Room of the Day: A Renovated Basement With Room to Play
A large unused space becomes a host of rooms for playing, watching TV, hanging out and putting up guests
To see this basement in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, with its layered rugs, lived-in furniture and painted wood detailing, you’d never imagine that just two years ago a chimney and a water boiler were the only things down here. “Originally it was one room with a handful of random support beams,” says Katie Hackworth, the designer who renovated the basement.
The homeowners approached Hackworth with a vision for a space where their two young sons could play and grow up, as well as an area where the family could watch movies and out-of-town guests could stay. Taking all of this into account, Hackworth took what had been 1,200 square feet of unused space and created a mudroom, walk-in closet, boiler and water tank closet, guest bath, guest bedroom, playroom, media room and family room you’d never want to leave.
The homeowners approached Hackworth with a vision for a space where their two young sons could play and grow up, as well as an area where the family could watch movies and out-of-town guests could stay. Taking all of this into account, Hackworth took what had been 1,200 square feet of unused space and created a mudroom, walk-in closet, boiler and water tank closet, guest bath, guest bedroom, playroom, media room and family room you’d never want to leave.
“I kept the palette close to nature with browns, off-whites and shades of blues,” Hackworth says. “I mixed in different tactile fabrics, finishes and objects to bring a layered and relaxed feel to the spaces.”
The staircase leads to the main house upstairs as well as to a side entry the family often uses. The family of four uses this mudroom to store their everyday items, keeping coats, shoes and backpacks in a convenient space between the home and the outside world and maintaining a clean, clutter-free entry upstairs.
This row of coat hooks allows easy hanging of coats and backpacks.
Rug and baskets: Crate & Barrel; chair: Jayson Home
The staircase leads to the main house upstairs as well as to a side entry the family often uses. The family of four uses this mudroom to store their everyday items, keeping coats, shoes and backpacks in a convenient space between the home and the outside world and maintaining a clean, clutter-free entry upstairs.
This row of coat hooks allows easy hanging of coats and backpacks.
Rug and baskets: Crate & Barrel; chair: Jayson Home
BEFORE: “The basement was in pretty bad shape before the renovation,” Hackworth says. It had no insulation, cracked concrete floors with bits of linoleum, exposed plumbing and weathered windows. The water boiler and heater also sat in the middle of the basement with a chimney that ran up to the house.
They fixed the walls and used self-leveling concrete to conceal the plumbing.
They fixed the walls and used self-leveling concrete to conceal the plumbing.
AFTER: The mudroom leads to the new playroom, the central room in the basement redesign, where the sons can play, work and explore. As the two boys grow, the room will evolve with them. “My clients are planning to replace the playroom’s worktable and toy bins with a pool table when the time is right,” Hackworth says.
Low ceilings — 7 feet, 6 inches — and limited natural light contributed to the basement’s challenges. Hackworth counteracted these by painting all of the surfaces white, opting for a warm, inviting white over a bright, glossy hue.
Wall paint: Linen White, Benjamin Moore; rug: Crate & Barrel; table and pendant lamps: Restoration Hardware; storage units: Land of Nod; tepee: Etsy
Low ceilings — 7 feet, 6 inches — and limited natural light contributed to the basement’s challenges. Hackworth counteracted these by painting all of the surfaces white, opting for a warm, inviting white over a bright, glossy hue.
Wall paint: Linen White, Benjamin Moore; rug: Crate & Barrel; table and pendant lamps: Restoration Hardware; storage units: Land of Nod; tepee: Etsy
The painted brick chimney, once the basement’s eyesore, is now a standout feature. “We used the brick chimney foundation as a tactile element of texture authentic to the home, while enclosing the boiler and hot-water tank into their own tiny room,” Hackworth says.
A sink on one side of the chimney and a marble counter with a mini fridge on the other side round out the centerpiece.
A sink on one side of the chimney and a marble counter with a mini fridge on the other side round out the centerpiece.
Next to the playroom, Hackworth created a second room for people to gather, relax and watch TV. The homeowners asked her to incorporate the sectional sofa, from Restoration Hardware, into the design. “I spruced it up a bit with a fun selection of pillows and the pouf of all poufs from Calypso Home,” she says.
