Lavish Lower Levels

Specialty Rooms
The lower level is the perfect place to carry out a theme in your home. Chermak recently completed three lower-level projects that reflect the personalities of the homeowners. One project exuded what Chermak calls a Grandview Lodge feel, with pine doors, a pine pool table, black-and-red checked stools, and a dark-surround fireplace. Another addressed the homeowner’s desire for a British-style pub by including a U-shaped bar with a brass foot rail, custom burgundy woodwork and carpeting, cozy fireplace, paneled cherry walls, and engraved and carved woods. The third project featured a whimsical, nautical theme modeled after the Tommy Bahama brand. In this lower level, sand-colored carpet with a subtle palm-leaf design adorns the floor of the main area, while aqua-blue glass tile covers the bathroom. Even the workout room received the island touch with bamboo benches and floors.

In each of these instances, the homeowners wanted to create a place to escape. “People want an experience that allows them to unwind, explore, relax, retreat,” Chermak says. “Check your attitude and worries at the top of the stairs. That concept is the underlying driving force behind how homeowners want to finish the lower level.”

Like themed lower levels, specialty rooms create an oasis that is meaningful to the homeowners. There are virtually no limits to specialty rooms; if you dream it, you can have it. One common request is an exercise room, which can range from a small space with a few pieces of equipment to a well-appointed area with club amenities. Chermak has created mini-spas on lower levels, complete with changing areas, tiled walls, club-like lockers, a steam room with triple-headed showers, heat lamps, and exercise spaces with small trampolines and mirrored walls for Pilates or aerobics. Some lower levels, when tall enough, have even housed small gymnasiums, used for a myriad of indoor sports.

Wine cellars are also popular. Homeowners design this room to best showcase their collections, often through custom shelves, special cooling units, and rustic cabinetry. Cigar aficionados create a similar space for a humidor.

Then, of course, there are those rooms that make you say, “Just when I thought I’ve seen it all . . .” At the request of a client, Frosch built a chapel in the lower level of a Lake Elmo home. Frosch reclaimed an altar out of an old church in South Dakota that was no longer in use and incorporated it with artifacts that the homeowners had collected on their travels throughout the world. A rounded ceiling completed the space. “It looks just like a mini-church,” Frosch says. “The homeowner prays there every day.”

Whether you seek a “wow” factor like the chapel or just want a place for the family to gather, the best way to determine how to make the most of your lower level is to find a builder who will help you prioritize. “The most important thing for us is taking time to get to know people and their needs,” Streeter’s Near says. “What are your priorities, and what are you trying to accomplish with this space?”

Under the Garage If you want to do even more with your lower level but don’t have the square footage, consider utilizing the space underneath your garage. Local builders have created a multitude of unique uses in this area, including:  * a swimming pool * more cars, but especially collectibles or motorcycles * workshops * gymnasiums/sport courts * skating rinks with synthetic ice * photography studios/ dark rooms * sound studios * home theaters * hobby rooms (such as crafts or scrapbooking) * additional storage space