A Basement Renovation for Work and Play
A need for a home office spurs a full remodel that includes a TV lounge, wine bar, workout space and more
When this entertainment executive suddenly had to work from home, she used the dining room of her midcentury ranch as her home office. But she found that the tangle of computer cords and the distraction of household tasks, particularly in the adjacent kitchen, made it a less-than-ideal spot to work.
Anxious to have an office where she could enter in the morning and leave her work behind at night, she called her friend and neighbor, interior designer Sharon Sherman. The project expanded into a full basement renovation that includes a cozy home office, a large TV lounge, a home gym and a bar made for storing, uncorking and tasting wine at family gatherings.
Anxious to have an office where she could enter in the morning and leave her work behind at night, she called her friend and neighbor, interior designer Sharon Sherman. The project expanded into a full basement renovation that includes a cozy home office, a large TV lounge, a home gym and a bar made for storing, uncorking and tasting wine at family gatherings.
After: Sherman got to work on the layout, moving a hallway to conceal the laundry room along the journey to the office. The main basement area is one open space with a TV lounge, bar, small dining area and workout space. Sherman had the posts and structural header wrapped in millwork to make them an architectural feature rather than an eyesore. “I actually added a nonstructural post to balance it out,” she says. She also took advantage of their placement, using them to provide delineation between the bar area and TV lounge.
For the flooring, Sherman chose high-performance luxury vinyl tile. This was a good choice to lay over a concrete basement floor as it has a natural cork vapor barrier to combat dampness. “It also can stand up to my client’s dog, it’s easy to clean, it hardly adds any height and it’s soft to walk on,” Sherman says.
She layered lighting to brighten up the space through recessed lights in the ceiling, pendants, lamps, under-shelf lighting and a ceiling light over the TV lounge. “The ceiling light looks like tree roots coming through the ceiling, which I thought was funny,” Sherman says. “My client had a great sense of humor about everything during the project and wasn’t afraid of taking risks.”
For the flooring, Sherman chose high-performance luxury vinyl tile. This was a good choice to lay over a concrete basement floor as it has a natural cork vapor barrier to combat dampness. “It also can stand up to my client’s dog, it’s easy to clean, it hardly adds any height and it’s soft to walk on,” Sherman says.
She layered lighting to brighten up the space through recessed lights in the ceiling, pendants, lamps, under-shelf lighting and a ceiling light over the TV lounge. “The ceiling light looks like tree roots coming through the ceiling, which I thought was funny,” Sherman says. “My client had a great sense of humor about everything during the project and wasn’t afraid of taking risks.”
Sherman also had the existing spindly basement stairs rebuilt to suit the elevated design of the space. She relocated a door to a storage area that was located along this wall. That made room for a beautiful console topped with glass lamps and a large round mirror. The console provides extra storage for the TV lounge, while the mirror and glass lamps help lighten the space.
The homeowner was completely on board with Sherman’s style and put the design in her hands. “We wanted it to be livable and look current and classic,” Sherman says. “It’s not too traditional and not too contemporary. And I used a lot of clean lines.” Because her client is an avid wine collector, Sherman added some rustic touches that play off wine bottles, wine and glasses.
The homeowner’s love of wine inspired the bar, and she already had the EuroCave wine fridge. Sherman incorporated that fridge into the design, and she added a bar-height countertop to the island for a wine tasting experience that feels right out of a vineyard tour. The bar area also has a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker and a sink.
In addition to being an interior designer, Sherman is a certified kitchen designer. Her extensive experience with kitchens came in handy when planning the bar area. She considered storage for bottles, glasses and other tableware with the cabinetry design. Clear glass doors on the cabinet seen here display pretty glassware. “We had some fun with the light fixtures — these pendants resemble upside-down wine glasses,” she says.
Browse bar stools in the Houzz Shop
In addition to being an interior designer, Sherman is a certified kitchen designer. Her extensive experience with kitchens came in handy when planning the bar area. She considered storage for bottles, glasses and other tableware with the cabinetry design. Clear glass doors on the cabinet seen here display pretty glassware. “We had some fun with the light fixtures — these pendants resemble upside-down wine glasses,” she says.
Browse bar stools in the Houzz Shop
After: Clean lines come in through the Shaker-style cabinetry profiles and floating shelves with integrated lighting that illuminates the back bar. The countertops have simple squared-off edges.
When the designer suggested Temptation from Benjamin Moore for the cabinet paint, her client fell in love with it. She also was on board with the choice of Fantasy Brown quartzite for the countertops. “This is one of my favorites,” Sherman says. “It’s a natural stone that looks like marble but performs like granite.”
The new workout area at the far end includes weights, mats, an exercise bike and a television. A portable folding screen conceals the area during parties. Sherman also relocated the door she removed from the console area to the left side of the workout space. It accesses a storage area under the stairs.
When the designer suggested Temptation from Benjamin Moore for the cabinet paint, her client fell in love with it. She also was on board with the choice of Fantasy Brown quartzite for the countertops. “This is one of my favorites,” Sherman says. “It’s a natural stone that looks like marble but performs like granite.”
