Basement of the Week: Guests Get a Cottage-Like Stay
Converted to a comfy space with a full bath, a bedroom and extra amenities, this Maryland basement is great for visitors and the owner alike
You may not have the space, budget or zoning to create a dreamy guest cottage, but believe it or not, you can create the same feeling in the basement. When a single woman in Bethesda, Maryland, wanted some private space for visiting family and friends, she created a bright and charming guest cottage–like space under her two-story colonial home.
Michael O’Hearn, special project designer at Case Design/Remodeling, transformed this formerly dark and slightly scary basement into an inviting space complete with a living room, bedroom, full bath, hidden washer-dryer station and workspace.
Basement at a Glance
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Size: About 580 square feet
Budget: Around $69,000, not including the floor tiles
Michael O’Hearn, special project designer at Case Design/Remodeling, transformed this formerly dark and slightly scary basement into an inviting space complete with a living room, bedroom, full bath, hidden washer-dryer station and workspace.
Basement at a Glance
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Size: About 580 square feet
Budget: Around $69,000, not including the floor tiles
The owner decided to splurge and tile the entire basement floor with ceramic tile that looks like stone. "Tiling almost 600 square feet of space is definitely an investment, but well worth it," designer O'Hearn says. "It can stand up to any potential water problems, and it brings a great return should she ever need to sell." The owner estimates that the flooring cost between $8,000 and $10,000.
The tile floor helps create a soothing coastal cottage-inspired room and is practical to keep clean and dry. A classic striped area rug from Dash & Albert continues a subtle beachy feel.
The tile floor helps create a soothing coastal cottage-inspired room and is practical to keep clean and dry. A classic striped area rug from Dash & Albert continues a subtle beachy feel.
The space was not very usable, particularly the areas to the right and left of this photo, due to the layout. The hole in the floor on the left is a sump pump.
AFTER: Along the back wall, a nook to the left is now a workstation complete with built-in bookshelves and a desk with a laminate top. O'Hearn rerouted ductwork and electrical work to maximize the ceiling heights. Now the double doors on the right conceal the HVAC and a hot water heater, and tile conceals the sump pump underneath the workstation.
Clever cabinetry to the right of the utility closet's double doors is hiding something ...
... a front-loading washer and dryer. O'Hearn worked with the designers at Closet Factory to configure the built-in cabinets and closets. There's plenty of room for folding clothes right on the washer and dryer's laminate top. And there's room to store laundry supplies in the tall, narrow closet to the left.
Originally, there were five different ceiling heights down here. Now they are 7-feet, 1-inch high, except the lower portions covering the ductwork, which are about 6 feet, 8 inches high. The white paint and recessed lighting make them feel higher.
Across the room is a stairwell with more bookcases. "Now there is more usable space, more light, and she's kept the room simple and clean," O'Hearn says.
The new full bathroom and guest bedroom give the homeowner's friends and family their own realm and privacy when they stay here.
The new bathroom has a spacious shower stall and plenty of room for linens and toiletries in the new vanity. O'Hearn replaced the existing window in the stall with glass block for privacy.
In the bedroom a jute rug grounds the bed, and a reconfigured layout puts the closet, which previously cut off the space, in an unobtrusive spot.
Now the homeowner's basement is a high-functioning and comforting space that welcomes guests with open arms.
More: Get a contractor's tips for finishing a basement the right way
Now the homeowner's basement is a high-functioning and comforting space that welcomes guests with open arms.
More: Get a contractor's tips for finishing a basement the right way
The renovation was down to the studs, then they had to remove the studs too. As the builders removed the walls, they realized there was irreparable termite damage and had to remove all of the existing framing.
The full project included reconfiguring ductwork; putting in a new drywall ceiling; gutting, expanding and renovating the bathroom; replacing the windows; moving the washer-dryer and creating a designated laundry station; tiling the entire floor; moving closets; placing the utilities in one large closet; adding recessed lighting; moving some electrical work around; moving the closet into the bedroom; placing hidden sump pumps to deal with water; and adding custom cabinets and a workspace.