Before & After: Newly Refinished Basement Becomes Family Haven

Shera and her husband recently built their home in a peaceful new neighborhood and they just finished off their basement and are working on creating a homey, comfortable hang out space. She reached out to me and booked the Rock What Ya Got styling package for their newly refinished basement in hopes that I could help her with arranging and styling a bunch of fun decor that she already had.

Before we got to styling, I snapped a few before photos and I promised Shera that I would tell the whole story as I shared the photos—so, the large pile under the window isn’t a mess of junk, it’s decorations! Styling this space was a dream since Shera provided me with all kinds of fun stuff to style with—baskets, mirrors, plants, candles, and more! She thoughtfully had it all laid out for me and before I started styling she pointed out things that she really wanted incorporated into the room.

The little nook above the piano was just begging to be filled, and Shera wanted to keep some of the sentimental family photos, so I was sure to incorporate the most precious. And that piece of furniture above is a work in progress as Shera purchased it (much more used looking!) and is in the process of restoring it into a bar cabinet. Eventually it will have criss-crossed wine storage on the left and a cabinet door on the right where wine glasses and other dishes will be stored.

And here’s the after!

We moved this side table down to the basement and created more of a defined seating area for the space. Shera will eventually be getting new furniture down here since the couch is her daughter’s (who is currently home after graduating from college), but this space is cozy and functional for now. The small dining space behind the couches will be a great place for game-day snacks to be served and enjoyed, as well as provide extra seating for guests.

I love it when a client wants to incorporate meaningful decor or objects with a story behind them. Shera won the vintage fan at a white elephant gift exchange years ago, which I was super impressed by since it’s so adorable! And the carved ducks were made by her husband back in the 70’s. Including these special objects makes the room so much more personal.

Shera had a fun clock that we hung over the piano and we were able to incorporate some of those family photos while also adding variety, depth, and height to the shelf. She keeps the piano around for her other daughter to play when she comes and visits.

The bar cabinet area turned out so great! Shera had the idea to make it a bit of a tribute to the Packers (their family’s smart team of choice!) and the cute Wisconsin beer cap holder was a Father’s Day gift to her hubby. We paired that with a signed photo from an old Packers player and a photo of the family at a Packers game. A shadowbox filled with wine corks paired perfectly with the beer cap hanging and helped to continue the bar cabinet theme.

Shera had recently purchased the long wall hanging of the St. Croix River and it was a great accent on the wall next to the bar cabinet. The green in the map paired well with the green in the Packers photo and plant, and it was the perfect size for that space. I love how personalized this whole wall is and that it tells a story of their family!

Working with Shera was a blast and the time flew by! I’m so glad that we were able to create a cozy space in their newly finished basement and that the space will not only be functional for their family, but beautiful and meaningful as well!

If you have a similar space that you’d like styled, check out my services and don’t hesitate to contact me!