Before & After: A Lonely Little Basement Nook Is Now a Cozy Living Room Lounge
Homeowners: Erin and Nick Reggars
Professional designer: Designed with Gina Rachelle Design
General Contractor: Zerial Hayles
Location: San Anselmo, California
Size: 117 square feet (the guest suite) / 1,350 square feet (the whole house)
Years Lived In: 3.5 years, owned
When Erin and Nick Reggars purchased this house in 2017, they say they were looking to create a casual, cozy home. “It’s a place we wanted to grow into with our family and host many gatherings with family and friends,” they wrote.
The couple described the lower level of their home before this renovation as being very dated and with an exposed foundation, but there was a tiny (117-square-foot) room that had potential. “When we reached out to Gina Rachelle Design, our goal was to create a light, bright, and comfortable in-law suite for family when they come visit. With this potential bedroom on the lower level, we needed to be sure to create fluidity between the garage space and this new suite,” explains the couple.
“We wanted a space that brought instant joy and welcoming vibes whether you enter from the main floor and head down the stairwell or [enter] through the side entrance.”
Though only a small space—just 117 square feet—this former odd basement level room is now a lovely lounge that can double as a guest room thanks to sleeper sofa. Below, the homeowners answer some more questions about their new living area lounge.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: California Modern! We love a good neutral palette with pops of color specifically, grays, light pink, sage greens, and navy.
Inspiration: We are inspired by Amber Interiors—her creations are Californian cool with touches of bohemian, vintage, and traditional style. We also had great finds from travels, Etsy gems, and previous furnishings that Gina Rachelle Design was able to work into the design.
Favorite Element: We love the dark accent of the shiplap wall in the den—it adds visual interest and a focal point around an area that was otherwise kind of challenging. The nook now feels purposeful and fun!
Biggest Challenge: Making the storage nook in our basement that sits directly on top on the foundation feel like an intentional, thoughtful design in the new guest room. With our little space, every square inch needs to be maximized and we’re so happy that this little nook can do double duty—play space with lots of room for functional storage.
Biggest Indulgence: Our tile for both the stairwell and the mudroom. When presented by Gina Rachelle Design, we feel in love with both and wanted to design the spaces around this gorgeous cement texture.
Best Advice: Be flexible with your space, especially when you’re going into demo! After ripping out the old guest room, we found that we couldn’t imagine closing it back up again, and realized we’d use the space a lot more as an open den. We were lucky to have a partner in Gina who helped us reimagine the space and we’re so happy with how it turned out.
Select Resources:
- Tile — Cle Tile
- Sconce — Schoolhouse Electric
- Throw pillows — Marra
- Ceiling light — Cedar & Moss
- Window coverings — The Shade Store
Thanks Erin, Nick, and Gina!
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