BASEMENT BEAUTIES
High-end makeovers offer a glimpse of the trend to turn valuable below-grade real estate into the ultimate spot for families to unwind
Microbreweries, lavish home theatres and more:
basements are quickly becoming the ultimate spot
for families to unwind.
Bars have been a feature of basements for at least as long as suburban dads have been turning concrete walls into rec rooms. But the winning entry in the basement renovation category at this year’s Housing Design Awards sponsored by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association takes both beer and basements to a whole different level.
Designed and built by Ottawa’s Just Basements, the spectacular below-grade makeover includes a complete electric microbrewery behind a custom quartz and walnut bar. The sleek, gleaming brewery with its chrome draft tower was the homeowner’s idea and it produces eight types of beer — just the thing to quaff while unwinding in the tiered home theatre or after a spell in the custom-built infrared sauna.
The high-end makeover illustrates “the trend of people willing to go to the trouble of designing spaces and spending money in the basement to have what we would never have thought of before,” says Just Basements’ Norm Lecuyer.
In keeping with the tastes of home buyers, basement renovation clients are increasingly asking for slick, modern designs, he says. In the case of the craft beer-loving homeowner, that meant a greytoned colour scheme, strong lines, and metal and glass accents.
Traditional design still holds a place in the heart of basement lovers, of course. Lecuyer’s other entry in this year’s design awards — a 1,200-square-foot, high-tech family entertainment zone — featured a transitional/contemporary feel thanks to custom cherry millwork, coffered wood ceilings and stone accents.
The high cost of building an addition to a home coupled with the spaciousness of basements, some with nine-foot ceilings, that are typical of today’s larger homes inspire contemporary homeowners to max out the “free” space that was once the dingy preserve of laundry tubs and old sports equipment.
Maxing out certainly describes another contender in this year’s design awards, one with an almost-anything-goes “Hollywood Disco” theme. That basement, created by 2H Interior Design with GM French Construction, mixes a home theatre, bar, games table, recording studio and more in a sprawling open plan that meets the diverse needs of a family with four tweens and teens.
The decor ranges from embossed leather and pebbled granite to zebra woods. The colour scheme jauntily accommodates both cream and dark plum.
“The parents wanted an environment so the teens would stay home and have their friends over but the parents could still do a bit of subtle supervision from upstairs,” says Ernst Hupel of 2H Interior Design.
That, plus his own willingness to go with a “less is not more” philosophy, dictated the friends-and-familyoriented design, says Hupel: “There were so many personalities who needed to enjoy the space that it couldn’t be just girlie or guy or parent. It had to be chameleon.”
Enthusiasm and a touch of whimsy underpin another finalist in the design awards.
Challenged to make over a dark, boxy basement in a Kanata ranchstyle bungalow, Luxurious Living Studio and Michael J. Martin Luxury Renovations created a space that includes a bar with an eight-foot curved glass countertop, a home theatre with a 100-inch projection screen and a mirrored fitness area.
Features such as curving bulkheads and floating cabinetry create a spacious, airy feel — the dead opposite of what you’d expect in a place that’s largely underground.
There’s also a subtle and whimsical nautical theme thanks to the millwork that curves like a sail and the platform, shaped like the prow of a boat, at the bottom of the stairs leading from the main floor.
“We didn’t set out to have a knockout basement,” says homeowner Alex Kilgour. However, he and his wife got swept up in the project and now “it looks wonderful. It’s a gratifying feeling to have built something with a good design-build team.”
Luxurious Living Studio’s Suzanne Martin, who worked closely with the homeowners in designing the space, says basement upgrades can be costly: anywhere from $55 per square foot for a modest project to upwards of $150 per square foot for ambitious ones.
“You’ve got wiring, ductwork, you might have to cut through concrete, you’ve got a floor that slopes toward the drain,” she says. “It can be a very complex area, and you have to tie it in with the first floor.”
In the case of the Kanata bungalow, tying it in to the main living area meant removing a first-floor wall and installing glass stair railings so light would pour from the main floor into the basement.
Well-planned lighting is critical in a basement, says Martin. A good floor plan will dictate a logical ceiling plan because you’ll know what you’re using the various spaces for and how best to light them.
For example, since pot lights are expensive, Martin suggests grouping several to brighten up dark corners and then using recessed and other lights elsewhere. Running tape lighting with small LED bulbs behind bulkheads can add atmosphere without breaking the bank.
Other basement planning ideas from the pros: laminate flooring is a reliable, less-costly alternative to engineered hardwood; batt insulation around your furnace room muffles sound, and drywalling the inside of the furnace room provides shelf space; a fireplace offers atmosphere and heat; hiring a designer, even if just to create a basic plan, can mean a better end product and reduced cost.
A final note: in a Postmedia column on April 11, 2013, TV personality Mike Holmes warned that incorrectly installed basement insulation can lead to moisture and mould. He says rigid foam insulation is best. For the story, visit mikeholmesinspections.com/Mike _ Holmes_Online/news.php.
Online: Check out more fabulous basement photos at ottawacitizen.com/homes