basements
Cushy leather sofas, plaid pillows, wood barn doors and a reclaimed wood accent wall give cozy cabin style to this Minneapolis basement by Mark D. Williams Custom Homes. Box beams on the ceiling make sense of the challenges posed by soffits and ductwork (a common issue in basement spaces). And well-planned built-ins keep media equipment, games and books organized.
The lower parts of the ceiling don’t make the room feel compressed for two reasons. The first is the clever way the ceiling floats, with reveals around the edges of the room. The second is the placement of the higher tray — the beams and lights within it draw the eye up to the highest portion of the ceiling.
excavated basement for more light: On the side of the basement that was only halfway underground is a full walk-out. (You can see the retaining wall through the door’s glass panels on the right.) While there was an existing stairway between the backyard and a door, it was not a full-height door, and the window openings that are here now were blocked. Now they have larger widows that extend lower than you’d typically see in a basement.
To conceal a mess. It can be tough to hide all the ductwork in a basement ceiling. Covering it with drywall can rob you of precious headroom (not to mention money). An inexpensive solution is to paint the whole thing black. It won’t eliminate the problem entirely, but it’ll make the mechanics far less prominent without lowering the ceiling’s height.
I love the idea of a coffered ceiling with lights placed at the intersections. It highlights the architecture and is functional as well. You get that open feeling, but there are still channels for electrical runs throughout. Interesting light fixtures above the bar create that homey feel that every lived-in space begs for.
AFTER: A built-in bar is recessed into the space underneath the staircase on either side. “This was a really good way to separate some of the spaces but also make the most of the awkward space underneath the stairs,” Ross says. This side provides storage for wine bottles and glasses and accommodates a big air return vent. Ross used mirrors throughout the space to bounce the light around, and the stripes of glass mosaic tiles appear throughout as well. The walls are painted soothing grays, which provide a good backdrop for pops of color, like the Funfetti-like print on the chairs.
Ceiling treatment. Another design challenge down under is awkward low ceilings that are cut up by ductwork, pipes and wiring. In this basement, the architects reconfigured the ductwork and created interest with perforated corrugated metal panels that are easy to remove for access to wires.
An inspiration wall. Whether it was a big map like this one, a chalkboard wall for brainstorming sessions or a big swath of cork for favorite images, a dedicated wall for inspiration is a great addition to a home office
Ducts. The other thing that’s tricky to hide in a basement are ducts. When designing your basement, plan to incorporate them in your interior architecture. Whether it’s working them into the millwork design or creating a cool lighting cove, don’t forget to get your ducts in order.
The moody lounge designed by Evars + Anderson features a black Venetian plaster ceiling and walls. The tufted Art Deco-inspired sectional is a new piece covered in emerald green velvet.
nice way to get a lot of storage that's easily accessible, still looks good and doesn't need it's own dedicated room
Q