Denver Basement Adds Family-Friendly Living Space
A designer and a contractor convert a crawl space into a smart and stylish place for playing, relaxing and entertaining
It’s hard to believe that not long ago, this basement was a creepy crawl space with a dirt floor and ceilings that ranged from 3 to 6 feet high. Interior designer Erin Levendusky and Darlington Renovation had to dig down a few feet to create a livable space beneath the historic 1904 Denver farmhouse. Now the homeowners and their two elementary-school-age children have a family-friendly space with room for lounging, TV-watching, napping, reading, playing pingpong and more.
After: The only entry to the crawl space was through an exterior door, seen here at the bottom of the stairs. So a new interior staircase had to be designed and built. The door still opens to some exterior stairs that lead up to the backyard.
There’s a pingpong area on the left. “We lost the wall where the cow painting used to hang upstairs when we put in the basement staircase. This was a great spot for it to hang, and it brings a lot of color into the room,” Levendusky says.
The designer was careful to use fabrics that would stand up to the kids and the family dog, Tilly. All the upholstery fabrics are commercially rated, and the carpeting is nylon with short loops for wearability. “I love wool, but this carpeting will stand up to stains better and is more durable,” she says.
Accent wall paint: Puritan Gray, and main wall color: Grey Owl, both Benjamin Moore
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There’s a pingpong area on the left. “We lost the wall where the cow painting used to hang upstairs when we put in the basement staircase. This was a great spot for it to hang, and it brings a lot of color into the room,” Levendusky says.
The designer was careful to use fabrics that would stand up to the kids and the family dog, Tilly. All the upholstery fabrics are commercially rated, and the carpeting is nylon with short loops for wearability. “I love wool, but this carpeting will stand up to stains better and is more durable,” she says.
Accent wall paint: Puritan Gray, and main wall color: Grey Owl, both Benjamin Moore
Browse sectional sofas in the Houzz Shop
Behind the staircase, Levendusky added an accent wall with gridded millwork. “They have a lot of original millwork upstairs, and it creates that warmth that historic homes have. This wall brought that element down to the lower level but in a more modern way,” she says.
The blackened steel staircase railing, designed by Levendusky and handcrafted by local metalworker Harrison Nealey of Industrial Arts, also adds a modern touch. Artwork was another important factor in the design. Levendusky described this piece, by local artist Melissa Renaud, as “a bunch of colorful ceramic pillows.”
The blackened steel staircase railing, designed by Levendusky and handcrafted by local metalworker Harrison Nealey of Industrial Arts, also adds a modern touch. Artwork was another important factor in the design. Levendusky described this piece, by local artist Melissa Renaud, as “a bunch of colorful ceramic pillows.”
Knowing she’d have some space to play with under the stairs, the designer thought about the kids. “I wanted to give them a cozy space to read books,” she says. The built-in daybed nook includes a reading sconce and deep drawers for storage. Tilly likes this area too.
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The space had an existing bay that Levendusky knew would be a good spot for a bar. It mainly serves as a beverage area for the kids, but the homeowners switch it up when entertaining.
Levendusky gave the bar a quartzite countertop and a matching backsplash. “I knew I liked the idea of a high backsplash for a bar. And I added a 4-inch ledge to the top as a shelf. It’s great for holding pieces of art or decorating for the holidays,” she says.
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Levendusky gave the bar a quartzite countertop and a matching backsplash. “I knew I liked the idea of a high backsplash for a bar. And I added a 4-inch ledge to the top as a shelf. It’s great for holding pieces of art or decorating for the holidays,” she says.
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Unable to find the exact high-top bar table she wanted, Levendusky designed her own. “I showed Harrison at Industrial Arts the kinds of bases I liked and a quick sketch, and he made this table custom. He’s my go-to and he’s amazing,” she says.
The basement also has a full bathroom. Levendusky custom-designed this furniture-like vanity for the space, topping it in white quartz.
The homeowners had an infrared sauna on their must-have list. It wasn’t photographed, but you can catch a glimpse of it in the mirror’s reflection. The shower is next to it on the left.
New to home remodeling? Click here to learn the basics
The homeowners had an infrared sauna on their must-have list. It wasn’t photographed, but you can catch a glimpse of it in the mirror’s reflection. The shower is next to it on the left.
New to home remodeling? Click here to learn the basics
Levendusky used a mix of a marble mosaic chevron tile and coordinating large-scale vein-cut marble tiles in the shower. The tiles on the wall measure 12 by 24 inches. “I love to use large-scale tiles in a shower. It cuts down on grout lines, so it makes a shower much easier to clean,” she says.
The long niche picks up on the mosaic floor tile in a streamlined way that’s pleasing to the eye. The niche shelf is the same quartz that Levendusky used on the countertop.
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Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their two children and their dog, Tilly
Location: Denver
Size: 1,000 square feet (93 square meters)
Designer: Erin Levendusky
of Ejay Interiors
Contractor: Darlington Renovation
Before: The old space had the dirt floor and low ceilings typical of a crawl space. They had to dig down beneath the entire basement to create a space with 9-foot ceilings.
“The homeowners wanted this to be a flexible space,” Levendusky says. “They wanted it to serve as a spot where the kids could hang out during parties, or a place where the party could flow down to from upstairs. They also wanted it to be a spot to watch Sunday football games.” Another must-have was an infrared sauna. They shared Houzz ideabooks to give the designer an idea of the style they wanted. Because the basement is separate from the rest of the historic house, they had the freedom to mix in more modern elements down here.
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