“Entertaining, bright and joyful” was the phrase this mother of 2 young boys used to refer to her dream cellar makeover. She gave a sheet of cloth she adored to interior designer Cathy Zaeske as a starting point. “My customer wanted a family-friendly, inviting and stylish space that included a house theater with lots of seating, a play area, a workout area, an office, a homework station and revamped storage options,” Zaeske states. She got to work on a practical design, did a smart bargain shopping and balanced bold and light colours to brighten up the space.
Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: A mom with twin boys in elementary school
Location: External Chicago
Size: 475 square feet
Approximate budget: Only under $10,000
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
“The first thing I did was decide the requirements of the family and subsequently developed a floor plan from zone,” Zaeske states. She delineated the different zones using carpets, colours, furniture and present components like columns. Layout and Color create flow and continuity.
Carousel Designs
Confetti Pom Pon Play Fabric – $15
The customer had fallen in love with Waverly Pom Pon Play Confetti cloth; it inspired the color palette, which incorporates bold and vivid color grounded by black beams.
Before Photo
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
“The space was completed but overrun with toys and clutter. It was the typical catchall space full of cast-off furniture and dated electronics,” Zaeske states.
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Zaeske balanced smooth glistening surfaces with feel. This wavy textured wallpaper contrasts with all the straight lines of this mirror.
Paint: Great Blue Green AC 149, Cloverdale Paint; textured wallpaper: Patent Decor by York, PT9404
Before Photo
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Average of a cellar, the windows were little and didn’t let in much all-natural light.
“There are only two little windows in the room, so we needed to maintain the room as bright as possible,” Zaeske states. “The light carpeting was in great shape, so we could utilize that but freshen this up with layered rugs rugs.”
To create the illusion of a complete window, Zaeske purchased an off-the-shelf woven Roman shade; split the top valance portion and put in it at ceiling height; hung at the bottom portion of the shade beneath the window, simulating a top window shade; and framed the windows along with her inspiration cloth
“This window is my favourite feature in the room. It gives the impression that the room is brighter and taller,” Zaeske states.
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Basements are usually full of pesky supports that hold up the house, and ductwork that heats and cools it. Sometimes you’ve got to work with this.
“We decided to conceal the pillar in plain sight and make it an advantage,” Zaeske states. “Does the pillar help specify the TV area from the rest of the space, but it is a wonderful platform for the client’s favorite quotes and sayings; we left space so that she can add to it over time.”
Swivel seat: Rebecca, Grandinroad; TV unit: Besta Burs, Ikea; stickers: plastic, Michael’s and Hobby Lobby
Before Photo
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
BEFORE: A hodgepodge of strangely scaled shelves left a lot to be desired.
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
An Expedit bookcase from Ikea paired with vibrant boxes from Pier 1 Imports supplies coordinated toy storage that leaves everything easy to catch.
Painting the handrail and newel post black gave them a crisp look that picks on another dark accents within the room.
Ceiling paint: Cloud Nine; trim paint: Chantilly Lace (equally by Benjamin Moore)
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
This homework station provides lots of storage for electronics and paper documents, as well as display space for books and favorite products.
“Ghost Chairs are a good way to put in a playful spirit to the space, and they take no visual burden,” Zaeske states.
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
“We chose to utilize a sectional in a kid-friendly cloth and dark color for comparison,” Zaeske states. “Balance was quite crucial in this space to maintain the palette from appearing too cutsey — we balanced warm with trendy, bumpy with smooth and dark with light.”
Sofa: Milo Sectional, Macy’s
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Light carpeting, walls, trim and accents, along with mirrors and bright lighting, maintain the room as bright as if it were aboveground.
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
“Lights and mirrors are my mantra when designing a cellar with low ceilings — it is a great way to expand the walls as well as double the light,” Zaeske states.
Chandelier: Portfolio 3-Light, Lowe’s; mirror: HomeGoods
Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske
Exercise gear is tucked behind the dwelling room, where consumers can still enjoy a view of the TV. A Besta Burs Desk from Ikea functions as a sofa table.
Your turn: Show us your cellar redo!