Moroccan-Inspired Basement Makeover

Sara Bates
by Sara Bates
4 Months
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When my husband and I relocated for his new job, we lived with his parents while we searched for a place of our own. Itching for some home improvement between houses, I helped my mother-in-law with a makeover of her basement inspired by a trip she took to Morocco!
The whole makeover was sparked by a flood that ruined the basement flooring.
Before we tackled the project, the basement was used primarily for storage and workout equipment that didn't see much use.
We had a few issues to tackle. The most troubling of which was the metal pole that was smack dab in the center of the room. A local decorator suggested painting it to make it an "art piece." I came up with a better idea. Since my in-laws wanted a fireplace in the basement, we had a contractor install a two-sided fireplace. We had him build it around the metal pole.


Also, because of the issues my in-laws have with flooding, we installed a laminate floor that looks like rustic wood. This flooring is basically indestructible. Our flooring expert said the only thing that can ruin this floor would be standing water for a long period of time.
The two-sided fireplace breaks the room into two distinct sections: the bar area on one side and the TV watching area on the other side. We hired a local painter to stencil a Moroccan style trellis pattern all over the fireplace wall. It is a truly stunning centerpiece in the small space.
I personally transformed the builder grade cabinets into a custom turquoise bar area. We also designed the layout of the shelving, and used painters' tape to visualize the finished product: http://embracemyspace.com/2012/09/02/moroccan-inspired-basement-makeover-bar-shelves/
A local carpenter sourced reclaimed, live edge wood for both the bar top and shelving. The ghost bar stools from CB2 were the perfect balance to the heavy wrought iron and wood bar. Leaning on Morocco as our inspiration, I selected a quatrefoil trellis for the bar support.
Sara Bates
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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