Photo of an expansive walk-out basement in Chicago with a home bar, beige walls and brown floor.

The space under the basement stairs was opened up to create a niche with built-in drawers and a bench top perfectly sized for a twin mattress. A recessed bookshelf, extendable sconce, and a nearby outlet complete the mini-refuge.

Beautiful, large basement finish with many custom finishes for this family to enjoy!
Large transitional walk-out basement in Minneapolis with grey walls, vinyl floors, a stone fireplace surround, grey floor and a corner fireplace.

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.

A light filled basement complete with a Home Bar and Game Room. Beyond the Pool Table and Ping Pong Table, the floor to ceiling sliding glass doors open onto an outdoor sitting patio.

This is an example of a large transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, brown floor and brick walls.

Photo of a large midcentury basement in Omaha.

Basement
This is an example of a country look-out basement in Grand Rapids with white walls, light hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Design ideas for a modern fully buried basement in Detroit with a home bar, multi-coloured walls, vinyl floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown floor and brick walls.

Design ideas for an expansive modern look-out basement in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor, recessed and wallpaper.

This is an example of a large country fully buried basement in Calgary with a stone fireplace surround, beige walls and a standard fireplace.

LIDA Construction Interior Designer - Lawrie Keogh
This is an example of a large traditional walk-out basement in Vancouver with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Flooring: Engineered Hardwood
Photo of a large transitional fully buried basement in Denver with white walls, beige floor and laminate floors.

Zach Molino
Photo of an expansive country basement in Salt Lake City.

Zach Molino
Inspiration for an expansive country basement in Salt Lake City.

The sprawling basement is over 2000sf of additional living space, and is finely finished to match the quality level of this superior home. Featuring everything you have already come to expect, triple stepped molding and millwork, LED lighting, and Porcelonosa textured floor tiles and high-end full bathroom. Custom entertainment unit with quartz counters in the open recreation area with a closet system of drawers and hanging baskets, perfect for toys or crafts. Additional storage includes a fully-lined cedar closet and linen closet. An outside entrance door and stairway gives access to the backyard and two large, egress wells let the light shine in. A large, walk-in mechanical rooms provide easy access and low maintenance. The basement is finished with a spacious bedroom, laundry and a beautiful etched glass-enclosed room with custom cabinetry, perfect for a gym or office.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional basement in DC Metro with brown walls, ceramic floors and no fireplace.

Beautiful modern basement finish with wet bar and home gym. Open concept. Glass enclosure wine storage
Inspiration for a large modern look-out basement in Denver with grey walls, laminate floors, a ribbon fireplace and grey floor.

Photo of a large midcentury basement in Omaha.