Articles
Basement Beautiful!
Lights, glamour, sophistication
By Margaret Anne Fehr
Nothing succeeds like success and in the wake of their recent national SAM award for best kitchen for 2011, Harwood Design Builders may very well be a contender for next year's award for best basement renovation after completing an extraordinary job for homeowners Mary and Jay.
The 12 year old custom built house needed to expand its livability due to the couple's blended families and the 1540 square feet of the unfinished basement was ready for development. But this couple was adamant in wanting a space that was no ordinary basement fix-up but one that would rival the contemporary features of the custom-built main floor.
"My partner Jay and I have been together for 7 ˝ years," says Mary. "We knew one day, we'd be sharing our future together. The idea of both of us selling our homes and buying a larger house was briefly discussed. However my heart and passion was invested into every detail and aspect of my house. No way did I want to move. The only solution was to finish the basement and Jay and I agreed that the basement should match the main floor."
Mary had consulted with interior designer, Lilian Kuzak to draft a blueprint for the basement and then called on Wayne Sage of Harwood Design Builders to bring the plans to life.
The plans included a full-scale kitchen, a great room, 2 bedrooms, an office, a small work out area, a bathroom, a hair salon, a walk in pantry for small kitchen appliances as well as storage area.
The idea for the curved bulkhead in the great room was designed by Luis Tavares, the lead carpenter for Harwood. "Luis said he loves being able to design as the project goes on. He does this in consultation and as part of the project team. He transforms 'eye sores such as the teleposts and heating ducts into eye candy' as he puts it;” laughs Mary.
Jay also credits Luis for the recessed wall and cabinetry that houses the TV. All extension cords, cables, and wiring are accessible in the back of the cabinet from one of the bedrooms so that "it's all completely camouflaged."
Interesting use of materials was a feature of the renovation thanks to Mary's discriminating design sense and eye for colour. "Colour tones and selections is second nature to me." says Mary, "because of my hairdressing/colourist background."
To promote the modern theme, Mary chose a floating pantry that acts like an art wall, sleek cabinets without pulls, stainless steel countertops and glass panels. The island/counter is topped with Cambria quartz, a cool white with flecks of glass and mirrored fragments while the pendant lights above add to the sophisticated play of light and reflection.
The flooring for the bathroom and kitchen is a ¬commercial Centiva 18” x 18” tile. Warm to the touch, the mother of pearl / sea shell texture reflects both the colors of the warm walls in the kitchen along with the coolness of the adjacent furniture and appliances says Mary.
A striking commercial wood product painted to look metallic and seen in restaurants and commercial applications was Mary's choice for the undulating wall dividers and art niches within the space. Wayne Sage adds, "This was a custom design that had to be implemented and then a special anchoring system was used to brace it in place. It was then painted with a special coating to make it resemble metal."
Mary and Jay both agreed that Harwood Design Builders were amazing to work with. "Wayne Sage and his crew were completely professional, genuine, courteous and skilled. They are truly masters in their field."
"The crew was always punctual, cleaned up after themselves, was very respectful, and sincere. We would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to have quality renovations done."
Besides a basement that is everything she had envisioned, Mary adds that she discovered a lot about herself during the process. "Submerged in a creative field at work, and always rewarding clients with beauty makeovers; it’s nice to be able to create for ourselves occasionally.”
Click Here to view Home Decore And Renovations article and images.