In this lovely home, the basement had a large open, finished room… But it had a couple of areas that the homeowner just wasn’t sure what to do with. There was a recessed space that the sellers had put a TV in, but the large wall dwarfed the TV. In order to watch the TV, the furniture was all oriented backing to the gas stove- it was awkward, and not very functional.
In order to show this great basement at its best, we made the decision to remove all the existing furniture, and stage it with updated items in a different layout. The result? Two distinct zones that enhanced the functionality of the space, and made the most of the gas stove.
We grouped fun and comfortable cowhide chairs and a small sofa in a conversation area, anchored around the gas stove. It is the perfect spot for entertaining, playing games, or just relaxing.
The recessed area became a library zone. We moved the tall bookshelves from the office upstairs, and styled them with both books and fun accessories. We included a chair that was relocated from the primary bedroom, a small side table, and a lamp to create a functional spot for somebody to browse through a book.
The liabilities of the original furniture layout became assets with a few simple changes! What places in your home are underutilized, or awkward? Consider:
* Making a blank slate. Remove what is currently there.
* Think about what would be useful. Do you a spot for a favorite hobby? Could this be the place?
* Be intentional about the flow in the room. Allow space for easy and comfortable movement.
* Only replace what you need to have. Don’t include furniture just because. Evaluate what you have in other rooms of your house to see if maybe something could be moved to complete your zone!