The Lounge-Basement

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When we moved into our shouse, we were excited to see it had a somewhat unfinished basement. We knew immediately that we wanted it to be a lounge. Our favorite things to do are smoke cigars and hang out with people. We wanted this space to be a place where people felt like they walked into a speakeasy, immediately felt relaxed, and wanted to unwind.

Since I wanted it to feel like a speakeasy, I knew we needed to choose a dark, moody color. I went with Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore, which did not disappoint. The only light that comes through the basement is the entrance. I didn’t want the ceiling to feel like it was caving in on people towards the back of the lounge, so I went with Simply White by Benjamin Moore to cover the venting system. Of course, we added as many wall features as possible to give 1920’s charm.

I debated for a long time about what to do with the floors. While I really wanted to get them polished and sealed, I knew I would not have the patience to wait for this to happen. So, I did what any DIYer does and painted them myself to save time and money. I used Concrete and Garage Epoxy Coating in Slate Gray from Home Depot.

After completing all the necessary preparations, I could finally move on to decorating! This is definitely the best part of transforming any room. It’s when your space truly comes to life as you create an atmosphere for people to enjoy. One by one, I added pieces to fill the space. I wanted every wall to have seating! If you want to participate in a group discussion, sit by yourself and enjoy a book, or relax while playing a game of pool, choose your seat.

The walls feature my husband’s favorite people throughout history, a cigar, and a glass of whiskey by the pool table.

Since people do smoke cigars in the lounge, we have four air purifiers set up throughout. These air purifiers are terrific, as I never smell smoke after a long night’s discussion where cigars have been lit for hours. You can see one of them set up under the wall of books.

I love mirrors!! Of course, I had to find a funky mirror to put in this space. It didn’t take long for me to find this mirror from Amazon that I absolutely LOVE!

The curtains in front of our huge accordion door are from Amazon, and yes, they are velvet. They are burnt orange (Amazon) and pair wonderfully with the blue walls.

I am really pleased with how it has turned out. I can’t express how much time we spend down here. When people come over, this space makes them feel comfortable and encourages them to sit back and relax. I hope the pictures do justice to how much design can enhance a space.