more images to help see the space.

Hi, what flooring did you use?

coretek grande petronas. i love it!

Great space! i’d be tempted to do a fun wallpaper in the kitchen area instead of a tile backsplash

Consider a wooden counter, pulling a color from your flooring, in the living area to warm up the space.

Maybe use a brick back splash in a color that picks up the grey in the bottom cabinets. I think a wallpaper behind the long tv area would look nice also.

Post a floor plan please. With your cabinets already installed, there may not be many options.

Can you turn the sofa? I dislike where you have the tv, and think there are better options. Where does the door by the small nook lead? Depending on space, I might fill that in and hang the tv on that wall...

The door by the small nook is a sump pump!! that was a surprise as it wasn't in our original plans.

The couch is just the one we had -- placehold for what you fine people will tell me what to do! :)

I debated filling in that nook and putting the tv on that wall but decided against it bc it seemed off to me with the sump pump closet and the lower soffit on one side.

this is the floor plan. but it changed a bit!

the first red mark on left is the kitchen and not storage!

the second red mark we left open. it is currently where our boys game.

Is it all kid oriented or do you want a bar bar area.

well the kitchenette/bar area will
have a tv and that's more the adult area.

the other section is more for kids -- tv
and video gaming.

i mocked this up. maybe we
put tv in center (have to change outlets for it) and the. do shelves on either side? believe it or not, this was my own rendering not some fancy 3D design technology. ;)

There are a lot of fun, removable wallpapers that would liven up this space. If it’s a family room, get the kids involved. Spoonflower.com can keep you busy for days but they specialize in whimsical patterns that are perfect for a fun space like this.

If you go that route, keep the kitchen area “quiet” with a simple backsplash in an interesting shape.

Here are cross tiles

Herringbone installation

Vertical installation - one is a subway tile the other is a picket shape.

Great space! the TV is in a weird spot- why is it so high above eye level? i would move that as others have mentioned.

it ended up being so high above eyelevel bc ofnthe height of the cabinets. now we are stucks with the cabinets. or at least some of them. the other reason is that the living space isn't quite aligned with this wall due to the cubby space across from our it. so it does make sense to put the tv to the left of the wall.

how can i modify and make this look more like an entertainment built in vs a buffet.

Much better, the niches look ripe for some wicker or rattan baskets for some texture in the space. You could intersperse some smaller baskets in the shelving area. The removable wallpaper idea is a good idea as you can change the paper as the space develops over the years. Much easier than retiling! Gamer funky styles might not last as long as the gaming does.

It’s already looking 100% better. Keep posting updates.

I felt the same way- we added shelving and painted the back of the tv wall section a different color. Definitely helped to not make it look like
a kitchen.

Before

Originally I would have tried to put the tv in the center and make everything symmetrical, but I LOVE the way things turned out with the tv on the left and the cabinetry to the right. Definitely get the kids involved they usually have innovative and creative ideas we adults don't often think of.

Maybe live edge countertops to bring a more basement rustic feel?

It’s lovely and you have great instincts. More permanent furniture and new couch/layout will fill the spaces correctly. I think you need to fill the space above the bar/kitchen cabinets with filler/trim. It’s sucking up your light. Options are endless for counter/backsplash combos. I like the wallpaper idea for a splash of interest.

Much better! Contractors build things, are not designers. Good you figured out a solution!

Have the wood continue over the window otherwise it looks unfinished.

I wouldn’t box in the window. That will interfere with the natural light. I would get rid of the shelves beneath the window all together.

I would just do 2 long floating shelves and not the whole framed thing.

doors are going on bottom cabinets. center will be open shelf.

This is current.

Plants on the shelf in front of the window woud look so good!

Yep... and in the winter, sticks.

lol plants needing low light will do very well