Maguire Photographics
Photo of a contemporary fully buried basement in Cleveland with red walls, carpet, no fireplace and multi-coloured floor.

Our basement serves as the main storage area for our tiny house, a playroom for our son, a media room, and a guest room whenever we have friends in town. The Tillary sofas (from West Elm) are each the size of a twin bed, so when pushed together with the back cushions removed, they make a King sized bed. We used Ikea wall cabinets, hung 1" off the floor in the back of the room for additional storage. We then built a wooden waterfall countertop around them. It is stained with minwax Kona to match the Ikea Besta media center on the other wall.

Contemporary basement in Ottawa.

Our clients wanted to finish the walkout basement in their 10-year old home. They were looking for a family room, craft area, bathroom and a space to transform into a “guest room” for the occasional visitor. They wanted a space that could handle a crowd of young children, provide lots of storage and was bright and colorful. The result is a beautiful space featuring custom cabinets, a kitchenette, a craft room, and a large open area for play and entertainment. Cleanup is a snap with durable surfaces and movable storage, and the furniture is easy for children to rearrange. Photo by John Reed Foresman.

BASEMENT CINEMA, POOL ROOM AND WINE BAR IN WEST LONDON We created this generous space in the basement of a detached family home. Our clients were keen to have a private area for chilling out, watching films and most importantly, throwing parties! The palette of colours we chose here calmly envelop you as you relax. Then later when the party is in full swing, and the lights are up, the colours take on a more vibrant quality. MOOD LIGHTING, ATMOSPHERE AND DRAMA Mood lighting plays an important role in this basement. The two natural light sources are a walk-on glass floor in the room above, and the open staircase leading up to it. Apart from that, this was a dark space which gave us the perfect opportunity to do something really dramatic with the lighting. Most of the lights are on separate circuits, giving plenty of options in terms of mood scenes. The pool table is overhung by three brass and amber glass pendants, which we commissioned from one of our trade suppliers. Our beautifully curated artwork is tastefully lit with downlights and picture lights. LEDs give a warm glow around the perimeters of the media unit, wine rack and bar top. CONTEMPORARY PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB FEEL The traditional 8-foot American pool table was made bespoke in our selection of finishes. As always, we made sure there was a full cue’s length all the way around the playing area. We designed the bar and wine rack to be custom made for this project. The natural patina of the brass worktop shows every mark and stain, which might sound impractical but in reality looks quirky and timeless. The bespoke bar cabinetry was finished in a chestnut brown lacquer spray paint. On this project we delivered our full interior design service, which includes concept design visuals, a rigorous technical design package and a full project coordination and installation service.

The new addition at the basement level allowed for the creation of a new bedroom space, allowing all residents in the home to have their own rooms.
Photo of a small contemporary look-out basement in Toronto with white walls, carpet and grey floor.

This is an example of a contemporary basement in Minneapolis.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary fully buried basement in Columbus with white walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and wood walls.

Storage needed to be hidden but there was very little space to put it, so we did the best we could with the bulkheads dictating where this was best placed.

Design ideas for a large contemporary look-out basement in Chicago with grey walls, vinyl floors, no fireplace and red floor.

Inspiration for a large contemporary fully buried basement in Other with white walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

Expansive contemporary look-out basement in Toronto with beige walls, vinyl floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Photo of an expansive contemporary walk-out basement in Kansas City with beige walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

This is an example of a contemporary basement in Boston.

Mali Azima
This is an example of a contemporary basement in Atlanta.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary look-out basement in Edmonton with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

A fun updated to a once dated basement. We renovated this client’s basement to be the perfect play area for their children as well as a chic gathering place for their friends and family. In order to accomplish this, we needed to ensure plenty of storage and seating. Some of the first elements we installed were large cabinets throughout the basement as well as a large banquette, perfect for hiding children’s toys as well as offering ample seating for their guests. Next, to brighten up the space in colors both children and adults would find pleasing, we added a textured blue accent wall and painted the cabinetry a pale green. Upstairs, we renovated the bathroom to be a kid-friendly space by replacing the stand-up shower with a full bath. The natural stone wall adds warmth to the space and creates a visually pleasing contrast of design. Lastly, we designed an organized and practical mudroom, creating a perfect place for the whole family to store jackets, shoes, backpacks, and purses. Designed by Chi Renovation & Design who serve Chicago and it's surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Skokie, Wilmette, and all of the way up to Lake Forest.

Photo c/o Revolution Design & Build
Design ideas for a contemporary basement in Minneapolis with a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Jose Alfano
Inspiration for a large contemporary look-out basement in Philadelphia with beige walls, no fireplace and dark hardwood floors.