Sarah-Grace's family has been through a lot in the past while. Six years ago, the youngest member of her family, sister Meagan, succumbed to cancer. In spite of the emotional upheaval, their mother, Denise Bebenek, found the motivation to create something positive out of devastating loss.
With the support of her husband, Kevin, Denise created a Toronto-based foundation called Meagan's Walk in memory of their daughter. The charitable organization has raised more than $1-million for research and the care of children suffering from cancer, and stages an organized five-kilometres walk each Mother's Day.
Sarah-Grace watched her mother give tirelessly to others for the past several years, and decided it was time to give something back to her. She knew Denise would love a really cozy family room, so she wrote me a letter asking me to turn their sadly neglected basement into a more comfortable spot in which they could hang out with friends, play their instruments (Sarah-Grace plays drums and her brother Matthew is in a rock band) and spend quality time together.
The room needed a total overhaul. I started by choosing a palette of cozy, earthy colours: green, teal, brown and tan. I then painted the room in a neutral shade. The room had uneven floors, so I put down new thick vinyl tiles which level things off and add the warm look of real wood.
The new basement for Denise Bebenek, who created a foundation called Meagan’s Walk in memory of her daughter, has three zones: a relaxation zone, a music zone and a wet-bar zone. (BRANDON BARRÉ)
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Next, I divided the room into three zones: a relaxation zone, a music zone and a wet-bar zone.
In the relaxation area, I made the fireplace the focal point. I painted the brick on the lower half in a creamy shade, and reclad the upper half with a wooden over-mantle which holds a new plasma screen TV. Flanking both sides of the fireplace are new silky green drapes. I then created lots of seating with two gorgeous dark brown leather couches and a big cream-coloured ottoman — and lots of punchy throw pillows in pumpkin and teal accents.
In the music zone, I put up a long wall of storage components next to the basement door that is perfect for coats, hats and school bags. To conceal this area, I hung a modern linen drape in a flocked chocolate-brown pattern that doubles as a backdrop for the kids' band instruments.
I then created a tiny "jamming" stage and covered it in multi-coloured carpet tiles. Next to the stage I put in a small games (or homework?) table and chairs, and backed the family's existing wood bookcase with mirrors, giving them a place to store all their games.
I then created two wall panels with three shades (brown, tan and cream) of grasscloth wallpaper that flank the entrance to a new wet-bar area. The wet bar features a lively backsplash in blues and greens, a new counter, and a drop-in sink with a joystick faucet.
To lighten up the space, I replaced the room's recessed lighting with new halogen tracks.
For extra pizzazz, I hung a gorgeous, multilayered teal glass pendant over the games table.
After some final accents and accessories, including a cool area rug and some colourful artwork, this room was complete.
By creating different zones for different needs, adding hard-wearing furniture and flooring, and topping it off with vibrant accents and details, this basement got an injection of style the whole family can enjoy. And it's the perfect gift for Denise, a woman who just keeps on giving. Now that's divine!
Interior design consultant Candice Olson is the host of Divine Design on the W Network. For more information, go to www.wnetwork.com/divinedesign or www.divinedesign.tv
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