New Finished Basement Provides Livable Space

Christian and Caroline, a young couple with a young family, had built their new home through a large-scale builder. However, they were left disappointed with parts of the design and construction process and desired a closer partnership with a local remodeling specialist. Their house was a two-story home without a finished basement. When they decided they needed more livable space, they asked friends for the name of a remodeler and were referred to us.

This Remodeling Project is a NARI Madison Remodeler of the Year Award-Winning Project

Click on the images below to view them full screen.

From the beginning of the design process, the goal was to provide an entertaining space for friends and family that would make you say, “Thank God we did this”. Christian and Caroline envisioned a basement with a bedroom, bathroom, wet bar, and an entertainment space with a fireplace for adults and kids. With these goals in mind, we started designing and worked closely with Christian and Caroline to provide the perfect basement.

Finished Basement Remodeling Can Be A Challenge

During the design process, we ran into a variety of both large and small challenges. The layout of the basement was no exception. The location of a structural post required the entrance area into the bedroom and bathroom to be set on an angled wall. This design required us to use a pocket door for the bathroom. The door eliminated the swing in the smaller space. The bathroom vanity was designed with open shelving instead of drawers, as drawers would not be able to slide open all the way while the bathroom door was closed.

View All Of The Pictures Of This Finished Basement

Another challenge in the design was positioning the bar relative to the furnace. Since the drain pipe for the sink was near the furnace, we had to decide how to position the bar in order to have access to the drain. The conclusion was that placing an angled wall gave both ample length for a bar, and also provided access to service the furnace in back.

Though the design of the bar certainly serves as a centerpiece for the finished basement, there is an added wow factor with the butcher block, waterfall edge, and island table. Our expert carpenters’ careful craftsmanship took the island right off of the plan and straight into real life. If you look closely, you can see the precision in the cuts needed to ensure the grain lines up perfectly through every piece used.

Lighting design was another important part of this basement finish. Christian and Caroline desired a “moody restaurant feel”. The pendant lights over the island and the globe pendants hanging on either side of the vanity certainly help achieve the desired feel, along with the addition of tape lights under each shelf on the bar, inside the frosted glass cabinets on each side, and the glow from the vanity. Since the sliding patio door and large windows in the basement provide plenty of natural light, all of the lights are dimmable, allowing full control over the exact lighting level.

Our Clients Loved their Finished Basement

With all of these things working together, the end product is a finished lower level that Christian and Caroline love and a design experience that they’ll never forget!