A WALK-OUT BASEMENT GETS A WARM AND INVITING MAKEOVER WITH
A CHIC, COASTAL VIBE.
CANADIAN HOME TRENDS CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT THE BASEMENT'S DESIGN
AND LAYOUT?
CHERYL TAY The homeowners visualized
their basement as the primary spot to spend
recreational time with family and friends.
With 1,300 square feet to work with, we
were able to accommodate everything on
their list, plus a bar and lounge as well as two
full baths, a separate shower room to serve
the pool guests and a full private bath in
the nanny’s suite. With a walk-out basement,
there’s a lot more natural light. We wanted to
keep the layout as open as possible to allow
light to flow throughout the space.
CHT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
INSPIRED THE OVERALL DESIGN?
CT The personalities and lifestyle of the
homeowners was the inspiration for my
design. The goal was to maximize the
functionality of the space around a great
design that reflects the style of the family.
CHT WHAT IS A COMMON MISTAKE
PEOPLE MAKE WHEN DESIGNING AN
OPEN CONCEPT BASEMENT?
CT Make sure you plan out all the details of
the layout, design and finishes before you
start. An open concept that has no defined
purposes ends up being wasted space. I
always say, there’s a big difference between
finishing your basement and designing your
basement.
CHT WHERE DID YOU DECIDE TO
SPLURGE IN THIS BASEMENT?
CT We splurged on the extra costs involved
in taking the bar and lounge to the next level.
This included details like the widening of the
whole footprint, beefing up the walls that
wrap the posts, cladding them in the same
material as the cabinets, quartz countertops
and adding a fireplace to top it off.
CHT CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE HOMEOWNERS?
CT They’re the cutest! It was an exciting but
also nervous time for them. Stephanie and
Laurence were expecting their first child
at the time and her baby shower a month
before the baby’s due date was our deadline
for the project. They were great about being
involved in the decision making process and
keeping the lines of communication open.
They’re laid back, young at heart, warm and
inviting: just like their new space.
Space Designed by Intrinsic Designs, www.intrinsicdesigns.
ca; Photography by Anthony Rego Photography, www.
anthonyrego.com; Tiles, Ciot, www.ciot.com; Laminate
Flooring, Torlys, www.torlys.com; Paint, Benjamin Moore,
www.benjaminmoore.com; Furniture And Accessories;
IKEA, www.ikea.com; Urban Barn, www.urbanbarn.
com; Bouclair, www.bouclair.com; Crate & Barrel, www.
crateandbarrel.com; Restoration Hardware, www.
restorationhardware.com; HomeSense, www.homesense.ca