The layering of textures and materials in this spot makes my heart sing.

We started with a blank slate on this basement project where our only obstacles were exposed steel support columns, existing plumbing risers from the concrete slab, and dropped soffits concealing ductwork on the ceiling. It had the advantage of tall ceilings, an existing egress window, and a sliding door leading to a newly constructed patio. This family of five loves the beach and frequents summer beach resorts in the Northeast. Bringing that aesthetic home to enjoy all year long was the inspiration for the décor, as well as creating a family-friendly space for entertaining. Wish list items included room for a billiard table, wet bar, game table, family room, guest bedroom, full bathroom, space for a treadmill and closed storage. The existing structural elements helped to define how best to organize the basement. For instance, we knew we wanted to connect the bar area and billiards table with the patio in order to create an indoor/outdoor entertaining space. It made sense to use the egress window for the guest bedroom for both safety and natural light. The bedroom also would be adjacent to the plumbing risers for easy access to the new bathroom. Since the primary focus of the family room would be for TV viewing, natural light did not need to filter into that space. We made sure to hide the columns inside of newly constructed walls and dropped additional soffits where needed to make the ceiling mechanicals feel less random. In addition to the beach vibe, the homeowner has valuable sports memorabilia that was to be prominently displayed including two seats from the original Yankee stadium. For a coastal feel, shiplap is used on two walls of the family room area. In the bathroom shiplap is used again in a more creative way using wood grain white porcelain tile as the horizontal shiplap “wood”. We connected the tile horizontally with vertical white grout joints and mimicked the horizontal shadow line with dark grey grout. At first glance it looks like we wrapped the shower with real wood shiplap. Materials including a blue and white patterned floor, blue penny tiles and a natural wood vanity checked the list for that seaside feel. A large reclaimed wood door on an exposed sliding barn track separates the family room from the game room where reclaimed beams are punctuated with cable lighting. Cabinetry and a beverage refrigerator are tucked behind the rolling bar cabinet (that doubles as a Blackjack table!). A TV and upright video arcade machine round-out the entertainment in the room. Bar stools, two rotating club chairs, and large square poufs along with the Yankee Stadium seats provide fun places to sit while having a drink, watching billiards or a game on the TV. Signed baseballs can be found behind the bar, adjacent to the billiard table, and on specially designed display shelves next to the poker table in the family room. Thoughtful touches like the surfboards, signage, photographs and accessories make a visitor feel like they are on vacation at a well-appointed beach resort without being cliché.

Basement living Room with Bar Area

Lower Level of home on Lake Minnetonka Nautical call with white shiplap and blue accents for finishes.

Friends and neighbors of an owner of Four Elements asked for help in redesigning certain elements of the interior of their newer home on the main floor and basement to better reflect their tastes and wants (contemporary on the main floor with a more cozy rustic feel in the basement). They wanted to update the look of their living room, hallway desk area, and stairway to the basement. They also wanted to create a 'Game of Thrones' themed media room, update the look of their entire basement living area, add a scotch bar/seating nook, and create a new gym with a glass wall. New fireplace areas were created upstairs and downstairs with new bulkheads, new tile & brick facades, along with custom cabinets. A beautiful stained shiplap ceiling was added to the living room. Custom wall paneling was installed to areas on the main floor, stairway, and basement. Wood beams and posts were milled & installed downstairs, and a custom castle-styled barn door was created for the entry into the new medieval styled media room. A gym was built with a glass wall facing the basement living area. Floating shelves with accent lighting were installed throughout - check out the scotch tasting nook! The entire home was also repainted with modern but warm colors. This project turned out beautiful!

The custom cabinetry is by Showplace. It's called Galena with a full overlay door style with 5-piece drawer fronts in Cherry wood and a Cashew character stain.

Once unfinished, now the perfect spot to watch a game/movie and relax by the fire.

bar under the stairs, wine,sink,

This basement was waterproofed, reconfigured and finished to create three (maybe four) distinct areas. The first, at the entry from the garage is the mud room. There’s plenty of storage for jackets, bags, shoes and toys. Clean textures are layered through the use of BW tile, decorative and functional pine elements and a jute stair runner. This area opens to a media room with surround sound. Followed by a hidden laundry bar and playroom. With multiple uses this substructure is a favorite for everyone in the family.