Basement makeovers
It’s fair to say the typical Canadian abode, as we see it certainly, is no longer the private domain it once was. Due to the ongoing COVID19 crisis, the houses in which people live are becoming home offices, home schools, part time bakeries and home restaurants. Yes indeed, the domestic plain is changing. And then some.
Being that our backdrops are under scrutiny across the unforgiving portals of Facetime, House Party and Zoom (to meet the changing demands of our world) folks are struggling to create perceived home harmony, especially as viewed by others.
Which goes a long way to explaining why many of our clients have been asking for full basement rejigs. And who can blame them? Making better of previously unloved space? Augmenting real estate value? What’s not to love?
Accordingly, ancillary living areas, or indeed discreetly positioned work zones, have become front and forward in domestic ambition.
In days gone by, the great Canadian basement was either an unfinished clutter of pipes and cables, or a loosely tricked out afterthought with inherited discard arranged against hastily attached matchboard walls. Oh, how things have changed.
Cue this tartan detailed Whitby solum, whose esthetics would have made the most ardent haggis hustler blush. Especially disquieting was the fact it was created by the kind of folks we generally hold
aloft. Say it isn’t so! Scots? Och aye, the noo!
We hope today’s transformation inspires you to enhance your lower quarters. Caveat: this project (for all its transformation) was a decorative tweak.
If you plan moving walls — or digging down to create better head height — hire a pro. Wielding the hammer — without proper appraisal — could bring your world crashing down. Literally.
TARTAN TEAR AWAY
Steamers at the ready, we ripped the wallpaper asunder and sanded surfaces smooth. To ensure the space remained cosy, we opted for a warm, low-key decorating palette. Colour punctuation would appear, further into the transformation, via upholstery.
FIREPLACE
Opting for an electric fireplace negated problematic venting issues associated with gas hearth installation. Our specification has a chunky appearance, boasts warm wooden tones and provides immediate focus.
STACK STONE
Our plan was to evoke the atmosphere of rocky Scottish hill and glens. Lighter than full depth brick, this real stone veneer adds lovely texture. But beware: the market is awash with products that click when you tap them (making them feel temporary) due to their synthetic nature.
FLOORING
Our paymasters having expressed an interest in wall-towall carpet, we searched out
wool Berber with 30 per cent poly content for ease of maintenance.
Decadently soft, it’s super warm and, where basement application is concerned, makes great sense due to the fact it lets floors breathe better than tile or wood. Keep it local and try a mom and pop shop supplier.
WALL SCONCES
When we dream of our beloved Scottish highlands, we imagine proud stags wandering the hills locking antlers with rivals, to protect their territory.
This in mind, we decided to employ a little horn detail. But worry not — these beauties are fashioned from cast resin.
WINDOW DRESSING
Determined not to fuss the clean esthetic, we avoided
heavy window treatments that might have lowered perceived ceiling heights.
Simple timber blinds came alive by wood trimming the apertures within which they sit to provide the look of shutters.
UPHOLSTERY
We reimagined the space with just a hint of the highlands, rather than the previous tartan stranglehold, and specified warm wood case goods and heather toned plaid chairs from The Bay. The difference between good and overplayed design (as we often caution) is restraint. Can someone say less is more? Thank you.