One year after completing a decorative overhaul of the main house, Mia’s next project for these clients was to design the basement area recently excavated under the complete footprint of the house. There was a jaw-dropping 90 square metres to make optimum use of. The brief: to create a much-needed spacious play area for the 3 young children of the family, a spare bedroom with ensuite bathroom, a fully-equipped utility area, guest WC and last, but by no means least, a self-contained walk-in wine cellar for over 500 bottles of wine.
The garden area was also removed to reveal a two-level outside space (25 square metres) complete with an outdoor cinema area! On the ground floor level beautiful decorative floor tiles with subtle patterns keeps maintenance to a minimum.
A new bright and spacious kitchen was created with ample surface space. The kitchen units are traditional in style in keeping with the rest of the house but the modern table and chairs add a splash of colour and fun and create a subtle nod to the modern outside area and glass roof which flood the whole room with natural light.
The staircase, that leads down to the immense basement, mirrors those of the floors above with the same runner and balustrade detail, creating a seamless flow from one area to the next. To the front of the house and directly underneath the front garden area is the utility room complete with sink and ample storage as well as the washing machine and dryer. Every practical detail has been thought of so that this area can be kept tidy and functional whilst remaining discreetly hidden.
The next room is a spare bedroom with a clever wall of cupboards leading through to a bright ensuite bathroom and toilet. The calm natural tones of this space are spiced up with vibrant splashes of colour from the chair, cushions and artwork. Astutely placed LED lighting means this room (otherwise deprived of natural light) is aglow.
We then move down the corridor past the guest WC again furnished with discreet storage, to the wine cellar. A beautiful wooden corridor bedecked with beautiful custom-made shelving to house a stunning collection of wines, completely temperature controlled.
The back area of the basement is where the play-area and TV chill-out zone come into their own: a large bright spacious area with bold colours to add drama and a sense of fun to this family friendly space. The TV is cased in a functional shelving area with ample storage and the large sofas are bedecked with colourful cushions and textures as they wrap around the bright orange rug and eclectic coffee table.
The cherry on the cake for everyone is the outside space that not only allows natural light in to an area logically deprived of it but also fulfils the fun-function; a projector sits just outside the terrace doors that can be opened completely and in the Summer the space becomes an outdoor cinema with images thrown onto the wall opposite. As the children keep reminding us, they LOVE this new basement!