This used to be a completely unfinished basement with concrete floors, cinder block walls, and exposed floor joists above. The homeowners wanted to finish the space to include a wet bar, powder room, separate play room for their daughters, bar seating for watching tv and entertaining, as well as a finished living space with a television with hidden surround sound speakers throughout the space. They also requested some unfinished spaces; one for exercise equipment, and one for HVAC, water heater, and extra storage. With those requests in mind, I designed the basement with the above required spaces, while working with the contractor on what components needed to be moved. The homeowner also loved the idea of sliding barn doors, which we were able to use as at the opening to the unfinished storage/HVAC area.

Transitional basement in New York.

This is an example of a transitional basement in Denver.

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

Luxury Vinyl Plank by Shaw Floors- Valore Plus, color: Malta
Design ideas for a transitional basement in Other with vinyl floors and brown floor.

Design ideas for a large transitional walk-out basement in Atlanta with grey walls, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

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

Basement media center in white finish and raised panel doors
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional fully buried basement in Indianapolis with grey walls, carpet, beige floor and no fireplace.

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

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.

Photo of a transitional walk-out basement in DC Metro with grey walls and carpet.

This is an example of an expansive transitional walk-out basement in Chicago with beige walls, porcelain floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

Transitional basement in Chicago.

This is an example of a large transitional walk-out basement in Atlanta with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and brown floor.

©Finished Basement Company
This is an example of a large transitional walk-out basement in Minneapolis with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

Basement remodel with wet bar, full bathroom, tv - craft - game room and fireplace seating areas. Cabinetry is Brookhaven frameless by Wood-Mode in opaque and dark stain on cherry wood. Antique mirror inserts included in wet bar and backsplash of storage area. The tops selected for this space are Angora Grey Limestone and Gibralter Limestone. Wet bar includes undercounter beverage center and refrigerator/freezer drawers.

The primary goal of this basement project was to give these homeowners more space: both for their own everyday use and for guests. By excavating an unusable crawl space, we were able to build out a full basement with 9’ high ceilings, a guest bedroom, a full bathroom, a gym, a large storage room, and a spacious entertainment room that includes a kitchenette. In all, the homeowners gained over 1,100 of finished space.

Multi-Purpose Basement By removing the drop-ceiling, creating a large cased opening between rooms, and adding lots of recessed lighting this basement once over run by kids has become an adult haven for weekend parties and family get togethers. Quartz Countertops Subway Tile Backsplash LVP Flooring 205 Photography

©Finished Basement Company
Photo of an expansive transitional look-out basement in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.