Gold Award

Gardner/Fox, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Project location: Malvern, Pa.
Sq. ft. before: 1,817
Sq. ft. after: 1,817
Project cost: $189,000

Afamily of five came to Gardner/Fox wanting to trade an unfinished cold and empty basement for a warm and cozy retreat where they could all gather and relax. Ideally, the basement would maximize every square inch of space, feel open and spacious, and include a bar, game room, exercise room, children’s play area and bathroom/changing room. They also requested a display area for the NCAA fencing champion’s sword collection.

In order to accommodate the different programs the family requested and keep the basement from feeling dark and cramped, the architect aimed to build as few walls as possible. It was decided that the best way to separate space in this basement was to designate functions for specific areas. This would maintain the wide open feeling of the spacious basement. New walls were erected only to seal off mechanical equipment, to separate the exercise room from a sitting area, and the bathroom from the arts and crafts workshop.

The architect worked with a custom cabinetmaker to create lighted, pullout display cases for the homeowner’s collection of fencing swords. An additional display area houses trophies and awards from the children’s sports and activities.

A dark, unfinished basement becomes a bright, comfortable living space the entire family can enjoy and now includes a home theater, exercise room, kids’ area, custom bar, trophy areas, bathroom and changing area. “You would never know you were looking at a basement,” said one judge. “It flows well and feels like a first level of a home.”

Specified Products

Wood flooring: Pinnacle Floors
Bath cabinets: Pottery Barn
Tile/Stone flooring: Gravena
HVAC: Bryant
Cabinets: Stimmel Design Group — custom

Silver
Gardner/Fox, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Bronze
mackmiller design+build, Eden Prairie, Minn.