We are full steam ahead on our basement reno project right now and just like any home renovation that brings so many feelings of equals parts sheer excitement and pure overwhelming anticipation for the final product to be done. With any project I go over the endless opportunities to get creative and to bring some style to a space so the planning part of the project is where I thrive!
In my most recent blog post I talked to where to begin your redesign projects. From gathering inspiration to creating your mood boards, all of these elements help set the scene for your design vision. Above is what I put together for our basement project. My style inspiration (as seen with our whole home) comes from contemporary, classic with bohemian influence. I gravitate to tonal palettes with some rich colour infused in, while still feeling timeless and clean. I am bringing those same elements into our lower level renovation with every design element, including the architectural details and finishes.
Here is a quick look of what we are working with for our basement:
There are two words to describe our basement – dark and drab. The tan walls, wood paneled ceiling (which are very low) and green plush carpet on the stairs – it is all very minimizing for what really is a nice open space.
After gathering my inspiration and researching those key elements I am looking for for this space I produce digital concepts to provide a clear plan to the vision.
Note: When I produce digital concepts for a space I like to give the most accurate representation of the room as I can. This means incorporating the elements (furnishings, decor, textiles etc.) that are already existing in the space, as well as what the sourced items are to fit the: 1. Overall Design, 2. Coordination with Existing Items, 3. Functionality of the Space and 4. Project Budget. While I encourage getting creative with the vision of your space I believe in sticking to the parameters of the project when creating the concepts. Apply the inspiration in a strategic way to produce a realistic plan of action for executing the design at hand.
Concept #1 – The Living Space
Here’s what I have existing in the space:
1. IKEA Finnala Loveseat in Gunnard Beige – I love this loveseat! It is such a find from IKEA – with its contemporary shape, plush cushions and textured fabric, it’s an absolute winner. It is perfect for small spaces and for those living areas where you want curl up and watch a movie. I will note that this fabric colour is closer to a greige than a true beige.
2. IKEA Finnala Ottoman in Gunnard Beige – This is a perfect match to the loveseat and offers great space to layer a tray on top for added functionality. Speaking of functionality, this ottoman opens for added storage! SCORE!
3. Mid-Century Black Leather Bench – For all of those in Canada, I am sorry to say I bought this from Target a couple years back. It is a great piece for additional seating in a living space or hallway. If modern style is something you gravitate towards, the black leather detail is a really nice addition to separate, yet complement, the upholstered and wood seating typically used in living spaces.
4. Two Rattan Arm Chairs – These were given to me from my grandparents and had been in their home for decades. They are incredibly spacious armchairs with full seat cushions that I plan to reupholster in a softer, more classic fabric. You can’t go wrong with a ticking stripe fabric!
With those furnishings in mind I have applied the tonal colour palette to match and also flow from the rest of our home. There is Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore to refinish the wood paneling on the ceilings. This will help brighten the space, open it up and create the illusion of higher ceilings. Our wall colour will be Grey Owl by Benjamin Moore – another favourite of mine. It is a perfect greige tone that has some coolness to it to keep it crisp while still providing warmth. Lastly is Black Beauty by Benjamin Moore for our feature media wall. This will cover the built-in media credenza and full wall. This is where the “feature” comes into play. I gained inspiration from a number of sources but narrowed the concept down to this:
Incorporating vertical wood slats over the black wall will add some great contrast in tone and texture. It will also create that long line on the wall, adding to the illusion of a higher ceiling. This feature will run from ceiling to the top ledge of our media credenza. Here is the drawing I did up for this wall:
The media console built-in will be a project I am opting to save on by DIY-ing it versus going custom. I have sourced a natural pine cabinet (The IKEA Ivar) that I will wall-mount and add framing to give that custom built-in look.
What’s left to buy?
1. Area Rug – I want to highlight the overall design by choosing a Persian inspired rug to play on the wall tones, colours in the finishes and contemporary lines in the space.
2. Lighting – This is important for small spaces with limited natural light. Here the focus is down lighting with wall scones and small profile ceiling fixtures that provide sufficient ambient light. I want to introduce brass details here for added warmth and dimension.
3. Fine Details – Minimal artwork that adds scale to the space, classic patterns and textures from throws and pillows to round out the overall style and added surfaces for entertaining with a cocktail table and woven tray to set drinks and treats.
Concept #2 – The Bar Space
The bar space is a continuation of our lower level living space so the colour palette continues and our feature wall is still a key highlight in the sightline of this area.
What are the existing items?
1. Rustic Console Table – Again, sorry to all the Canadians. I bought this from Hobby Lobby in the US. It is a really popular style that can be found through Amazon or Wayfair!
