Jeff and Dora are a professional couple with kids in school living in Middleton, Wisconsin. They first got in touch with us to redesign their home in the Misty Valley neighborhood. Along with some remodeling work on the main level, they also wanted to upgrade the lower-level family room. There was already a finished basement family room, but it was bland. Along with an interior design improvement, they also wanted to create a modern workout room in an unfinished portion of the basement to create the perfect spot to enjoy a workout and escape the stresses of the workday.

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Updating the Finished Basement Design and Adding Functionality

The downstairs family room had been finished previously, but it was seriously dated, bland and beige. It had the perfect space for a monster TV but was begging for a design upgrade. A key request from Jeff and Dora was for lots of cabinetry and storage. We responded by designing a full 15-foot wall-length cabinet complete with a beverage refrigerator and a long countertop.

Creating a Beautiful Functional Design

To anchor the space, we added floating shelves with embedded LED light strips on the left and right sides of the TV. We repainted the beige wall Sherwin Williams Foggy Day. The deep accent color stands in perfect contrast and compliments the crisp white cabinetry. We chose Jeffrey Alexander Merrick 5-inch handles for the cabinetry to add visual bling.

 

A Great Workout Space!

One of the homeowner's primary goals was to create a dedicated workout room in a portion of the unfinished basement. We completed the modern workout room with raw materials to create a contemporary design. Floor joists, ductwork, and electric in the ceiling are all painted black. We left the concrete walls exposed. The look is completed with rubber workout flooring. There's the perfect spot for each piece of fitness equipment, including a Bowflex, elliptical, treadmill, punching bag, and a weight area. It's the ideal spot to enjoy a home workout and escape from the day's stresses.

A Bright and Cheerful Basement Upgrade

This home's drab family room was transformed into a contemporary, casual family gathering space, perfect for movie night or watching the big game. The modern workout room adds another level of functionality the entire family can enjoy. In the end, Jeff and Dora got the finished basement space they were looking for. It's bright, cheerful, functional, and, thanks to inspired design, visually connected to the rest of the home. The space includes the perfect amount of contrast, countertop, texture, and functionality. When you love your neighborhood, a little bit of creativity and a good design can elevate your home and give you the space you've always dreamed of!

Additional related articles:

See the before-and-after basement photos side-by-side.

View the living room and additional images of this interior design and remodeling project.

 
 

Project Designer

Dave Duewel
Senior Designer

Lead
Carpenter

PJ Ender,
CLC, CRPM

 
“There’s truly an air of excitement when you make a home “yours” by getting the design features just right. If you want great features, you’re going to pay for them one way or another. So if you have a neighborhood that you love, then adding those features to your home gives you true value and a great lifestyle. It’s what we call design ~ for your life”
— Abe Degnan, President, Degnan Design-Build-Remodel