Find the reveal post here!
One of the first things we loved about this house was the bright, light-filled finished basement. Many houses in our price range in Seattle felt small, dark, or had low ceilings that made rooms feel cramped. Even though this is a modest home, the lower level brought a sense of spaciousness and functionality that made the whole house feel larger.
When I last updated this space, contractors were building a wall to create an office within the large room. The open area was generous, but almost too big to be practical. Open floor plans can be lovely, yet sometimes separating a space into distinct areas makes it far more useful. We decided to divide the one large room into two separate spaces so each could serve a clear purpose.
Splitting the space has been a great decision. It improved the overall functionality of the lower level and, oddly enough, the area now feels even larger than before. I’ll share more details about each room in future posts, but already the difference is noticeable.
After painting the new walls—temporary choices for now but clean and fresh for the moment—we turned our attention to the worn carpet. Underneath the carpet were original asbestos linoleum tiles that our inspector advised should remain undisturbed. Rather than removing them, we planned to cover them safely with new flooring.
In a previous home we installed pre-finished hickory wood floors from Mohawk and loved the result, so when the chance came to work with them again, we were excited. The lower level needs to be dog-friendly—now that we have four dogs who often visit—and able to be installed over the existing flooring, so durability and ease of installation were key factors.
We reviewed many samples, taking them around the house to see how each tone would relate to the existing floors and our future plans. Although the new laminate wouldn’t adjoin other wood floors directly (apart from tile in the hall and on the hearth), it was important the tone fit the home’s overall palette.
We chose the Concertina laminate in Smokey Chestnut. The matte finish, surface texture, and natural coloring made it feel realistic and well-suited to a busy family room. Laminate offered the durability we needed for pets and the ability to be installed over the existing flooring without disturbing the tiles beneath.
About a week before Christmas the installers removed the carpet and completed the laminate installation the next day. The whole job was finished in one day, which was a huge relief. Because the flooring was pre-finished, it created less mess and disruption than flooring that must be finished on site. The crew was also very accommodating in helping move furniture that we couldn’t fully clear from the room.
The new floors transformed the downstairs. The space feels cleaner and warmer, and the updated look makes the entire house feel larger and more modern. The durability and appearance of the Concertina Smokey Chestnut laminate suit our needs perfectly.
Click to see the full reveal of our new flooring here (and stay tuned for the upcoming reveal of our office flooring).
I wrote this post while participating in a flooring campaign and received product to facilitate my review.