BEFORE & AFTER: A FORGOTTEN, UNUSED BASEMENT GETS A SOPHISTICATED SECOND CHANCE

Feb 4

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The formerly sterile space gets a dramatic new look…

When my team and I first saw the sterile basement devoid of windows we were immediately thrilled at the opportunity to bring life to the space.

The Plan:

Breathe life into a clinical, unused space. What better choice than wood—a natural, breathable material?
Create a game room with a masculine appeal for a family with three young boys to enjoy gaming, while still being sophisticated enough for Dad to entertain friends.

I decided the best course of action for this windowless basement was to lean into the darkness. Rather than fight it—since adding a window wasn’t an option—we embraced it. Handcrafted wood paneling concealed a door and helped the TV blend seamlessly into the space.

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A custom-designed entertainment console beneath the TV was created to mimic the custom fluted wood paneling on the walls. In the adjacent room, we added black cerused oak panels to the walls and ceiling, matching a built-in bench. A custom seat cushion introduced softness, comfort, and color to the space.

Bringing light back into a dark and moody space was our next task. Additional downlighting and lamps were the obvious choices to brighten the newly renovated space.

Mirrors are the number one go-to for creating the illusion of a larger, more continuous space. However, instead of using mirrors, we sourced fabulous metallic reflective tiles. The reflective tile are framed above the built-in bench seat and accented with a recessed casing to house uplighting, further enhancing the metallic nature of the tiles.