Five Key Elements for the Perfect Basement Entertainment Space

Gone are the days where basements are simply play areas for the kids. They are now becoming the family room -- a place to entertain. I’m currently working on several basement remodels right now and I’ve seen lots of fun ideas for transforming the basement into a fantastic entertainment space. Here are some key elements:

1. Layout. Make sure you have enough room to seat people for a football game (Superbowl Sunday is just around the corner!) or to crowd around the TV for a good movie. For cocktail parties you’ll need open space for people to congregate, and if you’re lucky enough to have a pool table, make sure there’s ample room around it for spectators. The furniture figuration will set the tone for the entire basement. Here are a couple great layout examples:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1395759/Modern-Marvel-traditional-basement-new-york

http://www.houzz.com/photos/502520/Basement-Finish-traditional-basement-cincinnati 

2. Wet Bar. Nowadays, what’s a basement without a wet bar? This concept has become extremely popular! If you’re entertaining in the basement you won’t have to run upstairs to refresh drinks or snacks. If you’ve got a wet bar, everything you need to host will be right at your fingertips.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/984606/Great-Neighborhood-Homes-traditional-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1496585/Industrial-Chic-Basement-contemporary-basement-portland

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184909/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-basement-calgary    

3. Lighting. If you plan to entertain it’s essential to have good lighting. Nobody wants to feel like they are in a basement, and you can avoid that by making sure the lighting is great for whatever occasion. Whether it’s bright lights for an intense game of darts or ambient lighting for a movie, make sure you’ve got the lighting squared away.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/997922/Basement-Remodel-modern-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1458014/Modern-Basement-modern-basement-st-louis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/327012/M-J--Whelan-Construction-contemporary-basement-detroit

4. Textures. If you follow my blog you know I’m all about textures. By providing the right textures in your fabrics, colors, seating and flooring, you’re ensuring your guests will have a comfortable experience in your space. The ultimate goal is to provide a relaxing, cozy place for any occasion. Let your guests forget they’re in a basement!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2369753/stately-manor-contemporary-basement-philadelphia

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1821064/177-white-pine---new-build-contemporary-basement-salt-lake-city

5. Wine Cellar. Where’s a better place for a wine cellar than in a basement? If you’ve got all of the other key elements down, the basement can be a great place to experience a bottle of wine. If you incorporate a wine cellar into your basement redesign it can become a beautiful, integral part of its décor. And the cherry on top

is that wine cellars can store large amounts for big soirees!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/162302/Wine-Room-contemporary-wine-cellar-phoenix

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1816972/162-white-pine---new-build-traditional-family-room-salt-lake-city

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184889/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-wine-cellar-calgary    

So there you have it – the five key elements to making your basement a great place for entertainment!

Fabulous Interior Color Combos

One of the best ways to start dressing a room is to choose a color combination. There are countless beautiful combos out there, but right now these are the three that I’m loving the most:

1. Grays + Greens: Emerald, grass, jade … you name it! Green and gray look fantastic together.

http://la-belle-vie.tumblr.com/

 These emerald curtains are a beautiful contrast from the subtle gray walls. And the pop of gold in the chandelier? Amazing.

http://designedinteriors.tumblr.com/

 

The grass green of these curtains blends perfectly with the nature-themed interior. This person stuck to a simple color palate of white and gray and accented it with just the right amount of color.

http://sketch42blog.com/tag/steven-gambrel-elle-decor/

 

This living room, on the other hand, has a darker color palate and the bright green really breathes some life into the space. With just two pieces of furniture and an art piece, the dull colors really dance.

2. Blue on Blue: This sounds a little crazy, but blue on blue -- if done right -- can be utterly stunning. Observe:

http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/2010/02/once-in-blue-room.html

 

The dark blue walls with the lighter blue chairs and pictures on the wall really give the room depth, while the green accents provide your eyes with non-blue objects to admire.

http://www.fromtherightbank.com/page/100/

 

This cool, calm room just exudes relaxation vibes. 

http://weheartit.com/entry/25321138/via/Dalylah

 

Okay this might be a little extreme, but it’s cool, right? The blue against the gold looks majestic and inviting. Imagine if the room was all red or brown – not quite as cozy. This is the epitome of blue on blue and they’re killing it.

3. Monochrome: You got a little taste of monochrome in the above picture, but these cream, gray and beige monochromatic rooms are just delightful. When you stick with such a subtle color you’ve really got to play up the textures, depths and fabrics. This is a great color scheme for the bedroom, as it’s calm and ensures rest and relaxation! Take a look at these and note the textures:

http://bungalowathome.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html

http://signedbytina.blogspot.co.nz/2011/05/all-white.html

http://missgracieshouse.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-am-coming-out-of-hiding-to-say-thank.html

 

Greens, blues, grays and beiges are great colors to toy around with. And don’t be afraid to try the color-on-color concept!

