Large traditional basement in New York with grey walls, ceramic floors and beige floor.

The homeowners had a very specific vision for their large daylight basement. To begin, Neil Kelly's team, led by Portland Design Consultant Fabian Genovesi, took down numerous walls to completely open up the space, including the ceilings, and removed carpet to expose the concrete flooring. The concrete flooring was repaired, resurfaced and sealed with cracks in tact for authenticity. Beams and ductwork were left exposed, yet refined, with additional piping to conceal electrical and gas lines. Century-old reclaimed brick was hand-picked by the homeowner for the east interior wall, encasing stained glass windows which were are also reclaimed and more than 100 years old. Aluminum bar-top seating areas in two spaces. A media center with custom cabinetry and pistons repurposed as cabinet pulls. And the star of the show, a full 4-seat wet bar with custom glass shelving, more custom cabinetry, and an integrated television-- one of 3 TVs in the space. The new one-of-a-kind basement has room for a professional 10-person poker table, pool table, 14' shuffleboard table, and plush seating.

Inspiration for a large transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with a home bar, white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor, exposed beam and decorative wall panelling.

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern fully buried basement in Denver with grey walls, vinyl floors, a hanging fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional look-out basement in Grand Rapids with beige walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and grey floor.

This is an example of a beach style look-out basement in Boston with beige walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Wahoo Walls Basement Finishing System was installed. Ceiling was left open for Industrial look and saved money. Trim was used at top and bottom of insulated basement panel to cover the attachment screws.

Rob Schwerdt
Design ideas for a country basement in Other with brown walls, carpet and grey floor.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional fully buried basement in Minneapolis with beige walls, carpet, no fireplace and beige floor.

kathy peden photography
This is an example of a mid-sized industrial walk-out basement in Denver with grey walls, concrete floors, no fireplace and beige floor.

©Finished Basement Company
Photo of a large transitional look-out basement in Denver with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and beige floor.

Comfortable finished basement at Mainland Square includes an inviting bar area and powder room. wbhomesinc.com
Photo of a large transitional walk-out basement in Philadelphia with beige walls, carpet, no fireplace and beige floor.

Libbie Holmes Photography
This is an example of a transitional fully buried basement in Phoenix with blue walls, carpet, no fireplace and beige floor.

http://www.pickellbuilders.com. Photography by Linda Oyama Bryan. Wet Bar with Slate Tile Floor, Tin Ceiling and Knotty Alder Cabinetry and Millwork. Wet Bar with Slate Tile Floor, Tin Ceiling and Knotty Alder Cabinetry and Fir bead board ceiling.

Mid-sized transitional basement in Boston with grey walls, carpet and grey floor.

Previously unfinished and unusable basement transformed into a comforting lounge space with open ceiling painted black to provide the illusion of a higher ceiling and epoxied floors.

The expansive basement entertainment area features a tv room, a kitchenette and a custom bar for entertaining. The custom entertainment center and bar areas feature bright blue cabinets with white oak accents. Lucite and gold cabinet hardware adds a modern touch. The sitting area features a comfortable sectional sofa and geometric accent pillows that mimic the design of the kitchenette backsplash tile. The kitchenette features a beverage fridge, a sink, a dishwasher and an undercounter microwave drawer. The large island is a favorite hangout spot for the clients' teenage children and family friends. The convenient kitchenette is located on the basement level to prevent frequent trips upstairs to the main kitchen. The custom bar features lots of storage for bar ware, glass display cabinets and white oak display shelves. Locking liquor cabinets keep the alcohol out of reach for the younger generation.

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

Laundry room with patterned wallpaper and custom cabinetry storage.
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with a home bar, grey walls, vinyl floors, a wood fireplace surround and grey floor.