A Brighter, Better Basement

Before

“There is very little I like about my basement,”
stated this homeowner before we began working with her.

“I am frankly embarrassed by the condition of my basement and do not let anyone except service techs enter the space.”  

She was tired of the poor lighting, drafts, dated finishes, and musty smell. She only used her basement for storage, laundry, and “to take shelter during tornado warnings.”

And, unfortunately… she also had to shower down there as well.
This was extremely uncomfortable, due to how frigid the basement could become during the winter.

The homeowner was completely fed up with not having enough space upstairs, while at the same time, having such a great deal of unusable and unpleasant space downstairs.

Key Project Needs:

• A space that was brighter, cleaner, more welcoming, more comfortable
• A space the owner would look forward to spending time in, that also met her personal aesthetic 
• A bedroom area that could serve as either a guest room, or a place to work on crafts and home-improvement projects
• A bathroom that felt clean, modern and welcoming
• Additional storage in the laundry room
• Additional storage in the main living area
• An open, multipurpose primary living space that could serve as a comfortable place to read, watch television, exercise, listen to music or entertain friends
• Updated surfaces and materials
• A more clean-lined and contemporary look than the upstairs living spaces, yet still cozy
• Replace the dated light fixtures with ones that were unique and stylish, yet simple
• Replace the sheet vinyl flooring and pine board ceiling in the bathroom with working, durable, attractive bathroom products
• A basement that would support daily living and improve the quality of her home life – not just be a cold, smelly place for storage, changing the litter box, and to escape from as quickly as possible

The Final, Finished Basement

At the end of her basement remodel, this homeowner had exactly the space she envisioned.

• It was a space in her cozy St. Louis Park home she could feel proud of, and where every area had a dedicated purpose. 
  
• It had an aesthetic that reflected her style, and everything felt clean and organized. It was light, bright and airy, not dark, damp and crowded.
  
• There were a multitude of storage options, perfect for organizing and tucking things away out of sight, and even the plumbing was tucked away behind a door that looked attractive and modern – as if it were simply another closet.
• Space was fully maximized, yet everything felt open and calming. The final scope even included fun custom features such as a laundry room drawer built especially for storing wrapping paper!
  

She couldn’t have been happier with the final results, and the Bluestem team absolutely loved working with her to help her ideal basement become reality.