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Finished Basement Adds Valuable Living Space

P1010465Marked-300x231Many homeowners are looking to gain more living space in their homes without adding on or moving; whether it be because they love their current home and neighborhood too much to leave, or they have particular goals in mind that a new home may not have.  “A space in every home that is often under-utilized is the P1010461Marked-300x231basement, which is unfortunate given how much open space is available,” says Normandy Designer Heather Dalskov, “Many people think that if a room has low ceilings, like this basement’s typical 7′ ceilings, there’s no way to really make it look like the rest of the home.  However, there are lots of tricks to make it blend in with the rest of the home, giving homeowners the added functional space they desire.”

basement bathroom ideas

“Breaking things up with long, tall vertical elements creates a good dimension in a 7’ tall space. In this basement, I took some of the cabinetry in the bar area all the way down to the countertop and all the way up to the ceiling,” commented Heather, “I definitely recommend drywalling the ceiling as you would on the first level, instead of using a drop ceiling. As you can see, I used almost all can lighting and recessed lighting and only a couple of hanging light fixtures, this way there’s no added attention to the 7′ ceiling. Another thing homeowners can get away from within a basement is using lots of details to dress up the basement, something that most people stay away from in the compartmentalized first level of the home. For instance, in this basement, I used lots of crown molding to draw the eye upward.”

basement bathroom ideas

Basements can be an exciting space because they can offer up to 50% more livable square footage to your home without adding on.  “I’ve worked with many homeowners remodeling their basement, and they were thrilled not only with their “new” livable space but also that they were able to turn their current home into their ideal home,” says Heather. To discover the possibilities your basement holds, from a bar area to a fitness area equipped with a luxury bathroom, set up a complimentary appointment with Heather today! You can also find even more ideas to make your basement blend in with the rest of your home as we showcase prior Normandy renovations.

 

Normandy’s “Flat Norman” Goes to Ireland

For those who haven’t heard of the Flat Stanley Project, it was developed to help children in school connect with their classmates.  Students would create a Flat Stanley and send him in the mail to their Pen Pal who would record Stanley’s adventures abroad. Once Stanley returned, the student would share the journey with the class.  We thought it would be fun to send a Flat Norman along with our staff when they travel somewhere and share their adventures with everyone.

Ireland tours

For Normandy Designer and Ireland native, Kathryn O’Donovan, making a trip home is always very special.  “I don’t get to go back often, so each visit is very significant to me.”  On her most recent visit this fall, Kathryn took Flat Norman to show us the Ireland she knows and loves.

Norman visited St. Patrick’s University Maynooth, the college Kathryn attended before moving to the U.S.  He also went to Bunratty Castle and village in County Clare, where Kathryn and Norman cozied up to a 19th-century fireplace. “Bunratty Castle was once owned by the high kings of Ireland, the O’Brien clan.  Since my Mum is an O’Brien, I like to think of it as my castle,” joked Kathryn. Of course, no trip to Ireland would be complete without stopping at a pub for a pint of Guinness with friends, so they made sure to check that off the list. Norman also spent some time in the place nearest and dearest to Kathryn, her childhood home.The home was designed by her father, an architect, and built by her family. “I remember  when I was a wee thing bringing materials to my Dad on my little peddle tractor during the construction of our home.”  After her family of four worked on the home for just a year and a half, the home was ready to move into.  “I try to go back once or twice a year, and it’s great to be able to see family, friends and show off my homeland to my significantother, Bradley,” commented Kathryn, “I have been in the U.S. for 20 years now, so differences like driving on the other side of the road and car in Ireland are a bit nerve-racking and do make me realize how long I’ve been gone.”

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