Overall Appeal, Special Features, and Unique Design Elements
What began as a completely unfinished basement was transformed into a multifunctional lower level designed around both independence and connection. The homeowners wanted their young adult children to have comfortable living space of their own while also creating a destination where the entire family could gather. The finished basement includes two bedrooms, a full bathroom, dedicated home gym, wet bar, pool table and entertainment area.The main floor of the home has a distinctly modern aesthetic, so it was important that the basement complemented the spaces above while developing a personality of its own. The design takes a transitional approach, combining clean contemporary lines with warm wood tones, rich colour, texture and warmer metal finishes. The goal was to bring warmth and personality into every area while maintaining a cohesive relationship with the rest of the home.

A Dream Bathroom Worth Staying Home For
The bathroom was one of the most personal elements of the project. Mom wanted to create her 21-year-old daughter’s dream bathroom — a space she would genuinely love and perhaps one more reason to happily stay home a little longer.The design direction was quiet luxury: sophisticated and elevated, but above all, warm. An oversized walk-in shower incorporates a built-in bench, recessed niche, pony wall and frameless glass enclosure. Rich green tile wraps the shower while a classic black-and-white octagon mosaic extends across the bathroom floor and continues directly into the shower. Warm wood cabinetry, aged brass details, a decorative mirror and layered lighting soften the contrast and give the room the feeling of a beautiful primary ensuite rather than a typical basement bathroom.

The Heart of the Basement
The wet bar was designed to be the social centrepiece of the lower level — a gathering place for the homeowners and their friends, their children and their friends, and the family as a whole. It needed to have presence while still allowing space around it for life.Careful space planning preserved generous circulation around the bar and maintained comfortable connections to the pool table and entertainment areas. Warm wood cabinetry, dark countertops and a full-height textured tile feature wall give the bar a strong identity without visually overwhelming the surrounding spaces.

A Private Fitness Studio
The dedicated home gym was treated as a destination rather than a leftover room. Commercial-style rubber flooring, dark finishes, a warm wood-slat feature wall, integrated media and a large illuminated exercise mirror create the feeling of a private fitness studio. Expansive glass doors visually connect the gym with the adjoining recreation area while still defining it as its own space.

Design, Planning and Construction
The Design Studio | MTS Renovations managed this project from concept through completion, including as-built documentation, space planning, design development, construction and MEP drawings, the building permit package, finish selections and specifications, cabinetry planning and construction.Three different layout options were developed before the final floor plan was selected. Detailed 3D visualization allowed the homeowners to review the bathroom and bar before final materials were ordered, while drawings and schedules were provided to trades and suppliers for quoting, ordering and construction.The project also incorporated a new boiler and in-floor heating system, requiring careful coordination between the mechanical systems, layout and finishes. The engineered LVP was properly acclimated before installation to support long-term performance and minimize movement or warping.

Designed Around the People Who Live Here
One of the most rewarding moments came after construction was complete, when we were invited to the homeowners’ housewarming party. Watching the pride and excitement with which they shared their new basement with friends and family was incredibly meaningful.

For us, design has always been about the people behind the project. A successful space isn’t simply one that photographs beautifully — it is one that changes how people live, gather and feel in their home.

Seeing this basement filled with people and being enjoyed exactly as we had envisioned was the best measure of its success.