What happens when a homeowner with a sense of adventure meshes with a remodeling firm that regularly turns adventure into reality?
You get a flashy, fun and functional basement.
Finished Basement Company proved once again that it has the expertise to win over the hearts of homeowners as well as judges who choose award-winning projects in the Denver area. Finished Basement Company owner Patrick Condon said a Centennial homeowner’s somewhat unusual request for a safari-themed basement led everyone on a bit of an adventure. “It was a fun project,” Condon notes. “And the clients were wonderful. They were a lot of fun.”
The roughly 5,000-square-foot custom, two-story home was designed and constructed primarily with the main floor in mind. The 1,800 square foot basement “had no design thought,” said Condon, who launched Finished Basement Company 11 years ago. As with many homes, the basement was built without the specific needs of the homeowner in mind. “It just didn’t have the thought needed to make it successful,” he said.
The remodeled basement was all about the homeowner. Condon said the owner enjoyed the décor at the Elephant Bar Restaurant. “It was part of the inspiration for this project.” As might be expected, the owner is a big-game hunter, which provided a broad spectrum for Condon and company to help create a space as fun as it was unique. As with any large-scale project, there were challenges. The company’s designers were charged with coordinating several elements within the basement, including a pool table, bar and home theater. The coordination then needed to carry outside to the landscaped back yard and swimming pool. From the pool, people needed to reach the bathroom, dressing area and bar without dripping water across the entire basement.
As the overall focal point, the bar was faced with bamboo and topped with granite. The bar needed to serve all areas, including the pool table and the home theater. A view corridor was preserved from the bar and pool table to the video screen.
A sunburst ceiling design emanates from the bar, concealing overhead ducts and aesthetically tying elements of the room together. The carpet choice was bounced back and forth between the owner and Condon’s team, but ultimately everyone agreed to a zebra design. Artwork reminiscent of an African safari fills out the tasteful layout.
Condon points out basements should have as many architectural considerations as the upstairs of a home. With ducts, pipes and beams that must be assimilated, the architecture becomes even more important. With any basement design, tapping natural light is important throughout the process.
As a design-build firm, Condon says his staff is capable of addressing all of their clients’ needs, from the architectural viewpoint down to the studs and drywall. As the name suggests, the company focuses only on basements and it uses a turn-key approach to control quality and meet client expectations.
Rather than temporarily moving as is sometimes the case, the owners of the suburban safari basement were in their home throughout the project. Condon said it was important to keep the site clean and free of debris that would interrupt the lives of those living just one floor above. Project management is the key, Condon notes. “Our focus is to make sure our projects go on schedule and finish on time.”
The annual Colorado Awards of Remodeling Excellence highlight some of the area’s best projects. Sponsored by the Remodelers Council of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, industry experts choose the top remodeling jobs in several categories. Over the past several years, Finished Basement Company has won numerous awards with its Denver-area jobs. The Suburban Safari basement was honored in 2007 by the CARE committee with an award in the luxury basement category.