Pouf: Calypso St. Barth Home; floor lamp: Circa Lighting
Pouf: Calypso St. Barth Home; floor lamp: Circa Lighting
Two Paulistano armchairs opposite the sectional sofa offer more seating options. “The hides were purchased separately, and I had a local upholsterer replicate the signature wrap,” Hackworth says.
The Kayseri area rug, from Room & Board, adds color, texture and pattern to the small seating area without overpowering the mostly neutral palette. “It was a hard sell but so important in pulling the family room together,” Hackworth says.
A gallery wall mixes collages, paintings and vintage pieces in a playful yet cohesive way. “Three of my favorite local artists are displayed on the gallery wall, including Jennifer Ament, Jenny Vorwaller and Lydia Bassis,” Hackworth says.
The Kayseri area rug, from Room & Board, adds color, texture and pattern to the small seating area without overpowering the mostly neutral palette. “It was a hard sell but so important in pulling the family room together,” Hackworth says.
A gallery wall mixes collages, paintings and vintage pieces in a playful yet cohesive way. “Three of my favorite local artists are displayed on the gallery wall, including Jennifer Ament, Jenny Vorwaller and Lydia Bassis,” Hackworth says.
Wall decor, left to right, top to bottom: canvas (seen in previous photo): Jenny Vorwater; collage: Serena & Lily’s original-art collection; vintage map: High Street Market; rope mirror: Jayson Home; bird linocut: Jennifer Ament; “I Know” linocut: Jennifer Ament; faux horns: Jayson Home; seaweed linocut: Jennifer Ament; abstract painting: Serena & Lily’s original-art collection
The new guest bedroom is opposite the family room. Neutral bed linens and a tufted headboard soften the metallic nightstand, table lamp and wallpaper. “The palette was an extension of the home: neutrals and earth tones set off by a clean, warm white,” Hackworth says.
Wallpaper: Phillip Jeffries; headboard: ABC Carpet & Home; table lamp: Jayson Home; nightstand: Anthropologie
Wallpaper: Phillip Jeffries; headboard: ABC Carpet & Home; table lamp: Jayson Home; nightstand: Anthropologie
Vintage-inspired pieces, including the Louis XVI chair and bow-front dresser, contribute to the bedroom’s overall neutral design while adding personality and depth. “I think layering natural tones and high-end textures really allows the space to feel special, despite being underground,” Hackworth says.
Dresser and Louis XVI chair: Wisteria
Dresser and Louis XVI chair: Wisteria
The guest bathroom connects to the guest bedroom and features a shower and free-standing vanity. While there isn’t a lot of room for extra flourishes, classic white subway tile, marble hex floor tiles and a marble and wood vanity anchor the timeless design. “I would rather simplify and streamline the design in order to keep the materials authentic,” Hackworth says.
Quirky decor, like patterned wallpaper and a gallery wall, enliven the space, all the while keeping with Hackworth’s vision and the homeowners’ wants. “I wanted to keep the space clean and classic with a bit of an eclectic edge thrown in,” the designer says.
Wallpaper: Cole & Son; wall art: Jennifer Ament
Builder: H2 Design + Build
More: Contractor Tips: Finish Your Basement the Right Way
Quirky decor, like patterned wallpaper and a gallery wall, enliven the space, all the while keeping with Hackworth’s vision and the homeowners’ wants. “I wanted to keep the space clean and classic with a bit of an eclectic edge thrown in,” the designer says.
Wallpaper: Cole & Son; wall art: Jennifer Ament
Builder: H2 Design + Build
More: Contractor Tips: Finish Your Basement the Right Way
Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: An ear, nose and throat doctor; a Web programmer; and their two young sons
Location: Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle
Size: 1,200 square feet (111.4 square meters)
Designer: Katie Hackworth of H2 Design + Build
Year built: House built in the early 1900s; basement renovated in 2014
A mudroom with hooks, cubbies and built-in storage sets the tone for the space as visitors descend into the basement.