Photography by Stu Estler
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic fully buried basement in DC Metro with grey walls, vinyl floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Large transitional fully buried basement in Other with multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, a tile fireplace surround and a ribbon fireplace.

Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Construction Administration, Custom Millwork & Furniture Design by Chango & Co. Photography by Jacob Snavely
Inspiration for an expansive transitional fully buried basement in New York with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and a ribbon 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.

Basement reno,
Inspiration for a mid-sized country fully buried basement in Minneapolis with a home bar, white walls, carpet, grey floor, wood and panelled walls.

Nichole Kennelly Photography
This is an example of a large country fully buried basement in Kansas City with grey walls, light hardwood floors and grey floor.

Spacecrafting
Photo of a large country fully buried basement in Minneapolis with beige walls, beige floor and light hardwood floors.

Primrose Model - Garden Villa Collection Pricing, floorplans, virtual tours, community information and more at https://www.robertthomashomes.com/

This is an example of a large transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with a game room, grey walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and exposed beam.

Hallway Space in Basement
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian fully buried basement in Denver with beige walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor, recessed and planked wall panelling.

Design ideas for a large transitional fully buried basement in New York with beige walls, laminate floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

Large transitional fully buried basement in Philadelphia with blue walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

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.

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.

Sweeney reworked the entire mechanical system, including electrical, heating, and plumbing, within the exposed ceiling (the first-floor joist space).
This is an example of a large transitional fully buried basement in Other with white walls, vinyl floors, beige floor and planked wall panelling.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with a home bar, grey walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

great use of space turning this staircase area into a kids playhouse. complete with motion sensor light for safety and gorgeous shiplap walls
Design ideas for a transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with vinyl floors.

Designed and built by us. Complete raw concrete basement transformed into a Media room with surround sound and a projector screen, Custom Bar, Bathroom, Family room, Kids Room, Staircase..

Design ideas for a large transitional fully buried basement in Chicago with a game room, grey walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and exposed beam.