Case Study: Bringing Brilliance to a Bristol Family Home Basement
Reinvigorating a neglected family basement room in Totterdown, Bristol
“Every part of a home deserves to reflect the essence of what makes us unique”
Bristol’s Totterdown neighbourhood has long been a favourite corner of this ever-surprising, vibrant and ferociously independent city, known for its steep hills, Edwardian terraces and higgledy-piggledy (and sometimes steep!!) streets bursting with character.
As one of Bristol’s more bohemian quarters, it’s a hotbed of creativity and charm. When I was commissioned to transform the basement living room of a Totterdown family home, I knew it was a real opportunity to get creative. As such, I positively leapt at the chance to help it shine, confident in the knowledge I could apply my skills to truly bring out the owners’ character in this subterranean space.
After all, what is interior design for if not ensuring your personality is reflected in the rooms where we spend our time?
The Brief
Upon visiting the basement living room in need of a thorough design solution, the issue at hand was clear: it simply lacked the soul, colour and personality the individuals who lived there had in spades. While the remainder of the home managed to express that essence of being - with copious artwork hanging on the walls and plenty of vibrancy to be found - the basement room with its open-plan kitchen was a little neglected, a little gloomy.
It’s a common situation with basement rooms, even ones with as much potential as this one - there’s something about a lack of natural light that leads spaces to be forgotten, left as an afterthought, or a project that never truly gets underway. I was delighted that this family, who clearly had a deep love for design and creativity, had taken the initiative to really make the most of what could be an absolutely thrilling addition to any home.
Indeed, the homeowners had plenty of good ideas to get this project underway. During my initial fact finding, I was told they were keen on a bohemian look and feel - ‘urban modern’ and ‘a bit Scandi’ were mentioned, as well as a real love for green tones ranging from deep forest greens to pale turquoise hues.
The Scheme
As always, the first job was to get to know what made this family tick. Spending some time with a client, asking the right questions, picking up on those visual cues and getting under the surface of what their hopes and aspirations for a space might be, is a real secret weapon in the interior designer’s arsenal. This family was more than happy to show me their favourite artworks, discuss colours and flick through mood boards and other forms of inspiration, taking an active role in the all-important early stages of the process.
My plan was to introduce more natural light into the space (despite being a basement, the room benefited from a bay front and sizable window), and then apply light, neutral colours and various features to transform a gloomy basement into a cosy, family-friendly and fully functional and practical aspect of the home.
Simply put, the task was to create an underappreciated space into a striking one that is full of life, and where the family of four could enjoy spending time and finding inspiration. By introducing additional shelving into the alcoves, I maximised the space in which the family could showcase ornaments, decorations and artwork. This also allowed the antique stove and flue to become a central feature of the room, further highlighted by the addition of original artwork above it.
Bringing colour into this space was absolutely vital to introduce that characterful, urbane vibe the homeowners were seeking. After some deliberation, we decided to go forwards with Farrow and Ball Hague Blue for the lower walls and Arsenic Green for above the picture rail and extending onto the ceiling. I was delighted with these choices, not least because the deep, rich tone of Hague Blue on the lower walls creates a grounding effect, adding depth and intimacy to the space. Countering this, the vibrant Arsenic Green draws the eye upwards, making the room feel more dynamic and uplifting.
A sense of creating a real sanctuary was achieved by leaning into the cosy potential of this basement room. I proposed using the ceiling itself as a ‘fifth wall’, and by incorporating colour into the ceiling, we were able to not only introduce an intriguing and bold design element, we also created a cohesive, enveloping feel to the space. This approach brought vibrancy and balance to the basement, but also succeeded in highlighting the stunning architectural features of the room, with the picture rail becoming a real standout and allowing for a sense of playfulness.
Of course, light also had an important role to play. The voiles on the window allow for additional light to enter the basement room, and introducing characterful lighting fixtures - a fun, unusual overhead lampshade and the pre-existing standing lamp the family were keen to keep - meant the space maintained a cosy ambience once the natural light had faded.
The result of the project was injecting the basement room not only with a quirky character and cosiness befitting the family home, but also with a heightened sense of functionality and practicality. This was no longer an additional room beneath the house - a place where items were stored, and very little else happened - it was a vibrant and valued feature of the property, where the family could cook, eat, and relax in a private, comfortable and intimate space.
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