Tailoring Good Plans

There’s no doubt that major renovations benefit from good architectural plans. Good plans do not, of course, guarantee success. Clients sometimes change their minds, or life interrupts (holy moly, Covid-19), or costly surprises pop up during construction, among the numerous other problems that can derail good plans.

Still, good plans are an important first step in any major renovation project. This was certainly true when we completed the basement described at Lost and Found. Below is an overview of the plans and our thought process behind some minor improvements to the plans as we tailored them to meet our client’s priority list.

First, it will help to start with a top level view of the original basement.

The center stairs led to a series of poorly lit open areas, partial walls, orphaned laundry machines, and some closets. The original basement was not an inviting place, but at least it was a blank slate.

The working version of the plans created distinct zones for the family, including a dedicated laundry room, wine cellar, media room, and gym.

Two issues to resolve in the working plans were the need for a basement bathroom and the size of the laundry room.

Basement bathroom or storage closet? Both are valuable. In this instance, it was a 5x7 corner next to the utility room. However, there was already a powder room at the top of the basement stairs. Also, the additional plumbing costs argued against adding a basement bathroom. A walk-in closet gave our client an organized storage opportunity for cleaning supplies and bulk items.

Shortening the length of the laundry room meant that an existing closet under the stairs would stay as-is (an efficient use of the under-stairs space), furniture placement in the media room was less constrained, and the clients could avoid significant issues with the stairwell. There were no big sacrifices to the laundry room layout by moving the wall, and it also meant that we could comfortably fit the dry bar—no argument from us on that score.

Some notes we made as we work through the process. Original plans by architect Healy Rice.

Dedicated storage and an enlarged media room were minor improvements that satisfied this client’s priority list and budget. Good plans are the starting point for good renovations, and we were glad to have the opportunity to tailor them to our client’s basement.

Making the Most of Time at Home

Message received, fortune cookie. We’ll give it our best shot.

Extended time at home has given a few of our clients ample opportunity to begin thinking about some of the projects that have sat on the to-do list.

Some improvements are far-reaching, and others like the first floor bathroom below are limited in scope.

Ten year old wood floors in a modern condominium aged yellow-orange over the years and were faded in several areas.

The refinished wood floors highlight the unstained natural beauty of white oak, complemented by a matte finish using Bona Traffic HD.

New tile, fixtures, and paint converted this first floor bathroom from an afterthought to a cheery space for the eldest child and guests alike.

We say that planning is not idle time. We’re continuing to serve our clients in these difficult days, and we would be happy to help you plan your next project. You can send pictures and room dimensions to hello@afinishedspace.com. Be well.

Brownout

Remember when some shade of brown was the default color in homes? Layers of brown, beige, and tan reigned supreme for at least a decade or two in recent history. Builders used them universally as the autopilot “neutral” decision. Dark wood furniture was widely available in home stores. The top-selling Benjamin Moore paint color in 2009 was Shaker Beige. Our client’s wanted to update their bathroom from brown to. . .

The new master bath features a Furniture Guild Hayden vanity with polished chrome feet and Grohe Allure faucets against a Carrara and Bardiglio patterned marble wall.

We lived through the All-Brown Home Era, and we don’t mourn its passing. Other colors seemed to disappear in a brown eclipse. It has a muddy effect when it is the dominant look from top to bottom in a home. We think browns often work best when used selectively as a special piece or in custom cabinetry. More broadly, browns can also work in rooms with ample natural light and when paired with other adventurous choices in color and pattern, from art work to furnishings.

The former bathroom was a classic example of “Builder-Grade Brown” from 2008. Bathrooms are usually not the best environments for for a brown-dominant color scheme.

Furniture feet and elimination of the old storage tower between the two vanities had a slimming effect by removing some of the visual mass in the bathroom. Another good result was improved storage.

In the new bathroom, a free-standing Hydrosystems tub sits on a heated floor and under the organic shape of the Moooi light fixture.

The old shower lacked a bench, but it featured four different sizes of square Crema Marfil tile for maximum brown impact. The jacuzzi tub was rarely used.

We have reservations about an all-brown bathroom, and our clients shared them. The new bathroom traded a dour brown color palette for a lighter presentation with fetching lighting, custom vanity, and a complementary marble pattern. It was a pleasure working with them on Project Brownout!

Lost and Found

Oh, the gloomy basements we’ve seen. Think sprawling layouts, little or no insulation, leaky windows, and bare concrete floors. Even when fully excavated, many basements in older homes are damp and poorly lit with exposed pipes snaking through the ceiling. Mechanicals slosh and grumble in dark rooms like a B movie soundstage. Many are dumping grounds for the accumulation of odds and ends; boxes from two moves ago sit next to old furniture and mementos which nobody dares to bring upstairs—the silent subterranean crowd that reminds us of our previous lives. The list is long and grim.

Once upon a time, this basement was just another forlorn basement on the North Shore and the least attractive place in the home. Last century builders often assumed that homeowners would have little use for their basements. After all, who would want to spend time down there? Today, we know better.

We happen to adore those old and unloved caverns; in fact, the uglier the better. Such a good opportunity to take advantage of the enclosed square feet without a costly addition and zoning board review! The neglected basement is a prime area for improvement.

The same could describe a basement we recently improved. This 1909 home had been treated kindly for more than a century, but the basement was an afterthought. After the owners eliminated the water problem, we executed an architectural plan to convert the sprawling unfinished basement into a multifunctional space that included a new laundry room, media room, gym, and wine cellar. In other words, something for everybody.

The old laundry room was dark and dank. New cabinetry, tile, and wallpaper make laundry less of a chore. We added a dry bar to complement the media room.

The new gym with rubber flooring. New windows and insulation help keep the basement comfortable.

Another view of the gym with ballet barre and alcove lighting. It’s a happy day when you can load your wine collection into the new cellar that holds more than 900 bottles.

We were delighted to help this family reclaim their basement so that it meets their needs today and provides flexibility as their young children grow. Along with organized storage, they now have a place to enjoy regularly instead of avoiding it unless it was absolutely necessary to go downstairs. Basements are a good example of what we refer to as “recaptured” square feet: the space was always there, but unsightly and ignored. Once lost and now found. If you have a weary basement in need of some improvements, don’t hesitate to contact us. Cheers!