A ‘love it or list it’ basement reno
Davisville Village duplex owners couldn’t resist moving downstairs after $400,000 update and redesign
Settling into the basement may not be most homeowners’ first choice. But a creative renovation of their duplex had one Davisville Village family eager to move from upstairs to downstairs.
Designer Michaela Burns, owner of Mint Décor, had previously reimagined the upper unit for the couple who lived in the two top floors of the top-down duplex they owned. When their downstairs tenant moved out, they decided to renovate before renting it out again. Burns brought in architect Sacha Lee, of Aeon Design, to collaborate on the project. The total renovation came in at around $400,000 and included a number of mechanical upgrades that service the upper unit, as well.
And once they saw the results, the owners were keen to make the lower unit — with the main floor and basement — their home.
“It was kind of a ‘love it or list it’ story. The intent was to make the unit very family friendly because of the area it’s located in. But then the couple, who are expecting a baby, ended up loving it and reclaiming it for themselves,” Burns said. Some of that love has to do with the rare, generous-sized entryway that Lee configured. “It’s every mom’s dream of stroller parking and no stairs to contend with,” she said.
It also includes a huge double-window that lets south-facing light in and a mega-storage closet that can accommodate everything from golf clubs to skis.
“I have two young kids and I was
thinking if I was designing this for myself five years ago when I started having children, this is what I would want,” said Lee.
With 1,470 square feet to work with across the main floor and basement, Lee’s main mission was to maximize space and remove all reminders that the occupants were living partially below the ground. Accommodations included installing safe and sound insulation between the two lower floors so no footsteps wake sleeping babies and a high-quality sub-floor with an insulation value to maintain a warm, dry feel.
The main floor includes a living area, kitchen, dining area and powder room; the basement features three full bedrooms, a laundry area and two bathrooms, including an ensuite for the master.
“We relocated the stair opening to get that second full bathroom in the basement, which was the driving force for the couple deciding to move downstairs. They didn’t have that in the upper unit. And the powder room on the main floor was a complete bonus,” said Lee.
After nine months of architectural and structural design, Lee handed the project over to Burns, who worked her magic to create a cosy space with a simple, Scandinavian feel. The master bedroom down below boasts a 3.5-by-six-foot window that’s “as big as you would expect in any master suite,” said Lee. “We lowered some of the sills to give them more natural light in the basement and kept all the finishes as light and bright as possible.”
The room’s two-tone forest green silk rug provides interest and the Japanese grass cloth wallpaper behind the headboard warms the space with its natural textures. In lieu of a traditional closet, Lee designed a wall of built-ins fronted by grey linen laminate to store everything the couple needs.
Out in the hallway, the laundry “room” hides in plain sight and includes a sink and cabinetry that uses the triangular storage space under the stairs. “The couple was OK leaving it exposed because they’re neat people and it forces them to do their laundry and put it away,” said Lee. Two full bedrooms await guests and a baby, and the bright bathrooms have heated floors. The family bathroom features a bathtub instead of shower and a larger vanity “because kids come with so much stuff,” said Lee.
“We wanted the whole house to vibe together. For example, we ran the same flooring throughout ground floor, the basement and on stairs so there’s a continuity between all the spaces.”
Up on the main floor, Burns centred the space on a kitchen built for cooking and entertaining. Four bar stools at the island invite guests to belly up to the bar. And the nearby dining area features a 5.5-foot bench upholstered in high-quality vinyl that looks built in but can be removed. The round table can be expanded to accommodate up to seven people. And the white oak cabinetry with one open cabinet is durable and built to last.
“The design was intended to be very neutral and accommodating to most styles. It fits this family, but it can also easily be rented out in five years and someone else could come in and put their own flavour on it,” said Burns.
The waterfall of the island eases the transition to the living room at the back of the house. The grass cloth wallpaper makes a reappearance in the wall behind the TV and the white oak from the kitchen is repeated along the top of a built-in cabinet. A custommade sectional sofa acts as a place to plop down beside a room divider from the back entrance.