Design ideas for a large contemporary walk-out basement in Atlanta with a home bar, black walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and planked wall panelling.

We started with a blank slate on this basement project where our only obstacles were exposed steel support columns, existing plumbing risers from the concrete slab, and dropped soffits concealing ductwork on the ceiling. It had the advantage of tall ceilings, an existing egress window, and a sliding door leading to a newly constructed patio. This family of five loves the beach and frequents summer beach resorts in the Northeast. Bringing that aesthetic home to enjoy all year long was the inspiration for the décor, as well as creating a family-friendly space for entertaining. Wish list items included room for a billiard table, wet bar, game table, family room, guest bedroom, full bathroom, space for a treadmill and closed storage. The existing structural elements helped to define how best to organize the basement. For instance, we knew we wanted to connect the bar area and billiards table with the patio in order to create an indoor/outdoor entertaining space. It made sense to use the egress window for the guest bedroom for both safety and natural light. The bedroom also would be adjacent to the plumbing risers for easy access to the new bathroom. Since the primary focus of the family room would be for TV viewing, natural light did not need to filter into that space. We made sure to hide the columns inside of newly constructed walls and dropped additional soffits where needed to make the ceiling mechanicals feel less random. In addition to the beach vibe, the homeowner has valuable sports memorabilia that was to be prominently displayed including two seats from the original Yankee stadium. For a coastal feel, shiplap is used on two walls of the family room area. In the bathroom shiplap is used again in a more creative way using wood grain white porcelain tile as the horizontal shiplap “wood”. We connected the tile horizontally with vertical white grout joints and mimicked the horizontal shadow line with dark grey grout. At first glance it looks like we wrapped the shower with real wood shiplap. Materials including a blue and white patterned floor, blue penny tiles and a natural wood vanity checked the list for that seaside feel. A large reclaimed wood door on an exposed sliding barn track separates the family room from the game room where reclaimed beams are punctuated with cable lighting. Cabinetry and a beverage refrigerator are tucked behind the rolling bar cabinet (that doubles as a Blackjack table!). A TV and upright video arcade machine round-out the entertainment in the room. Bar stools, two rotating club chairs, and large square poufs along with the Yankee Stadium seats provide fun places to sit while having a drink, watching billiards or a game on the TV. Signed baseballs can be found behind the bar, adjacent to the billiard table, and on specially designed display shelves next to the poker table in the family room. Thoughtful touches like the surfboards, signage, photographs and accessories make a visitor feel like they are on vacation at a well-appointed beach resort without being cliché.

Design ideas for a large transitional look-out basement in Detroit with grey walls, porcelain floors, multi-coloured floor and planked wall panelling.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional look-out basement in Minneapolis with a home bar, light hardwood floors, brown floor, planked wall panelling and grey walls.

Mid-sized scandinavian walk-out basement in Boise with exposed beam and wood walls.

Mid-sized country look-out basement in Other with a home bar, white walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and planked wall panelling.

Some green accents to the wardrobe, understairs bench and small hallway.
This is an example of a large contemporary look-out basement in London with a game room, white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, beige floor and wallpaper.

Old English Pub used for small family personal entertainment
Small fully buried basement in Other with multi-coloured walls, carpet, beige floor, recessed and decorative wall panelling.

For their basement renovation, our clients wanted to update their basement and also dedicate an area for a bar and seating area. They are an active young family that entertains and loves watching movies together so an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable seating area by the bar was essential. In this modern design we decided to go with a soft neutral colour palette that brought more light into the basement. For the cabinets, we wanted to define contrast so we went with a beautiful espresso finish that also complimented the luxury vinyl plank floor.

The homeowners wanted a comfortable family room and entertaining space to highlight their collection of Western art and collectibles from their travels. The large family room is centered around the brick fireplace with simple wood mantel, and has an open and adjacent bar and eating area. The sliding barn doors hide the large storage area, while their small office area also displays their many collectibles. A full bath, utility room, train room, and storage area are just outside of view. Photography by the homeowner.

Our clients live in a beautifully maintained 60/70's era bungalow in a mature and desirable area of the city. They had previously re-developed the main floor, exterior, landscaped the front & back yards, and were now ready to develop the unfinished basement. It was a 1,000 sq ft of pure blank slate! They wanted a family room, a bar, a den, a guest bedroom large enough to accommodate a king-sized bed & walk-in closet, a four piece bathroom with an extra large 6 foot tub, and a finished laundry room. Together with our clients, a beautiful and functional space was designed and created. Have a look at the finished product. Hard to believe it is a basement! Gorgeous!

