If the heart of the home is the main floor, then the lower level may just be its soul. Transformed from dingy unused spaces of yesteryear, lower levels now offer a place to relax, watch television or a movie, play games, and even bowl. From sophisticated to downright decadent, find a lower level you’d love to share with family and friends.
Spare Time
Whether you want to be on top of your bowling game for league play or you just want to practice at any time, putting a regulation-size bowling alley in your lower level can be an option. When Architect Jerry Harpole commented that a long hallway could easily become a bowling alley, Horizon Builders, owned by George Fritz and Joe Bohm, set out to investigate the possibility. Although the installation was difficult because of the concrete walls, the bowling alley came to be with Harpole’s vision of T-111 paneling on the walls and barn doors to separate it from the rest of the spaces. It’s now a focal component of this lower level designed to be a destination place for the children, Fritz says.
Harpole, president of Harpole Architects PC, also designed the art deco-style movie theatre complete with concession stand in an area that had to be excavated by hand, Fritz says. “There was no other way to do it,” he says. The builders added a waterproofing product for moisture control, an HVAC system designed to be quiet using its own zone with built-in dehumidifier, and extensive soundproofing for top-notch acoustics. “It’s an elegant screening room,” Harpole says, with a retro feel to it. “It’s no different than a commercial movie theatre,” Fritz adds. “Everyone gets a ticket.”
“The theatre has a Kaleidescape movie storage system,” says Tom Wells, president of Integrated Media Systems. The whole house can share the movie collection. “Also, the homeowners wanted to be sure the sound from the theatre stayed there,” Wells adds. By developing a full acoustical design that includes fabric walls, the sound is crisp in the theatre but undetectable outside it.
Zen Time
Andreas Charalambous, principal of FORMA Design Inc., took a lower level “that was never brought to its potential” and transformed it into a thing of beauty that the owners can’t resist. “The space was turned from a wasteland into a multifunctional space that accommodates the owners’ lifestyles,” he says.
Charalambous suggested combining two rooms into one large space and extending the clerestory windows all the way to the floor to bring in views of the Japanese garden. Radiant-heated bamboo floors allow the owner to teach and practice yoga, while the glass doors with embedded wild grasses filter in natural light.
To downplay the ductwork, Charalambous installed a Venetian plaster art wall with a hidden flat light and added depth for closet space and a new gas fireplace. The two bedrooms on the lower level became a single-room gym with Pilates machines, rubber floors, and a flat-screen TV for exercise videos. Then the designer took the existing spiral staircase and modernized it to fit into the now Zen-inspired lower level.
Relax Time
Entertainment is the ultimate theme of this lower level remodel. “The homeowners had specific functional requirements for the space: billiard table, wet bar, bathroom, media center, fireplace nook, exercise room, and home office,” says Bruce Wentworth, principal of Wentworth Inc. He showed the clients three design options including alternate locations for the wet bar.
“We are used to working with limited space and maximizing every square inch,” Wentworth says. Since this lower level had ample room, each area had to be distinct enough to create a cozy, comfortable environment while fitting into an open floor plan. Lighting played an important part in this overall design with products from Estiluz, Niche Modern, Syrene, Boyd, and Sea Gull Lighting. Wentworth adds, “The homeowners have sophisticated contemporary taste that worked well with our design.”
Escape Time
Anticipating elderly parents moving in, the homeowners asked André Sabbagh, principal of TAS Interiors, Interior Design & Architectural Studio, to finish their lower level in a unique, personal way. They wanted a “dream enclave,” Sabbagh says. “The inspiration for the design concept was the homeowners love for wine and their appreciation for European architecture.” He also wanted to contradict all the current norms of a basement.
“I wanted to create a European village with a water fountain, textured surfaces, unique lighting, and domes bringing exterior and architectural elements to the space,” Sabbagh says. In doing so, Sabbagh faced a number of challenges. With a limited ceiling height that needed to accommodate heating and lighting and other design installations, Sabbagh had to get creative in making the spaces flow together. The result is interesting ceiling finishes and a fantastic overall design. “Arches and cove ceilings create the illusion of depth and height,” he adds, while also integrating each environment. “Each space has its own individuality, yet it is part of a greater sum.”
The family enjoys gathering in one area with different activities for everyone. “From the bar with the winery and seating area to the home theatre and the outside patio, the spaces maintain consistency and flexibility of usage,” Sabbagh says. “When the owners are home, they find themselves going straight to their ‘European oasis.’ ”
Downtime
In this lower level, the homeowners requested comfortable areas where as the children grew, they could have friends over without it feeling like a basement. It was also important for out-of-town family members and guests to feel welcome and not like they’re in a corner of a dark cellar.
Jeff Akseizer achieved this by incorporating a quiet Costa Rica effect in this daylight lower level, influenced by the fact that the family loves to visit that beautiful country and play in the surf and sun. “We wanted something fun and functional,” says Akseizer, principal of Akseizer Design Group. He wasn’t looking for a theme, but anchors for the spaces that include wide plank, hand-scraped bamboo floors, Benjamin Moore Dove Wing walls, abundant overhead lighting, and Phillip Jeffries Ltd. grass cloth on the ceiling in the library. A Gothic lantern from Michael-Cleary finishes the library/game room, which is an ideal spot for the children to interact.
The bar area with paneled-front refrigerator showcases wood that’s “roughed up” for a rustic effect, a Mother-of-Pearl backsplash by Maya Romanoff, and a glass countertop that can be removed so family treasures can be displayed beneath it. Pendants are from Kosmos Designs & Ideas Inc. This lower level also includes a foyer setting just before the entrance to the open theatre room, which features a sound system installed by Akseizer’s crew for easy access by the homeowners. “The idea was to simplify everything,” Akseizer adds, and recycle and reuse items where they could.
