COMFORT ZONES
Designer Stephanie Charest transforms an unfinished Calgary basement into a family retreat with designated areas for fun and relaxation.
Designer Stephanie Charest transforms an unfinished Calgary basement into a family retreat with designated areas for fun and relaxation.
It’s
hard to believe that this welcoming basement – now enlivened with handsome walnut cabinetry, lyrical shades of teal and fresh, unfussy furniture – was once a storage space. “It was completely undeveloped with cold concrete floors and exposed studs,” says Stephanie. “I wanted to make it cozy and warm, yet bright, so it wouldn’t feel like a basement.” Aesthetics weren’t the only issue to flesh out. A busy couple with three teenagers lives here, so configuring the space to suit all of their needs was paramount. “It was important to have zones for specific functions,” she says. Indeed, watching TV, playing pool and savouring an espresso are now stylishly possible and beautifully in sync with the dynamic new surrounds.
GAME ZONE
The pool table feels more like a cohesive piece of furniture thanks to designer Stephanie Charest’s eye. “I had it custom-designed to coordinate with the walnut cabinetry I used throughout,” she says. A gallery wall lifts the sporting mood to stylish, and Stephanie loves the playful placement of the more traditional prints. The fab pendant light was a design coup – the shade echoes the metal mesh of the bar shelves and protects the bulbs from stray ping-pong balls (the billiard table converts to a table tennis surface). Walnut display shelves ingeniously conceal a structural post.
DESIGN, Stephanie Charest, Stephanie Charest Interior Design. CONTRACTOR,
Unique Projects. Walnut CABINETRY,
Superior Cabinets. WALL AND TRIM PAINT,
Cloud White OC-13, Benjamin Moore. FEATURE WALL PAINT, Needlepoint Navy SW0032, Sherwin-Williams. FLOORING,
Divine Flooring. POOL TABLE, Recreation
World. Currey and Company PENDANT
LIGHT, OTTOMANS, CF Interiors. Custom sofa CUSHIONS, Tonic Living (white with lines); Etsy (floral Schumacher fabric).
LIVING ROOM
“I love the TV wall’s blue paint for a pop of colour against the bright white, and for the way it flatters the warm walnut,” says Stephanie. To soften the effect of the large TV, she finished the wall behind it with reveal details and elegant sconces. “They all add interest without competing with the TV.” Floating cabinets maximize closed storage and the seating was chosen with family living in mind. “A big comfy sofa was a must for movie nights, and the armchairs actually swivel, so are a perfect solution – no one feels jaded they had to have a chair seat!”
Robert Abbey SCONCES, Robinson Lighting & Bath. SOFA, Stylus. CHAIR, Cricklewood Interiors. SIDE TABLE, Maria Tomás. Orange CUSHION, (on chair), Tonic Living. RUG, West Elm.
BAR
Stephanie chose hard-working quartz for the countertops at the bar. “The couple are wine aficionados and also have an espresso machine here, so the countertop had to stand up to potential stains,” says the designer. Black leather stools with gold bases are easy to wipe clean, and backs make them extra sturdy and comfortable. Suspended black-steel shelving adds visual interest and even more storage, but feels open thanks to metal mesh caging. Metal SHELVING, 3 Fab Metal Manufacturing. SINK, FAUCET, Robinson Lighting & Bath. BACKSPLASH, Tierra Sol. BARSTOOLS, CB2.