Room of the Day: A Classy Space for Movies, Relaxing and Beer
Sophisticated industrial style and multiple entertainment zones finish out this family-friendly basement
In Minnesota, the basement is an important family gathering space for movie nights, parties and game day. And this couple wanted to make sure their basement was given as much love as the upper floors. So they hired Carla Bast to design a space with sophisticated style and room for family fun. Bast used grays and tans to create a soothing vibe, and she broke the space into zones for playing games, watching movies and sports, chatting by a fire, and even brewing beer.
An adjacent bar area sports rustic wood beams, wine racks and paneling wrapping the peninsula. Lighter finishes include white subway tile and quartz countertops.
Countertops: Lagoon, Silestone; pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
Countertops: Lagoon, Silestone; pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
Dark hardware on gray enameled cabinets, gas-pipe wine racks and a steampunk-style light fixture lend an industrial vibe.
Hardware: Riva collection, AmerockForLess; bar sink: Ventana in Ash, Native Trails
Hardware: Riva collection, AmerockForLess; bar sink: Ventana in Ash, Native Trails
AFTER: Reclaimed-wood sliding doors close the brewery off from the serving bar, while shiplap siding gives it additional character and texture.
The homeowners’ collection of beer bottle caps forms a backsplash behind the bar. The bottle caps were attached to a piece of reclaimed lumber with a hot-glue gun. The cabinetmaker then did an epoxy pour over the top to enclose them.
Lamp: Machine Age Lamps Co.
Lamp: Machine Age Lamps Co.
In the bathroom, white subway tile and dark enameled cabinetry tie in to the bar’s finishes, creating a cohesive look.
Tile: Kate-Lo Tile & Stone; plumbing: Kohler Co.
Tile: Kate-Lo Tile & Stone; plumbing: Kohler Co.
Antique mirrored subway tile on two corner walls create a stunning alternative to a traditional mirror. Industrial-inspired pendant lights add to the sparkle, while a rustic vanity relates to the similar woodwork and beams throughout the basement.
Vanity and pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
Vanity and pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
In the gaming and home theater area, a dark recessed niche gives the TV wall drama and interest, while leather theater seating further defines the space.
Bast added a nearby ledge made of gas pipes and granite for additional guests to set down drinks or popcorn and bounce between the featured movie and the custom game table.
“As the kids get older, this game space will be transitioning and growing with the family and new activities,” Bast says. “This space gives them so much flexibility.”
Flooring: Coretec, USFloors; artwork: clients’ own; wall lights: Restoration Hardware
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How to Dig Down for Extra Living Space
Houzz Quiz: What Should You Do With a Basement?
Bast added a nearby ledge made of gas pipes and granite for additional guests to set down drinks or popcorn and bounce between the featured movie and the custom game table.
“As the kids get older, this game space will be transitioning and growing with the family and new activities,” Bast says. “This space gives them so much flexibility.”
Flooring: Coretec, USFloors; artwork: clients’ own; wall lights: Restoration Hardware
More
How to Dig Down for Extra Living Space
Houzz Quiz: What Should You Do With a Basement?
Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Minnesota
Size: 1,190 square feet (111 square meters)
Designer: Carla Bast of Sneak Peek Design
A custom-made, 14-foot-diameter rug anchors a cozy conversation area. The contemporary stacked stone fireplace is flanked by custom shelves. “Our clients really wanted a comfortable place to enjoy a glass of wine or the latest home brew with friends and family away from the open game and theater space,” Bast says.
Large windows bring in natural light and connect the space to a ground-level back patio.
Fireplace: Marquis Collection by Kingsman; stacked stone surround: Nantucket, Eldorado Stone; paint: Iron Ore (cabinetry) and Mindful Gray (walls), Sherwin-Williams; rug: Angelico, Fabrica; chairs: clients’ own; coffee table: Mercer, Restoration Hardware; mesh chandelier: Restoration Hardware