When a devoted muskie fisherman needed a place for his decorations, photos and gear, his adoring wife suggested he make a log cabin into their own basement. With pine half logs, aluminum rust slate, comfy furnishings and ample light, interior designer Melissa Bovee transformed a dingy, unfinished underground lair into an inviting escape. Have a tour and you’ll find out why it has come to be a favourite getaway for your family members and their friends.
Basement at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenaged boys. An abysmal daughter utilizes the lower degree as a private flat when she visits.
Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin
Size: 1,000 square feet
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Pine logs have been cut in half and affixed to the walls, giving the space its own rustic cabin look. Copper Rust stacked stone along with a slate flooring provide a rich, rugged contrast.
“While the remainder of their home is much more conventional, our inspiration down was an ‘up North’ cabin,” Bovee says. “He’s a big-time fisherman and desired it to feel rustic and outdoorsy.”
The light wood walls contrast with the dark slate fireplace at the end of the room, drawing the attention to the latter. There are just two separate seating areas defined by the furniture one together with the fireplace and one for watching TV and playing video games. The leather armchairs are arranged around a lively coffee table featuring a recumbent black keep topped with a sheet of glass. It’s a great illustration of the relaxed layout of the basement.
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Cleverly tucked beneath the stairs, this moist bar ensures that one seldom has to leave the basement. The habit built-ins incorporate a wine rack, beverage sink and refrigerator. Puck lights underneath the staircase draw the eye on the stacked-stone wall above the countertop.
The strong diagonal line of the staircase divides logs and stone, railings and wine rack. The hickory cabinets have a simple, rustic style, with unfussy doors and doors. The countertop is granite.
The plan shows the way the spaces relate to one another. Closets include storage for fishing gear, a sump pump and also a spot in which to tuck away a treadmill. A special closet (observable in the lower-right corner of the design) is outfitted with French doors and custom light, providing extensive storage to your husband’s collection of handmade muskie fishing lures. (See a photo in the first Comment box below.)
Custom French doors also lead to an office. The proprietor is a catch-and-release fisherman; the decorations are replicas made to remind him of his triumphs.
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The bathroom is a great place to heat up and clean up after a long day of fishing, and functions guests that are staying on the lower level. Knotty pine overhead and on the walls, and coppery slate tile and from the shower, make a rustic jewel box of a bathroom.
The frameless glass shower stall allows a clear view of all the slate tile in the shower, which includes both a rain showerhead and a handheld showerhead.
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The colour variations in the tile add scrumptious earth tones and vitality.
Now that the basement is done, it has become a favourite family room, especially for the teens playing video games and hosting sleepovers. Dad might have his guy cave, but he’s seldom alone.
More: Watch more great spaces designed for guys
