Melanie Ave
STLtoday.com

Mary Stroble didn’t really like venturing into her home’s old basement. Walking
down a stairway at the rear of the Sunset Hills home, between the main floor’s
kitchen and family room, she would run right into a wall when she got to the
lower level.

If she turned right, she would find a door. If she turned left, she found a
second door. It was like the stairway to nowhere. The two doors led to dark
spaces. The generic off-white walls offered zero personality and warmth.

“Before,” said her husband, Matt, “it was your typical down and dirty
basement.”

Today the three-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot home Mary and Matt share with their
16-year-old daughter, Kristin, boasts a refinished basement that feels like a
comfy yet sophisticated family entertainment zone. The former down and dirty
basement is now one of the home’s main attractions when guests arrive.

Before they overhauled their basement, the Strobles thought about selling their
home and buying a bigger one. But after looking around, the couple decided
their home was fine — if they just finished 1,200 square feet of space in their
basement.

They are not alone.

With the struggling housing market, more homeowners are trying to maximize the
space they have in their homes instead of buying new ones. Experts say
renovating existing space in a basement can be a cost-effective way to increase
your home’s living space.

A typical basement redo can cost anywhere between $25 and $75 a square foot,
and possibly less if you act as your own project manager.

“I think any basement can be redone,” said Tom Placke, vice president of sales
and construction for Stumpf Homes, which handled the Strobles’ basement
project. “Basically everything you need is already there.”

Experts say it’s best to have a plan before you begin. An architect or
construction contractor can help get you started and let you know if your plans
will work with the home’s design. One key factor for any basement redo is
waterproofing. Make sure the floors and walls have been properly waterproofed
and any cracks have been repaired. If necessary, install a sump pump in the
beginning stages of the project.

Matt, 46, and Mary, 48, said they wanted a dual function for the basement of
their home, originally built in 1996. They wanted a comfortable hangout for
their two daughters (Kelsey is a freshman at the University of Dayton) and
their friends, with the goal of keeping them near and dear. And they also
wanted the basement to work for their grown-up entertaining needs as well.

How they did it

The new basement, they say, serves the whole family.

Matt and Mary renovated in two phases. The first phase, completed about six
years ago, opened up the rooms by removing walls — and the two interior
doors — and adding light by knocking down a wall that blocked light from
several windows. They also added a bathroom with a vanity, toilet and shower.

The most recent phase, completed in the last year, made the basement a true
living space that flows nicely with the rest of the house.

One open room off the stairwell is dedicated to working out. One wall features
floor-to-ceiling mirrors with a dance bar, for the couple’s two daughters. The
room is also home to a treadmill, Bowflex machine and foosball table.

Two TVs, one hanging from the ceiling, and another at ground level allow Mary
to multitask her entertainment/news needs during morning workouts.

The basement’s main room, opposite the workout room, is decorated in a warm,
Tuscan style courtesy of CBI Designs of St. Louis. The space serves as a
family, living and entertaining area, complete with a gas fireplace, flat
screen TV with surround sound and a nearby pub table. Ceiling fans whir from
the 9-foot ceilings.

Can lights were layed out during the design stage. Experts say recessed
lighting is often the best choice for a basement because head room is often an
issue (though it wasn’t for the Strobles who had a 9-foot pour in their
basement).

Ceramic tile and carpeting make up the flooring.

The room’s premiere attraction is an L-shaped bar with overhead arches and
recessed lighting. Its base is covered in gray, rough stones; its counter, warm
tile with etched stone around the edges. Its sink and refrigerator are
surrounded by cherry wood cabinets. A bathroom with a shower off the bar
completes the space.

The result

Matt notes that the basement isn’t particularly large. “But this size works
well for the size of family we have,” said Matt, a retail marketing manager
for Anheuser-Busch. “When people come over and get settled, this is where they
come. You have everything you need in one little area.”

At times, the family has had as many as 50 people in their basement.

For Mary, a clinical process leader for BJC HealthCare, the basement redo
exceeded all expectations. She it feels like an extension of their home.

Matt and Mary say they can see themselves in their home for years to come.
They’re glad they didn’t sell and move. Plus, they said, the cost of the
project seemed right. They spent about $77 a square foot for the work Matt
described as “turn key.”

“It’s a true room addition,” Matt said. “It beats paying $350,000 for a new
home.”