This basement remodel held special significance for an expectant young couple eager to adapt their home for a growing family. Facing the challenge of an open layout that lacked functionality, our team delivered a complete transformation. The project's scope involved reframing the layout of the entire basement, installing plumbing for a new bathroom, modifying the stairs for code compliance, and adding an egress window to create a livable bedroom. The redesigned space now features a guest bedroom, a fully finished bathroom, a cozy living room, a practical laundry area, and private, separate office spaces. The primary objective was to create a harmonious, open flow while ensuring privacy—a vital aspect for the couple. The final result respects the original character of the house, while enhancing functionality for the evolving needs of the homeowners expanding family.

Photos by Mark Myers of Myers Imaging
Inspiration for a look-out basement in Indianapolis with white walls, carpet and beige floor.

Full basement remodel. Remove (2) load bearing walls to open up entire space. Create new wall to enclose laundry room. Create dry bar near entry. New floating hearth at fireplace and entertainment cabinet with mesh inserts. Create storage bench with soft close lids for toys an bins. Create mirror corner with ballet barre. Create reading nook with book storage above and finished storage underneath and peek-throughs. Finish off and create hallway to back bedroom through utility room.

Designed by Lynn Casanova of Closet Works This basement workshop includes Omni Track wall track to organize hand tools.
This is an example of a large contemporary look-out basement in Chicago with white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

Inspiration for a transitional look-out basement in Seattle with white walls and no fireplace.

Transitional look-out basement in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Sometimes gathering is more about small groups standing around a bar catching up. In the basement, I wanted the bar to float so that it was easy to slide up a stool or simply stand without legs or walls getting in the way. Luckily we had two great steel lolly columns we were able to leverage as supports for the bar. Working with a local artisan we created industrial deco clamps, incorporating the same curve from the other custom made elements in the space, to clamp the reclaimed wood top to the steel columns. Photos by Keith Isaacs

Seating are for basement home theater, with game room and bar beyond. Sylvain Cote
Photo of a large modern look-out basement in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Lori Andrews
Photo of a large scandinavian look-out basement in Calgary with white walls, carpet and a brick fireplace surround.

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath. Joe Nowak

Our clients wanted to finish the walkout basement in their 10-year old home. They were looking for a family room, craft area, bathroom and a space to transform into a “guest room” for the occasional visitor. They wanted a space that could handle a crowd of young children, provide lots of storage and was bright and colorful. The result is a beautiful space featuring custom cabinets, a kitchenette, a craft room, and a large open area for play and entertainment. Cleanup is a snap with durable surfaces and movable storage, and the furniture is easy for children to rearrange. Photo by John Reed Foresman.

Our clients wanted a space to gather with friends and family for the children to play. There were 13 support posts that we had to work around. The awkward placement of the posts made the design a challenge. We created a floor plan to incorporate the 13 posts into special features including a built in wine fridge, custom shelving, and a playhouse. Now, some of the most challenging issues add character and a custom feel to the space. In addition to the large gathering areas, we finished out a charming powder room with a blue vanity, round mirror and brass fixtures.

Small country look-out basement in Montreal with white walls, laminate floors, no fireplace and beige floor.

Photo of a large modern look-out basement in Toronto with white walls, carpet and multi-coloured floor.

Penny Lane Home Builders
Photo of a small country look-out basement in Other with white walls, no fireplace and medium hardwood floors.

Beautiful renovated ranch with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and finished basement with bar and family room in Stamford CT staged by BA Staging & Interiors. Open floor plan living and dining room features a wall of windows and stunning view into property and backyard pool. The staging was was designed to match the charm of the home with the contemporary updates..

The lower level was updated to create a light and bright space, perfect for guests.
Expansive midcentury look-out basement in Portland with white walls, light hardwood floors, brown floor and panelled walls.

A brownstone cellar revitalized with custom built ins throughout for tv lounging, plenty of play space, and a fitness center.
Mid-sized contemporary look-out basement in Austin with white walls, porcelain floors and beige floor.

We really enjoyed consulting and designing this basement project design and I’m very pleased with how it turned out! We did a complimenting color scheme between the wall and base cabinets by using a grey for the base and white for the wall. We did black handle pulls for all the cabinets to bring the two colors together. We went with a white oak style for the floor to really bring the light through the entire basement. This helps carry the light through the space which is always a good idea when you don’t have many windows to play with. For the backsplash we chose a glossy textured/wavy subway tile to add some depth and texture to the kitchens character.I really enjoyed consulting this basement project design and I’m very pleased with how it turned out! We did a complimenting color scheme between the wall and base cabinets by using a grey for the base and white for the wall. We did black handle pulls for all the cabinets to bring the two colors together. We went with a white oak style for the floor to really bring the light through the entire basement. This helps carry the light through the space which is always a good idea when you don’t have many windows to play with. For the backsplash we chose a glossy textured/wavy subway tile to add some depth and texture to the kitchens character.I really enjoyed consulting this basement project design and I’m very pleased with how it turned out! We did a complimenting color scheme between the wall and base cabinets by using a grey for the base and white for the wall. We did black handle pulls for all the cabinets to bring the two colors together. We went with a white oak style for the floor to really bring the light through the entire basement. This helps carry the light through the space which is always a good idea when you don’t have many windows to play with. For the backsplash we chose a glossy textured/wavy subway tile to add some depth and texture to the kitchens character.I really enjoyed consulting this basement project design and I’m very pleased with how it turned out! We did a complimenting color scheme between the wall and base cabinets by using a grey for the base and white for the wall. We did black handle pulls for all the cabinets to bring the two colors together. We went with a white oak style for the floor to really bring the light through the entire basement. This helps carry the light through the space which is always a good idea when you don’t have many windows to play with. For the backsplash we chose a glossy textured/wavy subway tile to add some depth and texture to the kitchens character.