2. Teak Arm Chair – This was a score through Homesense that I love to layer a sheepskin throw and pillows on for added comfort. It is a nice way to add in seating bar side for someone to have a seat while you whip them up a cocktail.
3. Two IKEA Vittsjo Shelf Units – We currently have these units joined together for one long bar set up housing our scotch and whiskey collection along with a lot of our barware. We love to entertain and have a cheers with family and friends so a bar space was a must for us.
4. Décor – Most of the décor and bar items I have included in the concept reflect pieces we already own. I want to make sure all the décor I have for this space is able to be utilized and works within my design vision. For instance our engagement photos and my grandparents old rotary telephone are items that carry a lot of sentimental value and are important to remain in the overall concept.
Two areas of focus are the bar top wall and our empty wall niche. We have a long wall that connects the living and bar space that is ideal to have a built-in bar top with some additional seating. I am choosing to go more modern here to lend to the slim profile of the space, still allowing proper spacing in this walkway from point A to point B. Our inspiration is to keep this low profile with a slim and narrow top and create interest with wood seating and brass brackets.
For our wall niche, again we are thinking functionality by adding in more storage and opportunities for shelving. This niche is 3′ wide give us the ability to include some cabinetry along the bottom and open shelving along the top. An additional prep space at counter level will be beneficial as well for the bar set up. My inspiration for this is to highlight the niche by lining it entirely with wood and having this custom done to get the most out of this small niche.
Concept #3 – The Office/Gym
The last full room in our basement reno project is our office. We currently have an office on the upper level of our home, but we always knew this was a temporary space that would eventually be moved to the basement. We are also looking to get some multi-functionality from the room with adding in a small gym corner (for our new Peloton!!!). So we have almost all the décor and furnishings you see in the concept already and will simply be relocating them to this new space.
What we have already:
1. Wayfair Cletus L-Shaped Desk – I am not usually a fan of L-Shaped desks but I find the finish and detailing of this one is really nice and it works well with a number of different styles. It offers great desk space and incorporates a closed drawer for concealed storage.
2. Structube Stanley Black Arm Chair – I like an arm chair for a desk chair as it lends an added layer of comfort for a space that many are spending hours of their day working from. A cushion seat and back are ideal!
3. AllModern Hartman Dome Pendant – A beautiful contemporary pendant light that has a white interior finish that emits a lot of light for a workspace.
4. Floating Shelves – This is another HomeSense find that is almost a perfect match to the finish of the desk. It is a double shelf that also includes built-in hooks along the bottom. I love this for our gym area to hold water bottles, towels and light weights.
The main elements needed to finish this space are cosmetic (think art prints, décor), textiles (an area rug for under the desk) and storage (open shelving for a number of bins and boxes that we have and floating shelving for above our desk space).
I want to add another character element to this space as well with some modern molding and a rich influx of colour that draws your eye into the space from the hallway. The colour I am going with is Salamander by Benjamin Moore, which is a deep teal colour that is more on the green side. It is the same hue we used for our kitchen island and is a really nice focal point but coordinates for a timeless look with the tonal palette.
There is so much inspiration out there for modern trim walls that offer dimension to your feature walls. I have gravitated to a collaboration of styles to produce a more contemporary version of a traditional frame wall trim.
For our feature wall here is the plan that we are going to put into action very soon!
Concept #4 – The Hallway
The final space is the lower level hallway joining the office and living space. This is the first area you see when walking down our basement stairs, so I would like to layer in some fun and beautiful elements here.
What are the key elements?
1. Lighting – As I always say – lighting is the jewelry of the space and hallways are the perfect opportunity to bring more interest and character in from your lighting. The curved detail and brass finish of this fixture is one that not only lends to the collaboration of styles I have in our home and in the lower level plans, but it offers sufficient lighting for this stairway space.
2. Stairway Finishes – Our basement stairs include a builder-grade railing and plush green carpeting. Not exactly ideal for my design vision. We wanted to keep the update here on the lower cost side, so I sourced our runner from IKEA and our railing from Amazon. Keep in mind ratings and reviews when looking at these lower cost items to make sure there is still a level of quality there.
3. Wall Art – I am going to include some digital prints here for the first look when heading down the stairs. I am loving matchbook inspired art that has that lounge-inspired feel for a entertaining space in the home. We have one larger open wall when heading into the office space and I am loving the concept of making this interactive with an oversized letterboard display. We can customize messages for each other and our guests for some added fun!
We are currently in the painting stage for our basement reno and in the coming days will be starting some of our feature wall projects. Follow along on social media to see our updates in real time!