Hey friends! Today I’m sharing a peek at a part of our home we don’t often show: the cozy lower-level apartment my daughter has been living in for the past year.
Quick backstory: a year ago our daughter Courtney moved out of her Seattle apartment and into our lower level. What was meant to be a short-term arrangement coincided with the stay-at-home orders in 2020, so she ended up staying much longer than planned. Having family together through that time was a blessing, and now she’s preparing to move into her own place again.
Below she tells the story of the little apartment and what’s next for her.
Hello! I’m Courtney. I’m excited to show the cozy basement space I’ve called home for the last year. Moving out of my first apartment was bittersweet, but it became a place to regroup and save while planning the next step. I couldn’t have predicted 2020, and I’m grateful the timing allowed me to be safe at home with family instead of alone.
We adjusted some plans for the basement when circumstances changed. Originally we considered converting the laundry room into a small kitchen, but when my brother returned from college we chose to eat together upstairs instead. That shared time turned out to be an unexpected blessing. We did give the basement bathroom a quick refresh this summer and loved the result.
I’ll show you around the space.
When my parents first bought the house, the basement was one large carpeted room with a white brick fireplace. Over time a wall was added to create a separate office and new floors were installed. My little living room with the daybed used to be where my mom’s desk was. The walls here are painted Coventry Gray by Benjamin Moore, a pale gray with a hint of blue.
I’ve had this daybed for years—first as a bed in a tiny bedroom, then as a couch in my studio apartment. It’s been a comfortable spot ever since.
One of my favorite things about the basement is the natural light. Even on gray Seattle days the space feels bright and cheerful. We added white plantation shutters that bring architectural detail and privacy.
The patterned curtains add a playful, cheery touch. They were used in another room previously and now fit beautifully here.
Now we’ll head to the adjoining area where my bed and closets are located.
An armoire that’s lived in this room since we moved in became my closet. I painted it a soft tone using milk paint, which refreshed the piece and made it feel more personal.
To increase storage I added an extra PAX wardrobe next to an existing narrow one. These wardrobes provide a custom, built-in look and are easy to configure with shelves, drawers, and hanging bars to suit different needs.
Inside the wardrobes I combined shelves, a soft-close drawer, and hanging bars. The setup became perfectly functional for my clothes and accessories.
Note: these closets are usually fuller than shown in the photos.
I like the cohesive, ‘built-in’ appearance the wardrobes create in the room.
I added long handles to the wardrobe doors for a stylish finishing touch; they elevate the look and make the doors feel more custom.
A mirrored wall at the back presented a design challenge. My temporary solution was hanging a tapestry over it to soften the reflection and create a cozier backdrop. It’s a simple fix that improved the feel of the room.
The blue door was originally wood; painting it a bright, airy blue helped liven the space and add personality.
The rug in this room is a washable Ruggable, a practical choice for a home with pets or frequent foot traffic. We appreciate how easy it is to care for and the warmth it adds to the room.
I’ve spent a lot of evenings on the daybed this past year—reading, relaxing, and sometimes working. The narrow LACK wall shelf from IKEA beside the daybed has been a handy, compact storage solution.
That’s the tour! I’ve loved making this small space feel like home while enjoying time with my family.
Time has flown, and I’m ready for my next adventure.
In the next few weeks I’ll be moving to a charming waterfront town in Bellingham, Washington. My new apartment is a 500-square-foot one-bedroom—perfect for continuing to hone my small-space living skills. I’ll share an empty-apartment tour soon and post updates on Instagram.
You can follow Courtney on Instagram for move updates and behind-the-scenes peeks.
UPDATE: You can take a tour of this space after I moved out.
UPDATE: A tour of my new Bellingham apartment is now available.