Bathroom Tile Trends

I’ve been designing some bathrooms lately and have come across such cool trends that I had to share them with you all! Here are some amazing things I’m seeing in terms of bathroom tiles:

1. Silver + Bronze. It’s a rare occasion that you see silver and bronze mixed together in one room, but it’s a fabulous way to spice up your bathroom! Whether you have bronze tiles and silver fixtures, or vice versa (or both!) this gives the bathroom a clean, refreshing and metallic effect.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/121519/Commercial-Endeavours-eclectic-bathroom-other-metro

http://www.myhomeideas.com/room-galleries/natural-materials-bathroom-00400000053516/index.html

http://www.houzz.com/photos/646973/Boca-Masterpiece-contemporary-bathroom-miami

 

2. Big Floor Tiles + Small Shower Tiles. This is such a unique trend! As you’ll see in the pictures below, 12x24 tiles on the floor and small mosaic tiles covering the shower wall creates a lovely contrast that isn’t often seen in bathrooms.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/165151/Luxury-Bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-new-york

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/160796/What-is-the-width-of-this-bathroom----wh

3. Walls + Stripes. Just like painting an accent wall in a bedroom or living room, you can create an accent wall with tiles in a bathroom! Horizontal stripes are very big right now, and they add some depth to the space.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1081167/Powder-Room-modern-powder-room-los-angeles

http://www.houzz.com/photos/375633/2011-Showcase---Hillside-Retreat-modern-bathroom-other-metro

http://www.houzz.com/photos/202107/Rough-Hollow-Parade-Home-2010-contemporary-bathroom-austin

   

4. Modern Tile + Herringbone. Creating a beautiful herringbone pattern with modern tiles can really jazz up a bathroom. You can either make the walls or floors herringbone, but don’t get carried away and do both!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/214118/Seeley-Master-Bath-B-traditional-bathroom-chicago

http://www.accentondesign.net/blog/bid/83420/INTERIOR-DESIGN-10-Incredible-Bathroom-Floors

http://www.houzz.com/photos/764901/Artistic-Tile-traditional-bathroom-

Whether you go with stripes, herringbone or metallics, your tile choices can really add some pizzazz to your bathroom!

2013 Trend Watch

Welcome, 2013!

Can you believe it's already January? I'm stoked about the New Year because we've got some great trends to watch out for! Here's what I'm seeing:

 Neons are in. Spending one minute on Pinterest will expose you to the myriad outfit combos with nudes and bright colors. I’m thinking hot pinks, blues and turquoises. From gloves to shoes to furniture, these colors are everywhere this year! 

http://www.designsponge.com/

http://totalinspiration.blogspot.com/

Mystery is the new black. Who doesn’t love just a hint of mystery? Think blacks, dark charcoals, saturated browns and navys. Each of those colors elude to the mysterious. This color palette (coined Midnight Mystery) was influenced by the classic The Great Gatsby, and I’m seeing it all over the place.

http://esl-bits.net/Books/The_Great_Gatsby/index.html

http://www.sasinteriors.net/2012/06/top-paint-picks-for-navy-blue-walls/

http://www.cococozy.com/2010/12/color-watch-dark-rooms-pitch-black-and.html

http://graylivin.com/2011/06/gray-walls-interior-design/

http://www.sasinteriors.net/2012/06/top-paint-picks-for-navy-blue-walls/

Natural is best. Natural elements are popping up on floors, walls, doors and furniture this year. From woods (or faux bois) to metals to scraps, natural is totally making its debut in 2013.

http://pop-deco.tumblr.com/page/2

http://www.rivermirrors.co.uk/largemirrors3.htm

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/wood-gallery-multiple-opening-frames/

Going 3D. Upholstered doors are going to be huge this year! And speaking of big, blown up murals and coal-charred surfaces add dimension to your walls in a massive way. Go the extra mile by making your décor pop in 2013.

http://www.terceragallerypaloalto.com/artists/robynhorn/gallery/3/

http://rileysittema.blogspot.com/2011/10/forgot-to-pin-it.html

http://mrspalmsey.wordpress.com/2011/10/22/upholstering-a-door/#comment-498

Don’t forget, designing the life you love is as easy as mixing a few new concepts into the mix! Happy 2013 everyone.

For more, check out my interview with Joel Carlson here.