The new workout area at the far end includes weights, mats, an exercise bike and a television. A portable folding screen conceals the area during parties. Sherman also relocated the door she removed from the console area to the left side of the workout space. It accesses a storage area under the stairs.
The backsplash is a combination of two different porcelain tiles. The tiles that meet the counter look like vintage painted tin ceiling tiles. The tiles that extend to the ceiling resemble rustic wood planks. The coloring in the plank tiles picks up on the veining in the quartzite countertops.
Two cozy swivel chairs and a small drinks table provide a good spot for two to sit and enjoy a favorite wine. Sherman also worked with the homeowner’s existing art collection, finding good spaces to showcase different pieces. The homeowner took the photograph seen here during a trip to Norway.
Two cozy swivel chairs and a small drinks table provide a good spot for two to sit and enjoy a favorite wine. Sherman also worked with the homeowner’s existing art collection, finding good spaces to showcase different pieces. The homeowner took the photograph seen here during a trip to Norway.
After: Sherman updated the surround with stacked stone and used an antique wood beam for the mantel. Then she flanked it with floating reclaimed-wood shelving for a cohesive look. A wood coffee table plays off these rustic natural elements. And a coppery side table plays off the colors in the room while adding some soft curves to the space. Almost all the curves in the room come from circular pieces, adding to the cohesive feel of the design.
“We sat on a lot of furniture together to test it out,” Sherman says. “My client has a lot of family who live in the area, and she loves to have them over for gatherings. Her nephews are very tall, so she wanted to make sure that the furniture would be comfortable for them.” The TV wasn’t photographed, but it’s located across from the sofa, on the wall that runs parallel to the bar.
The sectional sofa provides a large, comfy landing spot for groups, along with a leather swivel chair. To balance out the more rustic finishes, Sherman found a wool-and-silk rug in silvery blues, warm creams and burnt oranges. It adds elegance and ties in to the natural color palette.
“We sat on a lot of furniture together to test it out,” Sherman says. “My client has a lot of family who live in the area, and she loves to have them over for gatherings. Her nephews are very tall, so she wanted to make sure that the furniture would be comfortable for them.” The TV wasn’t photographed, but it’s located across from the sofa, on the wall that runs parallel to the bar.
The sectional sofa provides a large, comfy landing spot for groups, along with a leather swivel chair. To balance out the more rustic finishes, Sherman found a wool-and-silk rug in silvery blues, warm creams and burnt oranges. It adds elegance and ties in to the natural color palette.
Finally, here’s the space that kicked off the renovation — the new home office. It’s separate from the social area of the basement for maximum quiet and minimal distractions. “The office has a very different look and feel than the rest of the basement,” Sherman says. “My client wanted an office she could close the door on, leaving her work behind in the evening. When her desk was in the dining room, she couldn’t escape work after hours.” The shiplap wall, the colors, the lighting and the carpeting cozy up the space.
One relatively new aspect of home office design that Sherman took into consideration was a videoconferencing backdrop. Here, a shiplap wall painted in Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, with a painting by the client’s father, creates a lovely focal point. “At first we talked about getting this [painting] reframed, but then I told her we should repaint the existing frame,” Sherman says. “I went over one weekend and we did it together. We both had a lot of fun doing it.”
Another need her client had was a desk large enough for multiple computer screens, as well as a bookcase for office supplies and equipment. Sherman had a professional integrator come in to work on all the computer wiring needs. He also installed wires for all the wall-mounted screens in the basement.
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One relatively new aspect of home office design that Sherman took into consideration was a videoconferencing backdrop. Here, a shiplap wall painted in Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, with a painting by the client’s father, creates a lovely focal point. “At first we talked about getting this [painting] reframed, but then I told her we should repaint the existing frame,” Sherman says. “I went over one weekend and we did it together. We both had a lot of fun doing it.”
Another need her client had was a desk large enough for multiple computer screens, as well as a bookcase for office supplies and equipment. Sherman had a professional integrator come in to work on all the computer wiring needs. He also installed wires for all the wall-mounted screens in the basement.
More on Houzz
Tour more basements
Browse photos of basements
Hire local design and remodeling pros
Shop for your home
Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: An avid wine collector who works from home
Location: Wyckoff, New Jersey
Size: 720 square feet (67 square meters)
Designer: Sharon Sherman of Thyme & Place Design
Before: Sherman was impressed with the existing 8-foot ceilings and wood-burning fireplace. The basement walls were covered with knotty pine paneling, and acoustical tiles lowered the ceiling. One challenge many basements pose is the appearance of the necessary structural support posts and beams like the ones seen here. This basement had become the storage facility for a handful of the homeowner’s extended family members.
The homeowner had already installed a bathroom down here, which was convenient. While the potential home office space was tucked away from the main open area, it had to be entered through the laundry room. That wasn’t ideal for someone who wanted to avoid the pull of household tasks during the workday.
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