FIRST-PLACE FINISH
Designer Tiffany Piotrowski takes a basement from unfinished to unbelievable.
Designer Tiffany Piotrowski takes a basement from unfinished to unbelievable.
To call
this basement in Erin, Ont., “finished” is a bit of an understatement. First, there’s the sheer size of it – a whopping 3,500-square-feet – then there are its various zones, which range from the expected seating area and playroom to the not-so-expected pottery studio, cinema and home gym. It was designed with the owners’ interests in mind (they’re a young couple with two little girls and a dog) and decorated to be fun without being frivolous. We get that not all of us can deploy this basement’s amenities into our own, but we can take away Tiffany’s brilliant design tips that will change how you think about lighting, make furniture choices, and use white in a basement. PLAY ZONE
“Basements are the perfect place for maximizing storage and I like to blend custom systems with freestanding options. In the playroom, I paired custom-built toy storage that incorporates a desk, drawers and a fun reading nook (complete with a comfy fitted cushion and its own light) with inexpensive baskets that corral the girls’ most-loved toys. Everything serves a function.”
DESIGN, CUSTOM CHALKBOARD, Tiffany Piotrowski,
Tiffany Leigh Design. CONTRACTOR, Kingsgate Construction. Simply White OC-117 WALL PAINT, Benjamin Moore. SCONCES, Rejuvenation. ART, Juniper Print Shop. POUFS, Wayfair. Wooden CHAIRS, EQ3. Kids’ TABLE, CHAIRS, RH Baby & Child.
“To keep things interesting, I punctuated the space with hits of black, textural elements like textiles, and fun patterns and colour.”
LIVING AREA
“In the seating area, a big comfy sofa with a single seat cushion is the place to hang out or have a nap. Because the sofa’s slipcover goes straight to the ground – just like the large leather ottoman does – I broke up the heavier impact with chairs that have a lighter, more sculptural presence.”