Renovation Takes a Basement From Musty to Marvelous
A design-build firm creates a gathering space for all ages in a historical home
Built in 1887, this house in Wilmington, Delaware, had a basement that was musty, full of mechanicals and, frankly, a little scary. The couple who live here wanted to give their four sons a place to hang out and play with their friends, and they also wanted it to serve as a fun spot to host extended family and adult get-togethers.
“They had a clear vision for what they wanted, and they were really willing to embrace a dark and moody look,” says designer Dana Bender. Now a large movie lounge, game area, bar, wine room and powder room make the once-dank spot one of the family’s favorite places in the house.
“They had a clear vision for what they wanted, and they were really willing to embrace a dark and moody look,” says designer Dana Bender. Now a large movie lounge, game area, bar, wine room and powder room make the once-dank spot one of the family’s favorite places in the house.
After: The homeowners wanted to honor the architecture of the historical home while adding clean, modern elements. “They were not scared of going dark in a basement,” Bender says. “They were inspired by the idea of a color-drenched dark palette and embraced a moody after-hours vibe.”
The heart of the space is this TV lounge, where the boys can hang out with their friends and the family can gather for movie nights. On the left is a shuffleboard table and, on the right, a large bar.
Wall paint: Hale Navy, Benjamin Moore; used shuffleboard table: Wilmington Home Amusements
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The heart of the space is this TV lounge, where the boys can hang out with their friends and the family can gather for movie nights. On the left is a shuffleboard table and, on the right, a large bar.
Wall paint: Hale Navy, Benjamin Moore; used shuffleboard table: Wilmington Home Amusements
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A key to the design was balancing new finishes with original architectural elements. For example, the movie lounge has striking new millwork on the walls and exposed original wood joists overhead.
In between the joists, the builders added dark-painted plywood to cover wiring, pipes and other mechanical elements. They placed small recessed LED lights into the plywood that highlight the rugged wood of the joists. The exposed joists bring in texture and give the illusion of a higher ceiling.
Ceiling paint: Black Fox, Sherwin-Williams
In between the joists, the builders added dark-painted plywood to cover wiring, pipes and other mechanical elements. They placed small recessed LED lights into the plywood that highlight the rugged wood of the joists. The exposed joists bring in texture and give the illusion of a higher ceiling.
Ceiling paint: Black Fox, Sherwin-Williams
The lounge millwork lends a clean-lined, traditional look. Beneath the TV, a 5-foot-wide electric fireplace adds a cozy glow. This model has multiple light settings and a heater. To the left, the lower ceiling hides some ductwork and defines the shuffleboard zone.
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Bender also helped the couple identify where the original stone and brick of the basement’s exterior walls could be exposed. One perfect spot was this cozy rounded corner off the bar.
“These surfaces were soda blasted to get them clean and looking good,” the designer says. Soda blasting is similar to sand blasting but gentler. “This was a labor-intensive process, but it makes the brick and stone look so beautiful,” Bender says.
“These surfaces were soda blasted to get them clean and looking good,” the designer says. Soda blasting is similar to sand blasting but gentler. “This was a labor-intensive process, but it makes the brick and stone look so beautiful,” Bender says.
French brasserie style inspired the homeowners’ vision for the bar. With its brass countertop, brass faucet, brass shelving system, brass pulls and brass cabinet door grilles, this area puts the “brass” in “brasserie.”
The homeowners loved the idea of a brass countertop and the glamour it would bring to the space. They also wanted a mix of textures and a variety of open and closed shelving. The base of the bar holds two refrigerators, an ice maker and a recycling pullout.
The homeowners loved the idea of a brass countertop and the glamour it would bring to the space. They also wanted a mix of textures and a variety of open and closed shelving. The base of the bar holds two refrigerators, an ice maker and a recycling pullout.
The brass shelves, made to fit by local company Palmer Fabrications, serve as a focal point.
The builders installed a piece of wood salvaged from the house over the bar. This piece defines the bar area from overhead and accommodates a recessed light that highlights the glasses and bottles on the shelves.
The builders installed a piece of wood salvaged from the house over the bar. This piece defines the bar area from overhead and accommodates a recessed light that highlights the glasses and bottles on the shelves.
The backsplash is composed of small ceramic tiles. Their hexagonal shape plays off the gridded geometry of the cabinet grilles.
The homeowners commissioned another local company, Milk Truck Vintage, which specializes in salvaged wood, to create the high-top table. Then they took the table to another local company, Crazy Coatings, to have the legs powder-coated. Throughout the basement are spots for larger groups and more intimate spaces for two to four people. The smaller areas include two round high-top tables, a tasting area in the wine room and an alcove space off the stairs.
One of these high-top tables serves the billiard zone. This area also features exposed joists on the ceiling.
