This basement Rec Room is a full room of fun! Foosball, Ping Pong Table, Full Bar, swing chair, huge Sectional to hang and watch movies!
Inspiration for a large contemporary fully buried basement in Los Angeles with a game room, white walls and wallpaper.

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.

This 1933 Wauwatosa basement was dark, dingy and lacked functionality. The basement was unfinished with concrete walls and floors. A small office was enclosed but the rest of the space was open and cluttered. The homeowners wanted a warm, organized space for their family. A recent job change meant they needed a dedicated home office. They also wanted a place where their kids could hang out with friends. Their wish list for this basement remodel included: a home office where the couple could both work, a full bathroom, a cozy living room and a dedicated storage room. This basement renovation resulted in a warm and bright space that is used by the whole family. Highlights of this basement: - Home Office: A new office gives the couple a dedicated space for work. There’s plenty of desk space, storage cabinets, under-shelf lighting and storage for their home library. - Living Room: An old office area was expanded into a cozy living room. It’s the perfect place for their kids to hang out when they host friends and family. - Laundry Room: The new laundry room is a total upgrade. It now includes fun laminate flooring, storage cabinets and counter space for folding laundry. - Full Bathroom: A new bathroom gives the family an additional shower in the home. Highlights of the bathroom include a navy vanity, quartz counters, brass finishes, a Dreamline shower door and Kohler Choreograph wall panels. - Staircase: We spruced up the staircase leading down to the lower level with patterned vinyl flooring and a matching trim color. - Storage: We gave them a separate storage space, with custom shelving for organizing their camping gear, sports equipment and holiday decorations. CUSTOMER REVIEW “We had been talking about remodeling our basement for a long time, but decided to make it happen when my husband was offered a job working remotely. It felt like the right time for us to have a real home office where we could separate our work lives from our home lives. We wanted the area to feel open, light-filled, and modern – not an easy task for a previously dark and cold basement! One of our favorite parts was when our designer took us on a 3D computer design tour of our basement. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this could be our basement!?!’ It was so fun to see how our designer was able to take our wish list and ideas from my Pinterest board, and turn it into a practical design. We were sold after seeing the design, and were pleasantly surprised to see that Kowalske was less costly than another estimate.” – Stephanie, homeowner

Large open floor plan in basement with full built-in bar, fireplace, game room and seating for all sorts of activities. Cabinetry at the bar provided by Brookhaven Cabinetry manufactured by Wood-Mode Cabinetry. Cabinetry is constructed from maple wood and finished in an opaque finish. Glass front cabinetry includes reeded glass for privacy. Bar is over 14 feet long and wrapped in wainscot panels. Although not shown, the interior of the bar includes several undercounter appliances: refrigerator, dishwasher drawer, microwave drawer and refrigerator drawers; all, except the microwave, have decorative wood panels.

Large finished basement in Pennington, NJ. This unfinished space was transformed into a bright, multi-purpose area which includes laundry room, additional pantry storage, multiple closets and expansive living spaces. Sherwin Williams Rhinestone Gray paint, white trim throughout, and COREtec flooring provides beauty and durability.

Our clients came to us to transform their dark, unfinished basement into a multifaceted, sophisticated, and stylish, entertainment hub. Their wish list included an expansive, open, entertainment area with a dramatic indoor/outdoor connection, private gym, full bathroom, and wine storage. The result is a stunning, light filled, space where mid-century modern lines meet transitional finishes. The mirrored backsplash, floating shelves, custom charcoal cabinets, Caesarstone quartz countertops and brass chandelier pendants bring a touch of glam to this show-stopping kitchen and bar area. The chic living space includes a custom shuffleboard table, game table, large flat screen TV and ample seating for more entertaining options. Large panoramic doors open the entire width of the basement creating a spectacular setting for indoor-outdoor gatherings and fill the space with an abundance of natural light.

In this project, Rochman Design Build converted an unfinished basement of a new Ann Arbor home into a stunning home pub and entertaining area, with commercial grade space for the owners' craft brewing passion. The feel is that of a speakeasy as a dark and hidden gem found in prohibition time. The materials include charcoal stained concrete floor, an arched wall veneered with red brick, and an exposed ceiling structure painted black. Bright copper is used as the sparkling gem with a pressed-tin-type ceiling over the bar area, which seats 10, copper bar top and concrete counters. Old style light fixtures with bare Edison bulbs, well placed LED accent lights under the bar top, thick shelves, steel supports and copper rivet connections accent the feel of the 6 active taps old-style pub. Meanwhile, the brewing room is splendidly modern with large scale brewing equipment, commercial ventilation hood, wash down facilities and specialty equipment. A large window allows a full view into the brewing room from the pub sitting area. In addition, the space is large enough to feel cozy enough for 4 around a high-top table or entertain a large gathering of 50. The basement remodel also includes a wine cellar, a guest bathroom and a room that can be used either as guest room or game room, and a storage area.

Beautiful 5 BR 4.5 BA complete gut rehab down to the studs inside and out. New roof, shingles, windows, Hardi siding and drain tile system in basement. New dual zoned HVAC. 4 levels of finished living space w/3 BRS including master suite on one level. Gourmet kitchen w/new Bosch appliances, modern cabinets and quartz counter tops and breakfast bar w/water fall edge. Additional den and office. Modern high end light fixtures and 4 inch recessed lighting thru out. 4 inch oak hardwood flooring. Custom made oak stairs. All baths have modern vanities and Ghroe fixtures. Basement lowered to full height w/family room w/wet bar, bedroom, full bath, laundry room w/new washer and dryer and storage. New cement slab 2.5 car garage, side walks, iron fencing w/locking gate in front and cedar privacy fencing on sides and rear. New large deck off main level and balcony off master suite. Full dig out of basement, to give 8' ceiling, full floor plan redesign, on all three levels, a second floor master suite, a full mechanical, electrical, and plumbing updates to upgrade to code compliance.

Cynthia Lynn
Design ideas for a large transitional look-out basement in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Large arts and crafts basement in Salt Lake City with grey walls and carpet.

Scot Zimmerman Photography
Design ideas for a large traditional walk-out basement in Salt Lake City with beige walls and porcelain floors.

This is an example of a large contemporary fully buried basement in New York with beige walls and dark hardwood floors.

Daniel Wexler
Inspiration for a large contemporary walk-out basement in Other with carpet and a tile fireplace surround.

This is an example of a large transitional look-out basement in St Louis with a home bar, grey walls, vinyl floors and brown floor.

Large finished basement in Suburban Denver with TV room, bar, billiards table, shuffleboard table, basement guest room and guest bathroom.
Large industrial look-out basement in Denver with grey walls, vinyl floors and brown floor.

Robb Siverson Photography
Large modern look-out basement in Other with grey walls, carpet, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and beige floor.

This was a complete finishing of an unfinished basement complete with custom built ins, separated home office, bathroom, mudroom, and amenities for their four legged friends.

Basement
Inspiration for a large transitional fully buried basement in New York with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Beautiful brick home on Lake Norman! Exterior features a touch of rustic with gable details, wood shutters and garage doors and lake view with private paved access to dock and boat slip. © Tiffany Ringwald Photography