. People? Safe. Kitchen? Wrecked. Good news was: sprinklers! Bad news was: sprinklers! Their perfectly lovely kitchen was now a smoky, sodden mess. But. Skip ahead a few months. All better. We fixed ‘er up better than new. Fast forward eight years or so, and we got called back for a less urgent, but still important basement remodel – which evolved into a first floor redo as well. (Ah, scope creep. It’s the best and possibly only good kinda creep.)

Unfinished basement turned TV-watching hangout and sports memorabiliarium. (New word. Coined just now.)

 The house is newish, but the basement had never been finished and gradually became the catchall for all things miscellaneous, and over time did catch maybe not all, but quite a lot of miscellany. So Step 1: Purge Party. We use the word party loosely – this, friends, is a CHORE. And this was the extended remix version that went on for a few months as they pitched, donated and decluttered the space. Meanwhile, we got to work on floor plans and color palettes and ideas for disguising some of the non-budgeable utilities.

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