Turning Our Unfinished Basement into a 70s style Inspired Bedroom & Office
Earthy tones, wood paneling, and even lava lamps - we are digging the 70s aesthetic. We've been hard at work over the last couple of months cleaning out, framing, and insulating a bedroom/mudroom space in our unfinished basement.
Often, when it comes to projects, there is this sticky middle period where the excitement of starting wears off and you just have to get through the work - but for whatever reason this project felt effortless. We are not sure if this was because we were building a brand new space, maybe it was exploring new skills, or simply because it was isolated to the basement and not taking over our lives. Regardless, this project was a joy!
We’re so grateful to be able to partner with AllModern to do another bedroom space in our cabin. Too see some of the other rooms, check out: The Plaid Room,
Sources
Furniture
Upholstered Bed Frame | Two Drawer Nightstand | Area Rug | Desk | Office Chair
Lighting
Pendant Lights | Chrome Table Lamp | Orange Table Lamp
Decor
Wall Clock | Marble Trays
Building the Room
Since buying this home we have considered what it would be like to finish a large portion of the unfinished basement. The basement is huge after all (spanning the entire area of the house) and has tall ceiling and big windows. For a long time we thought a home gym would be quite cool, but living in rural-ish Maine we found that going to the gym is a great reason to get out of the house.
Knowing that a project was likely in our future we have made somewhat strategic decisions over the last few years. We removed an oil tank, moved the water pump, and avoided the future project area as much as possible when making heat and electric upgrades. We even had an extra zone added to our heating system just incase we decided to heat the space. Making these changes progressively really took the pressure off once project time rolled around!
We talk a lot in our new book (pre-order here) about taking the time to understand what you like and need before jumping into big renovation projects. We learned that people love to visit (and we love to host) so even with two guest rooms, it’s not uncommon to have someone sleeping on the couch. And without a proper office we constantly have paper and camera equipment strewn about the house. The idea for a bedroom/office combo was born and we got to work concepting our new space.
We researched basement refinishing and borrowed most of our methods from Home Renovision DIY - he is amazing and has this great series of videos on the exact topic. Even with a relatively dry basement, moisture is always your primary concern, so we took all of the steps needed to help mitigate future issues. We would recommend you check out that series if you want to know more on the topic.
The build took us a couple of months and was fairly straight forward. For finishes we opted for vinyl flooring - an inorganic product that stands up better to moisture, and tongue and groove (T&G) pine panelling for the walls. The ceiling was its own chore and we opted for cabinet grade plywood to serve as the ceiling.
Furniture
When we think of a 70s-inspired bedroom, we think of a low-profile beds with funky upholstery. We knew when we saw this rust-colored bed, that it would be the focal point in the room. It's solid wood bed frame with a high headboard. We love the bold hue and the sherpa fabric adds some texture to the design. We of course went with a king because we think it offers the best experience when someone visits.
No 70s bedroom would be complete without a funky rug and while we skipped out on the shag rug, the Woodcliff area rug feels like a great way to honor the geometric patterns and bold colors of the era. Stephen first spotted this rug when visiting the AllModern store and has been obsessed with it ever sense. It’s definitely a say something rug and perfect for the space.
We chose the Collins nightstands for this room because it's a really beautiful piece. They're sturdy and the rich walnut adds a higher level of finish when compared to the pine T&G walls. Of course it is topped with a marble try that doubles as a coaster (we have been obsessed with this). Above the nightstands you will find these beautiful pendant lights - they are very cozy and create this intimate feeling, while freeing up space on the nightstand itself.
The Office Part
We have a lot of stuff…. from camera gear, monitors, tripods, the list goes on. So when designing this room we knew we would need storage for that kind of stuff, along with extra linen storage. We opted for a long, but shallow, closet to serve both purposes - even adding outlets for charging our gear when not in use. We are going to explore a lot more about this on Instagram soon, so stay tuned for that!
The last piece (and the one we are MOST excited for) is the desk. We chose the Jacobsen Writing Desk because not only is it absolutely beautiful, but because it is fairly large - easily big enough for a laptop and monitor setup. Moreover, its pretty on all sides so if you are looking for a desk to float in the room this would be a great option. We topped it with this chrome lamp that is just so cool.
Stephen is already editing our latest reel at that desk, and he keeps talking about how much he loves being in the space.
