Reaching a New Height

Take an unfinished, open space, add cutting-edge technology and captivating design, and combine them for the ultimate home transformation. Reaching the desired solution – and an A+ outcome – is always rewarding.

For one Chesterfield family, the formula for success in their dramatic lower level transformation involved a talented team of home remodeling and design professionals with one goal in mind – to transform an ordinary lower level into an extraordinary “getaway” space. The equation involved a sophisticated, detailed design plan plus a superb, state-of-the-art technology system.  The result: beauty + brains = fun!

The cerebral center of their remarkable home is an electronics room tucked away in the newly completed lower level, which coordinates a dizzying spectrum of electronic marvels. This ultra-advanced system manages the home’s technology, from watering the lawn to accessing a collection of 1,500 films, with the tap of a button. It is a command center that manages entertainment, chores and security with efficient ease so that family members can enjoy a spacious retreat tailored to their busy lifestyle.

During their first nine years in the home, the unfinished lower level was used as an indoor playground for gymnastics, bike riding and rollerblading for the family’s two young sons.  As the boys got older, the owners decided to finish the space and automate the house, and that’s when the serious brainstorming began. With a team of home industry experts, the yearlong transformation would result in living spaces that flow from one to another with striking ease and showcase high-tech living at its best – taking a lower level remodeling project to a new height.

The interior design of the lower level's 3,200 square feet of raw space evolved with precision planning that meshed perfectly with the “cool factor” of the high-tech electronics. Under the direction of Kris Keller, Allied ASID, and owner of The Design Source Ltd., the use of artfully layered textures and soothing warm tones set the stage for an extraordinary design plan that achieves what Kris describes as “a high level of harmony” throughout.  By orchestrating the appointment of curvilinear design elements, rooms flow from one to another in accord.

With her comprehensive knowledge of the family's needs and lifestyle, Kris and lead designers Doug Ong and Cyndi Schmitz designed smart, impressive spaces – with touches of nature's inspiration – that seamlessly integrate style and comfort to accommodate the family's diverse interests. The result is functional and fabulous.

The casual elegance begins at the foot of the handsome bronze-oiled, freestanding staircase, where an exquisite wine room is accessed through a custom-detailed glass door, boldly monogrammed with the family initial. A custom-designed wine room window offers a view of the  grand gathering area that manages to be both cozy and expansive.

For the lady of the house, the kitchen is her favorite part of the project. “Everyone can come in, grab their snacks, and head back out to the pool,” she explains. In another inspired electronics touch, an HD plasma TV is designed to swing out from the wall, so the cook doesn't miss a minute of the big game.

With an ingenious plan to bring an organic richness to the one-of-a-kind gathering space, support beams are wrapped in stone and natural tree bark – a “touch-me” texture repeated on the wall above the fireplace. “Bringing nature into the mix can be fun when creativity combines with necessity. We used bark as our inspiration to disguise a structural beam, then played with the same material on our raised bar support leg,” says Kris. She also designed custom-made lambrequins to frame the wall of windows and doors to the outside. “The lambrequins – with their architectural aesthetic – are a sophisticated twist on a classic design,” explains Kris.

Whether it's a fast-paced video game, a screening of “Star Wars” or a poolside gathering, this lower level transformation clearly demonstrates that superb design and stellar technology are the perfect combination for a fabulous family space!