Photo by Casey Dunn
Beach style screened-in back porch photo in Austin with decking and a roof extension

The homeowners had a very specific vision for their large daylight basement. To begin, Neil Kelly's team, led by Portland Design Consultant Fabian Genovesi, took down numerous walls to completely open up the space, including the ceilings, and removed carpet to expose the concrete flooring. The concrete flooring was repaired, resurfaced and sealed with cracks in tact for authenticity. Beams and ductwork were left exposed, yet refined, with additional piping to conceal electrical and gas lines. Century-old reclaimed brick was hand-picked by the homeowner for the east interior wall, encasing stained glass windows which were are also reclaimed and more than 100 years old. Aluminum bar-top seating areas in two spaces. A media center with custom cabinetry and pistons repurposed as cabinet pulls. And the star of the show, a full 4-seat wet bar with custom glass shelving, more custom cabinetry, and an integrated television-- one of 3 TVs in the space. The new one-of-a-kind basement has room for a professional 10-person poker table, pool table, 14' shuffleboard table, and plush seating.

Example of a mid-sized minimalist underground laminate floor, multicolored floor and exposed beam basement design in Chicago with a bar and gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern underground laminate floor, multicolored floor and exposed beam basement remodel in Chicago with a bar and gray walls

Not planning to finish your basement just yet. How about creating a moody game/exercise room by painting the exposed walls and ceiling a deep color?
Basement game room - large transitional underground concrete floor, beige floor and exposed beam basement game room idea in Chicago with purple walls

Minimalist underground laminate floor, black floor and exposed beam basement photo in Chicago with black walls

Basement finished to include game room, family room, shiplap wall treatment, sliding barn door and matching beam, new staircase, home gym, locker room and bathroom in addition to wine bar area.

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern underground laminate floor, multicolored floor and exposed beam basement remodel in Chicago with a bar and gray walls

Large transitional underground vinyl floor, brown floor and exposed beam basement game room photo in Chicago with gray walls

Basement - mid-sized modern underground laminate floor, multicolored floor and exposed beam basement idea in Chicago with a bar and gray walls

Example of a mid-sized minimalist underground laminate floor, multicolored floor and exposed beam basement design in Chicago with a bar and gray walls

We started with a blank slate on this basement project where our only obstacles were exposed steel support columns, existing plumbing risers from the concrete slab, and dropped soffits concealing ductwork on the ceiling. It had the advantage of tall ceilings, an existing egress window, and a sliding door leading to a newly constructed patio. This family of five loves the beach and frequents summer beach resorts in the Northeast. Bringing that aesthetic home to enjoy all year long was the inspiration for the décor, as well as creating a family-friendly space for entertaining. Wish list items included room for a billiard table, wet bar, game table, family room, guest bedroom, full bathroom, space for a treadmill and closed storage. The existing structural elements helped to define how best to organize the basement. For instance, we knew we wanted to connect the bar area and billiards table with the patio in order to create an indoor/outdoor entertaining space. It made sense to use the egress window for the guest bedroom for both safety and natural light. The bedroom also would be adjacent to the plumbing risers for easy access to the new bathroom. Since the primary focus of the family room would be for TV viewing, natural light did not need to filter into that space. We made sure to hide the columns inside of newly constructed walls and dropped additional soffits where needed to make the ceiling mechanicals feel less random. In addition to the beach vibe, the homeowner has valuable sports memorabilia that was to be prominently displayed including two seats from the original Yankee stadium. For a coastal feel, shiplap is used on two walls of the family room area. In the bathroom shiplap is used again in a more creative way using wood grain white porcelain tile as the horizontal shiplap “wood”. We connected the tile horizontally with vertical white grout joints and mimicked the horizontal shadow line with dark grey grout. At first glance it looks like we wrapped the shower with real wood shiplap. Materials including a blue and white patterned floor, blue penny tiles and a natural wood vanity checked the list for that seaside feel. A large reclaimed wood door on an exposed sliding barn track separates the family room from the game room where reclaimed beams are punctuated with cable lighting. Cabinetry and a beverage refrigerator are tucked behind the rolling bar cabinet (that doubles as a Blackjack table!). A TV and upright video arcade machine round-out the entertainment in the room. Bar stools, two rotating club chairs, and large square poufs along with the Yankee Stadium seats provide fun places to sit while having a drink, watching billiards or a game on the TV. Signed baseballs can be found behind the bar, adjacent to the billiard table, and on specially designed display shelves next to the poker table in the family room. Thoughtful touches like the surfboards, signage, photographs and accessories make a visitor feel like they are on vacation at a well-appointed beach resort without being cliché.

Basement - mid-sized industrial underground laminate floor, brown floor and exposed beam basement idea in Philadelphia with a home theater, white walls, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround

Rustic beams frame the architecture in this spectacular great room; custom sectional and tables. Photographer: Mick Hales
Example of a huge country open concept medium tone wood floor family room design in New York with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Beautifully renovated basement kitchen with exposed black ceilings, butcher block counters, and grey cabinets. Photos: Jody Kmetz
Mid-sized farmhouse look-out light wood floor, brown floor, exposed beam and wallpaper basement photo in Chicago with gray walls and a bar

Urban medium tone wood floor and brown floor family room photo in DC Metro with white walls

The basement was remodeled with a black-painted exposed ceiling, 3 base cabinets, a countertop, and wood texture laminated flooring. We also install barn-style doors

Urban look-out medium tone wood floor and brown floor basement photo in Atlanta with brown walls and no fireplace

Eric Hausman for TRENDS
Example of a transitional galley dark wood floor kitchen design in Chicago with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and marble backsplash