The flooring throughout the space is luxury vinyl planks. “We needed something durable that could stand up to the boys and high heels,” Bender says. She helped her clients find an option that fit in with the rest of the house. This selection has lots of character, including knots and a range of wood tones.
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The flooring throughout the space is luxury vinyl planks. “We needed something durable that could stand up to the boys and high heels,” Bender says. She helped her clients find an option that fit in with the rest of the house. This selection has lots of character, including knots and a range of wood tones.
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A spot to store and taste wine was on the homeowners’ must-have list. Exposing the stone and brick on the wine room wall gave it an old-world European feel.
The homeowners wanted the wine room closed off in case they decide to condition it for chilling in the future. Four vintage-style pendant lights work beautifully with the stone wall and the wine barrel tasting table.
While the wine room has a warm and snug feel, a glass wall keeps it open to the rest of the basement. “This wall has the look of a storefront window,” Bender says.
The exposed radiator pipe to the left of the window is a good example of the attention to detail that went into the project. “This pipe needed to stay exposed, so we custom-dyed some rope in Rit dye and wrapped the pipe in it,” Bender says.
The exposed radiator pipe to the left of the window is a good example of the attention to detail that went into the project. “This pipe needed to stay exposed, so we custom-dyed some rope in Rit dye and wrapped the pipe in it,” Bender says.
Replacing the existing basement staircase was also part of the project. The new treads are white oak custom-stained to match the basement flooring. The newel post matches the architectural style of the house, while the brass spindles add some glam that ties into the bar. To top things off, an antique brass finial brings in a special detail.
This new opening allows everyone descending the stairs to get a peek at what’s going on in the TV lounge. Its arched shape plays off the original arched openings in the basement.
The alcove on the other side of the stairs contains the door to the wine room on the right. The zigzag door leads to a mechanical room, and there’s a powder room behind the stairs.
The alcove on the other side of the stairs contains the door to the wine room on the right. The zigzag door leads to a mechanical room, and there’s a powder room behind the stairs.
“Our clients wanted to live with this little alcove space for a while to figure out what it wanted to be,” Bender says. It evolved into an intimate seating area where two people can get away and have a quiet conversation during a party.
A mirrored sideboard holds stereo equipment. Over it, the photograph is a drone shot of St. Anthony’s Italian Festival, a longtime event in Wilmington. One of the homeowners spied the photograph on local reporter Tim Furlong’s news page and reached out to him on social media for permission to enlarge it. The reporter not only said yes, he also sent a high-resolution image for them to use. “This piece brings a really cool vibe to the alcove,” Bender says.
Ductwork necessitated another dropped ceiling in this area. Bender added stamped bronze ceiling tiles for texture and a sense of age.
The homeowners found the powder room wallpaper, which has a damask-like animal pattern. “We left the existing rustic ceiling beam exposed because the homeowners love an old and new mix,” Bender says.
Wallpaper: Menagerie in Navy, Galerie
Wallpaper: Menagerie in Navy, Galerie
The homeowners were also keen to repurpose a large sink that had been part of an old darkroom in the basement. The design-build team refreshed the vintage piece by re-enameling it and adding a brass exterior.
“This is a pretty large sink for a compact powder room,” Bender says. “Using it as a vessel sink opened up the possibilities, and we were mindful of what kind of cabinetry would work with it.” The finishing touches that make it work in the room are brass feet on the cabinet, a curved backsplash silhouette and a vintage-style brass faucet.
“This is a pretty large sink for a compact powder room,” Bender says. “Using it as a vessel sink opened up the possibilities, and we were mindful of what kind of cabinetry would work with it.” The finishing touches that make it work in the room are brass feet on the cabinet, a curved backsplash silhouette and a vintage-style brass faucet.
Perforated brass sconces and a brass-and-black mirror coordinate with the unique vanity.
“Our clients had a vision for their basement and they knew this was going to be a big undertaking,” Bender says. “It was quite an endeavor, but they were all in for an exciting project.”
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“Our clients had a vision for their basement and they knew this was going to be a big undertaking,” Bender says. “It was quite an endeavor, but they were all in for an exciting project.”
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find a home professional
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Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of six
Location: Wilmington, Delaware
Size: 1,426 square feet (132 square meters)
Design-build firm: Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio
Before: Typical of a home built in the 1880s, the basement was purely utilitarian. It had low ceilings that were full of wires, pipes and ducts. Mechanical systems had been added throughout the basement over the years. The homeowners hired Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio, a design-build firm that specializes in historic spaces, to bring their basement vision to life.
Consolidating the mechanicals into small areas to maximize the living space was an important part of the project. The team also excavated about a foot of dirt to give the space 8-foot ceilings.