This Hartland, Wisconsin basement is a welcoming teen hangout area and family space. The design blends both rustic and transitional finishes to make the space feel cozy. This space has it all – a bar, kitchenette, lounge area, full bathroom, game area and hidden mechanical/storage space. There is plenty of space for hosting parties and family movie nights. Highlights of this Hartland basement remodel: - We tied the space together with barnwood: an accent wall, beams and sliding door - The staircase was opened at the bottom and is now a feature of the room - Adjacent to the bar is a cozy lounge seating area for watching movies and relaxing - The bar features dark stained cabinetry and creamy beige quartz counters - Guests can sit at the bar or the counter overlooking the lounge area - The full bathroom features a Kohler Choreograph shower surround

Inspiration for a small industrial fully buried basement in Other with a game room, grey walls, laminate floors, brown floor, recessed and brick walls.

Finished basement with mini bar and dining area in timber frame home
Inspiration for a mid-sized country look-out basement with a home bar, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, exposed beam and wood walls.

Expansive transitional walk-out basement in Philadelphia with a home bar, beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, beige floor, recessed and wallpaper.

We started with a blank slate on this basement project where our only obstacles were exposed steel support columns, existing plumbing risers from the concrete slab, and dropped soffits concealing ductwork on the ceiling. It had the advantage of tall ceilings, an existing egress window, and a sliding door leading to a newly constructed patio. This family of five loves the beach and frequents summer beach resorts in the Northeast. Bringing that aesthetic home to enjoy all year long was the inspiration for the décor, as well as creating a family-friendly space for entertaining. Wish list items included room for a billiard table, wet bar, game table, family room, guest bedroom, full bathroom, space for a treadmill and closed storage. The existing structural elements helped to define how best to organize the basement. For instance, we knew we wanted to connect the bar area and billiards table with the patio in order to create an indoor/outdoor entertaining space. It made sense to use the egress window for the guest bedroom for both safety and natural light. The bedroom also would be adjacent to the plumbing risers for easy access to the new bathroom. Since the primary focus of the family room would be for TV viewing, natural light did not need to filter into that space. We made sure to hide the columns inside of newly constructed walls and dropped additional soffits where needed to make the ceiling mechanicals feel less random. In addition to the beach vibe, the homeowner has valuable sports memorabilia that was to be prominently displayed including two seats from the original Yankee stadium. For a coastal feel, shiplap is used on two walls of the family room area. In the bathroom shiplap is used again in a more creative way using wood grain white porcelain tile as the horizontal shiplap “wood”. We connected the tile horizontally with vertical white grout joints and mimicked the horizontal shadow line with dark grey grout. At first glance it looks like we wrapped the shower with real wood shiplap. Materials including a blue and white patterned floor, blue penny tiles and a natural wood vanity checked the list for that seaside feel. A large reclaimed wood door on an exposed sliding barn track separates the family room from the game room where reclaimed beams are punctuated with cable lighting. Cabinetry and a beverage refrigerator are tucked behind the rolling bar cabinet (that doubles as a Blackjack table!). A TV and upright video arcade machine round-out the entertainment in the room. Bar stools, two rotating club chairs, and large square poufs along with the Yankee Stadium seats provide fun places to sit while having a drink, watching billiards or a game on the TV. Signed baseballs can be found behind the bar, adjacent to the billiard table, and on specially designed display shelves next to the poker table in the family room. Thoughtful touches like the surfboards, signage, photographs and accessories make a visitor feel like they are on vacation at a well-appointed beach resort without being cliché.

Before image.
Large country walk-out basement in DC Metro with grey walls, laminate floors, no fireplace, grey floor and panelled walls.

This is an example of a mid-sized country look-out basement in Other with a home bar, white walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and planked wall panelling.

Originally a finished space but nothing to the clients liking, M.T. McCaw transformed this old and dank basement into a bright and airy retreat. Along with opening walls to provide for a great gaming area and family TV watching room - these clients also wanted a bar to hang out at and a fully functioning bathroom for guests and property value!