HHello, it’s Courtney. I’ve officially moved out of my apartment and into my parents’ lower level. I’m sharing how we’re arranging the space and what we have planned.
First—can we agree that moving is always far more exhausting than expected? And you always have way more stuff than you think. I was sure I didn’t own much, but the boxes multiplied quickly.
If you missed the post explaining my move, catch up HERE.
Before I describe the new layout, here’s a quick reminder of what the lower level looked like almost five years ago. For the full “blast from the past,” watch our Seattle house before video. It’s amazing how much the house has changed. You can see our updated house tour here.
Originally, the main area of the lower level was one large open room—the nicest basement we encountered during our Seattle house hunt. Because it’s only partially underground, it gets a lot of natural light and felt very flexible.
For context, my parents’ kitchen sits at the top of the basement stairs.
About a year after moving in, we installed laminate wood floors and added a wall to create a dedicated home office. You can read more about that decision in this post.
Here’s where that wall was built.
After the wall went up, the office felt much more private. We also installed plantation shutters, which finished the look.
Adding the wall made the lower level feel larger and more functional.
Fresh paint and the new flooring were dramatic improvements.
After the renovation the basement layout included a living area with a fireplace, the office with an attached storage room, and a hallway leading to the garage, bathroom, and laundry room.
This is the hallway to the garage, bathroom, and laundry room.
This is the bathroom. It already looks different with a few accessories, and I have some simple makeovers planned that I’ll share soon.
This laundry room will also serve as my kitchen. I’ll post soon about how I’m setting it up to function as both a kitchen and laundry area.
You can see more of the laundry room and the connecting hallway in this post.
We weighed several layout options before I moved in. Initially we considered keeping the office intact and turning the fireplace room into my apartment, possibly adding a wall at the bottom of the stairs for privacy and even creating a doorway between the laundry room and the fireplace room to connect the spaces.
In the end we chose a simpler plan: my apartment would be the existing office plus the attached storage room. The office, which has an exterior door, would be my living room and the adjacent room would become my bedroom. The former living area with the fireplace would be repurposed as the organized household office and meeting spot, with a cozy seating area by the fireplace.
The lower level is now mostly my space, though we’ll share the laundry and the office when we’re working together. My parents still spend most of their time on the main level, so daily life hasn’t changed dramatically.
I’ll share more photos as I settle in. I’ve already posted a few glimpses on my stories and in this thread in our community group. For now I’m relieved my plants arrived safely—especially my string of pearls. I’m hopeful it will thrive in its new spot.
It’s been fun rearranging furniture and finding new uses for pieces from both my home and my parents’. Making a new place feel cozy is one of my favorite things. I look forward to sharing small-space decorating, organizing tips, and the mini makeovers we have planned—please follow along.
Stay tuned, and follow me on Instagram for updates and behind the scenes.
More details about Courtney’s move
Courtney’s Old Apartment Tour
Courtney’s Old Tiny Bedroom Tour