brightening up a 70's decor "dungeon"

[pennyk]

We are looking to put my mum's house on the rental market. She is now in a nursing home. Its is a great location, good rental potential, but it has a few rooms that need redecorating - a number of rooms have classic 70's wallpaper etc. Those ones are fairly easy to manage... just need the wallpaper removed and a lick of paint.
But one of the bedrooms is an absolute 70's classic. I have some photos, but I don't know if they'll do it justice!
It was built under the garage (split level house on side of hill), so it is long and thin, (2 car lengths). there is a window at one end, but at the far end of the room, its very dark.
The floor has black quarry tiles, which were used because this section of the house used to flood regularly.
The walls are exposed brick... which is a motley medium brown colour. There are bricks which jut out from the wall... its not "smooth" brick.
but the best part is the ceiling, which is wallpapered in a lovely brown 70's pattern. Its a classic!!

So, any suggestions for what we can do to lighten the room, without breaking the bank.....
Is it possible to paint over the brickwork, when its not smooth?
Is it possible to put gyprock on the walls, and how do we smooth off the bricks to do it?
Is it possible to put a skylight down through the garage to allow some natural light down the dark end of the room?
Can we survive without the fantastic 70's wallpapered roof, or should be leave it there as an ode to that fashionable decade?!! Is it possible that the wallpaper will ever come back into fashion!?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Pen

 

[Peter Parker]

I would keep it simple and not touch the walls or floor.

But the following shouldn't cost too much:

1. Paint the ceiling white. If you wanted to preserve the 70s look, maybe put some false timber beams in that go with the brickwork.

2. Install an extra light socket near the far end of the room. To retain the 70s theme, have both lights hanging from the beams on pendant lampshades. Make them large plastic lampshades in burnt orange.

3. Put some large rugs on the floor. Choose a lightish colour to match the lampshades. Make it shag pile if you wanted to keep the 70s theme!

4. Get rid of the mesh curtains on the window, or use ones that split in the middle so they can be opened for light

5. Consider some light coloured wall hangings that go with the lampshades and rugs (but note it's a bedroom for sleeping, so can't be too loud)

6. Put a mirror on the far wall opposite the window to reflect light from the window if needed. In front of that mirror have a table and (lava?) lamp to spread light forward.

 

[Ms Jade]

Love the ceiling! But for your purposes i agree with Spidy that you should paint it white. The more light fittings down there the better & make sure they are on (with strong globes). Get rid of the curtains altogether. one bare window will not stop a sale.

Also agree that you need to lighten the floor. If you go to a cheap carpet place they have offcuts of carpets that are edged into rugs for not much money.

It's possible to paint the bricks though I find your pics hard to see. Maybe leave one "feature wall" and paint the rest. As you have some bricks jutting out, I really think gyprock is too much work. As long as the room looks large & light & uncluttered you should be OK. Large mirrors are a great idea.

 

[Amadio]

If you were to live in the property it would make sense to make that room a shrine to the 70's.

However, as a rental, unless you do a major overhaul by getting rid of the 70's stuff and lightening the whole room up, renters are just going to see a cheap landlord with a dungeon.

 

[pennyk]

Good ideas..... I would love to move into the house. Its big and in a great location, and a fantastic house for entertaining. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't think its sunny enough! (this is the only really dark room though!) I would have used this room as a games room if we moved in.... its got that sort of feel about it. But it would be better to have it available as a bedroom for a rental property.

I like the idea of a shrine to the 70's, (we could move in mum's full ceiling height macrame pot hangar - another classic!!!) but I think we'll need to do something to lighten it all up. The room

Once we have everything cleared up, we'll try some of your suggestions and let you know how it goes.
If anyone has any skylight knowledge, it would also be good to know if its possible to put a skylight through 2 storeys to bring some light in.

cheers
Pen

 

[fernfurn]

I would paint the whole lot one of the Dulux whites. It will be hard on the brick and would require much pushing in with a brush to get the paint into and around the nubbly bits. Would be really worthwhile hiring a compressor and spray painting outfit from Bunnings. Then get hubby to do a cheap (Harvey Norman??) laminated floorboards diy on the floors in a light board. Putting in a new window if you want to go to that expense would be far easier than putting in a skylight as this would have to come through an upstairs room to get down to this room. I would put a large mirror near the the window, this will bring more light in. Put a long curtain rail going past the window and install cheap (Spotlight) or even (as I have in the past - white cheap nylon- looks ok in abundance) to the floor light coloured curtains and leave them pushed open on either side of the window, thus exposing the whole window. I think this room would come up a treat then.

 

[skater]

Paint the ceiling and gyprock the walls. Putting gyprock over the walls isn't difficult. Attach some wooden studs to the brickwork then gyprock as usual. Maybe keep one as is for a feature wall, if you like the look. Once gyprocked and painted a white/off white, the room will lighten up considerably.