Once apon a time I was a scary basement located in a congested section of Cambridge MA. My clients and I set out to create a new space inspired by France that could also double as a guest room when needed. Painting the existing wood joists and adding bead board in between the joists and painting any exposed pipes white celebrates the ceiling rather than trying to hide it keeps the much needed ceiling height. Italian furniture, books and antique rug gives this once basement a very European well travelled feel.

Nantucket Architectural Photography
Mid-sized beach style wooden staircase photo in Boston with painted risers

The structural fireplace, light fixtures and staircase elements are juxtaposed with the airy, transluscent window treatments and the plush silk rug. Moving into the lower level then with this softened natural light was key, so the knotty pine walls, low-hanging ceilings and vinyl flooring were updated with a raised ceiling, natural stone finishes and reclaimed wood detailing.

©Finished Basement Company
Inspiration for a huge contemporary look-out dark wood floor and brown floor basement remodel in Denver with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace and a home theater

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Front window connecting upper sitting room with basement lounge area sharing a large window with exterior landscape
Large trendy look-out medium tone wood floor and brown floor basement photo in Toronto with beige walls

Photo: Teness Herman © 2015 Houzz
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Michael Hsu
Example of a large transitional white two-story wood exterior home design in Austin

Basement - large contemporary look-out basement idea in Chicago with gray walls and no fireplace

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A beach-front new construction home on Wells Beach. A collaboration with R. Moody and Sons construction. Photographs by James R. Salomon.
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The roman shades in this lower level family room are motorized so that they can be effortlessly raised and lowered for TV viewing. Well Dressed Windows, Solon, OH

This project involved finishing a basement space to create a clean, functional, and comfortable living area. The scope of work included installation of insulation to reduce sound transfer between floors, new drywall installation, recessed lighting, and electrical upgrades with new wiring connected to the main panel. An egress window was installed to meet safety requirements and provide emergency exit access. The installation included cutting the foundation wall, installing the window well, gravel drainage system, and ensuring code compliance. Existing tile flooring was maintained, while walls and ceilings were repaired, textured, and painted. Select areas were finished with decorative stucco to highlight the original brick for a unique design feature. Plumbing lines were adjusted as needed to allow proper drywall installation on the ceiling. The final result is a bright and functional basement space suitable for comfortable daily use.

Photography by Steve Henke
Example of a transitional carpeted kids' room design in Minneapolis with gray walls

Swanson Homes Artisan Home Tour 2016
Basement - basement idea in Minneapolis

Huser's Firefighter lawn & Landscape, before picture of how bad the ground had washed up to the basement window
Small elegant home design photo in Indianapolis

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We began to flesh out the space by creating focused areas for entertaining such as the sitting area by the tv with a big comfy leather sofa that can also lay flat to act as a bench or if the game goes into the wee hours it can be used as a bed to sleep. We know when there is a big game there is a need for ample seating so we also found wood chairs that had the nice bold curves and lines that tie the room together. We refinished the wood and re-upholstered the seats using repurposed leather scraps to create an aviator inspired custom seat cushion design. Photos by Keith Isaacs