When our new Arlington clients first approached us about finishing their basement, they had already lived in the home for seven years. In fact, it was brand new when they purchased it. At that time, they didn’t need extra space. Fast forward a few years and add a toddler to the mix: NOW they DO need more space.
They had given a lot of thought to what they needed: a finished basement that could serve several purposes:
- Create a comfortable space for friends and family to hang out. One that was far removed from all the toddler toys upstairs.
- Build a bar to house their extensive beer collection.
In general, they wanted a room that felt like an escape from more chaotic family spaces upstairs. After finding Custom Contracting via the Arlington List Facebook page, they reached out to see how we could help.
The Existing Basement
From a remodeling perspective, the homeowners were ahead of the game. Many, if not most, of the homes in Arlington and the surrounding towns have basements that are … well, sometimes creepy with dirt floors and very low clearance. But this home was relatively new. The ceilings were high enough, however there were plumbing, electrical and HVAC components to contend with along with the typical metal lally columns you’d expect to find.
Creating the Vision
The homeowners envisioned a bar in the new basement, but it’s hard to walk into an unfinished space with insulation on the ceiling and concrete walls/floor and imagine how it might look finished. So our team created a rendering of different options of what the basement bar could become. The homeowners could not only see how it would look, but the rendering also enabled us to play with different cabinet colors, hardware, open shelving and overall configurations. 3D renderings like this are much easier for homeowners than the floorplans we solely relied on in years’ past!
Prep and Build
As the plan was being finalized and the cabinets ordered, we could get to work on prepping the basement. Moisture is almost always a concern at or below ground. Moisture barrier was added along the exterior walls to make sure it wouldn’t become a problem down the line. Vinyl plank flooring was used throughout the space to greatly reduce the possibility that they will warp, while carpet was added to the stairs from the first floor.
The Big Reveal!
We don’t have “big reveal” moments like on HGTV. In reality, it’s far more important to keep in constant communication with the homeowners so that there are, in fact, no surprises. Regardless, there is still a WOW! moment when the space is complete, and we’ve sent in our cleaning crew to remove all the dust.
So just how closely does the finished design resemble the new lower level? See for yourself!
The bar area has plenty of seating for family and friends. There are cabinets and open shelves for storage and even a beverage refrigerator to keep their beer collection chilled.
The homeowners chose Bertch cabinets topped with quartz countertops (“Venato Gold”) from Stone Surfaces. We added plumbing and a drain which allowed us to build a true “wet” bar with the addition of the sink.
The homeowners worked with our in-house designer to choose the striking wallpaper behind the shelves. Meanwhile, hidden behind the walls is wiring that syncs the television over the beverage fridge with the one opposite the couch. The homeowners wanted to make sure that when it was “football night” their guests could see and hear the game from anywhere in the room.
We built soffits in the ceiling to enclose the relocated plumbing, electrical and HVAC components. This not only got them out of the way visually but gave us more square footage to work with in the open family room/bar. We also added a mini-split HVAC system which is highly energy efficient and allows the homeowners to heat or cool the entire room as needed. Fortunately, we were also able to install a couple of full-height windows which disguises the fact that this great hang-out space is, in fact, in a basement.
The homeowners love the new space. And now that we’ve entered football season – we know where the party will be!
You can see more photos from this project HERE.