Basement of the Week: Tall-Order Design for a Lower-Level Lounge
Designing for a couple who stand 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-3 takes additional consideration, especially when the project is a cellar. “One of the main objectives with this lower level was height,” says architect Mark Udvari-Solner of the new home that he designed for all these tall empty nesters. In the cellar he designed 8-foot doors and 10-foot ceilings, and paid attention to components like counter heights to accommodate them.
“Having 10-foot ceilings also maintained the reduced degree from feeling closed in,” he says. Adding a vast living area below floor designed as the rest of the home also kept the footprint of the new fulltime house, on Wisconsin’s Lake Monona, comparatively modest. Here’s a peek at the hot and comfy underground living area developed for this second stage of the homeowners’ lives.
Basement of the Week
Who lives here: Two or Three busy, tall empty nesters
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Size: 1,280 square feet
Udvari-solner design firm
Double custom 8-foot-high French doors open between the landing and the main lounge. The trim throughout is dark-stained alder.
Udvari-solner design firm
The area is all about relaxation and heat, with many comfortable seating areas where the owners and their friends can watch their beloved Badgers and Packers on TV, play games and revel in a beverage.
Udvari-Solner used vintage bricks to make a rustic well-worn feel on the walls. A special carpet absorbs warmth from the radiant-heat flooring.
Udvari-solner design firm
A curved countertops, a circular soffit and pendant lighting set a bar area in the corner. “To maintain the comfort level high, we avoided crisp, sharp edges,” says Udvari-Solner.
He worked closely with kitchen designer Jack Hernan of Kitchen Works when designing the bar and thinking about how it would function. He desired the main region to remain clear and beautiful, so the appliances and a walk-in cabinet are tucked out of sight. (You can grab a glimpse of the refrigerator through the door beyond the pub)
Udvari-solner design firm
Scaling the details to coordinate with all the tall components was significant; for example, the baseboards beneath the bar are 9 inches high. “It was really important to find a builder that knew the details and stability of the area,” he says. Temple Construction fit the bill.
Udvari-solner design firm
“The main chamber matches 10 people comfortably,” Udvari-Solner says. It is an ideal area for entertaining and watching games on TV, for playing card games and billiards. A wood-burning fireplace helps maintain the distance toasty during Wisconsin’s long winters.
Brick lighting proved to be a crucial variable, Udvari-Solner says. Brick lighting and pendant lights as well as windows brighten the room.
Udvari-solner design firm
The top cabinets to the right of these French doors reach 8 feet high; the counter top below the lower cabinets is put at 36 inches top to operate for the tall homeowners.
Since this was new structure, the distance didn’t have the challenges of low-hanging mechanical components (ducts, pipes, electrical) in the ceilings. Rather, Udvari-Solner designed a 20-inch flooring between the lower level and the first floor to accommodate the utilities.
Cabinets: Dura Supreme
Udvari-solner design firm
The room also has room for a billiards table at the corner. It is hard to tell from the angle of the shot, but that corner area is 14 feet by 20 feet. Additionally, it has a ledge that is 10 inches deep for drinks and a couple of bar stools, which are simply out of view in this picture.
Udvari-solner design firm
Here’s a strategy to give you an idea of the entire cellar, which also includes a workout room plus a bath with a steam shower.
The new home suits the homeowners’ new phase of life, and this reduced degree provides a welcoming refuge in cold weather.
