Basement of the Week: Warm, Modern and Family-Friendly
Integrating the homeowners’ art and collectibles helps personalize this subterranean space
“We wanted to create a modern aesthetic but still wanted it to be warm,” interior designer Renee Gammon says of this young family’s basement renovation. Her clients wanted to transform what had been a rental apartment into a space they could enjoy together. The project required a complete gut renovation due to water damage, which gave the designers a good opportunity to start fresh. Radiant heat floors, clean-lined smart storage and the homeowners’ personal art and accessories make it their favorite spot to entertain, play and hang out as a family.
The homeowners already had a wonderful collection of art and accessories from which the designers could pick and choose. Gammon had gotten to know them when she designed their daughter’s room, so she already had a great feel for their tastes. “They basically gave me free rein to go through their art, accessories and collections and figure out what would look good down here,” she says. Pieces she plucked from their movie artwork collection include portraits of David Bowie in Labyrinth, Christopher Reeve in Superman and Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
“We wanted to leave floor space for kids to play and maximize the storage, so we wrapped the wall in Ikea cabinetry in an L shape,” the designer says. Because the architecture of the home is traditional, they chose a Shaker style for the cabinets, but they chose black to give them a more modern look. Then they topped them with butcher block from Ikea.
Space for media, including the TV and a turntable was high on the family’s wish list. “We left enough space for the TV to grow,” Gammon says. The cabinets hold lots of board games, DVDs and toys. To the right of the turntable, she added a niche with shelves sized for their album collection. She also integrated built-in speakers into the storage. If you look closely you can spy one in the left corner.
Space for media, including the TV and a turntable was high on the family’s wish list. “We left enough space for the TV to grow,” Gammon says. The cabinets hold lots of board games, DVDs and toys. To the right of the turntable, she added a niche with shelves sized for their album collection. She also integrated built-in speakers into the storage. If you look closely you can spy one in the left corner.
With ceilings under 8 feet, the designers wanted to make them seem as high as possible. By painting the ceilings, bulkheads and walls the same white, it makes them seem higher. They also painted the bottoms of the custom wood floating shelves in the same white paint to continue the illusion.
On the floor, porcelain tile in a natural stone-looking gray have radiant heat. “The porcelain is great because the color is baked in all the way through. It’s really durable, and if it should chip, it’s not noticeable,” Gammon says.
Wall and ceiling paint: Calm, Benjamin Moore
On the floor, porcelain tile in a natural stone-looking gray have radiant heat. “The porcelain is great because the color is baked in all the way through. It’s really durable, and if it should chip, it’s not noticeable,” Gammon says.
Wall and ceiling paint: Calm, Benjamin Moore
A cozy sectional faces the TV. “It’s another great piece from Ikea and even has a removable cover. This project was a balance of splurges and saves,” Gammon says. She also hung a chalkboard for her clients’ daughter to doodle and practice writing.
Sectional sofa: Kivik, Ikea
Sectional sofa: Kivik, Ikea
One splurge was building out the exterior wall 10 inches to accommodate the vent for the new gas fireplace. The sleek element maintains the streamlined look of the room and doesn’t compete with all of the built-ins for attention.
The counter-height table was another splurge. Contractor Scott Macdonald fabricated it from a piece of live-edge pine and a custom metal base. The barn door artfully conceals the utility room.
Barn door: Lowes; barn door color: Duxbury Gray, Benjamin Moore; stools: Ikea
Barn door: Lowes; barn door color: Duxbury Gray, Benjamin Moore; stools: Ikea
The door to the left leads to the bathroom. The stairs are capped in coordinating Ikea butcher block.
The designer placed the bar niche where the original apartment’s kitchenette was. “It already had plumbing, but it was the perfect spot for it anyway because of the way it’s recessed,” she says.
Another custom wood shelf provides display and storage space over the bar. Again, Gammon handpicked unique pieces from the homeowners’ collections, many of which were handed down from relatives. Brass cabinet hardware creates an interesting contrast with the clients’ pewter pieces. There is a beverage refrigerator and a pullout trash bin integrated under the counter.
“One of the homeowners was nervous about her husband’s placement of the Superman portrait here and told me to move it if it wasn’t right, but it’s perfect there,” Gammon says. It’s just the splash of color and personality the bar needed.
Contractor: Scott McDonald of Forward Homes
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“One of the homeowners was nervous about her husband’s placement of the Superman portrait here and told me to move it if it wasn’t right, but it’s perfect there,” Gammon says. It’s just the splash of color and personality the bar needed.
Contractor: Scott McDonald of Forward Homes
Browse more stories about basement design
Basement of the Week
What happens here: A young family with a 4-year-old daughter plays with toys and board games, watches TV, entertains, listens to music on vinyl
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Size: 600 square feet (56 square meters)
Designers: Renee Gammon and Andi Wheelband of Two Birds Design
“We wanted a large and interesting feature to welcome people as they came down the stairs,” Gammon says of the large clock. “Because their daughter is learning to tell time, it also made it fun.” The stairwell also has access to the side entrance to the house, so the designers created a landing strip at the base of the stairs, using the homeowners’ existing cabinet and bench. It’s a place where the family can take off their boots and throw down their keys when they come straight downstairs from outside.