Basements
May 14, 2021
Basement Makeover: A Pretty & Practical Home Office
Often last on the list for a makeover, basements rarely get any serious love. That was certainly the case for the basement of Michele Rowland, a real-estate agent, and her husband, Derek Lamont. In 2016, the couple bought their charming, 1920s classic Tudor home in Oshawa, Ontario, a 45 minutes’ drive east of Toronto. They spent two years renovating the upper floors before finally shifting their gaze lower — and what they saw wasn’t pretty. “By this point, we had run out of steam,” says Michele.
The basement consisted of a hallway beside the stairwell that led to a small sitting room and a charmless and dated three-piece bath. Half of it was unfinished storage space, including a laundry area. Still, they had grand visions of transforming the 600-square-foot lower level into a “pretty but practical office” for Michele’s four-person team.
A key consideration was making the basement feel like the rest of the house, which is where designer Christine Elliott came in. “We addressed how the team worked day to day, and what they needed at their fingertips,” says Christine. There had to be storage, a pleasant spot to eat lunch and meet with clients, a new bathroom and a private office for Michele. In the end, Michele is thrilled with the total transformation. “A friend said, ‘When you’re done with the office, I’m turning it into my apartment.’”
Scroll down to see the dramatic before and after of this basement makeover!
At the bottom of the stairs, the staff workspace has matching desks and upholstered chairs. Off-white desks, textured grasscloth and splashy green chairs add warmth in the space. Sheets of glass protect the desktops.
Michele and Christine also spent time in antique markets and salvage shops to find the perfect statement pieces.
An exposed brick wall is a textural backdrop for a built-in desk.
Christine hid the printer and other office supplies behind a panelled door. Weighty doors adorned with salvaged hardware can be closed for privacy.
The team eats lunch here, so Christine added a blue stripe down the center of the chairs to disguise possible color transfer from dark denim.
Little details, including the brass that’s carried throughout – like these hand-cast pulls – make the space special. “By far, my favorite part of this project was sourcing all the beautiful hardware, from the cabinet pulls to the doors to the light switches,” says Christine. “Everything has such a nice weight to it.” A drawing depicts Michele’s house.
“That’s my little escape,” says Michele of her private office which was once a bedroom. The marble-topped desk frames a gallery wall of paintings softly lit by picture lighting. “I love seeing the art I’ve been collecting from East of Eden Antiques near my cottage in the Kawarthas.”
The new bathroom feels cool and fresh. Christine adjusted the floor plan so that the sight line shows a flash of color when you first open the door. “We installed a feature wall with a secret entrance,” she says of the raised panelling that runs seamlessly across the door. The brass inlays on the vanity were patinated using salt and vinegar.
Large-format marble tiles in the shower create a luxurious feel; the mosaic floor is striking.
Stephani Buchman
House & Home April 2021
Christine Elliott