Debbie, Paul and their three sons live in a beautiful house just steps away from a great stretch of beach. Mom is a former professional beach volleyball champion, and she and her family love to spend as much time as possible in the sand. But when the weather was poor, the family was at a loss for things to do. To make matters worse, their main entertainment space at home was a dark, toy-filled basement that was not conducive to any kind of rest or relaxation.
So, to help compensate for the days when Mother Nature refuses to co-operate, I decided to bring the sunshine indoors, and turn Debbie and Paul's kid-cluttered calamity into a beach-like retreat.
My first big challenge was to create a space inspired by sand, sea and sky. I wanted to keep the room cool, light and airy, so I kicked things off by covering the multicoloured walls with a light sea-green paint. I then chose a colour palette to match: natural grass, warm coral, breezy sand and dreamy sky-blue.
To complete the outdoor/indoor look, I installed hardwood floors in a light maple, and used that same sun-bleached wood tone for all of the other cabinetry and wood finishes in the room.
My second big challenge was to make the room multifunctional in order to accommodate the family's many needs. I had to make a playroom, entertainment area, guest retreat, bar/snack area, and office all work together in one room.
So I divided the space into zones. To reclaim more of the basement for mom and dad, I moved all of the kids' toys to the back of the room, put down some sand-sea-sky-coloured carpet tiles, added an abundance of storage and designated it the playroom area. I then separated this space from the rest of the room with simple, beautiful woven grass panels.
For the entertainment area, I set up a huge sand-coloured sectional to accommodate several couch potatoes, brought in a few chairs and threw in a mixture of coloured pillows.
I also installed a big-screen TV/entertainment system as the focal point for this area.
For family visitors, I designed a little guest retreat, complete with two banquettes that double as beds and are upholstered in heavy-duty, kid-friendly fabrics.
I then got to work on the bar/snack area, where I continued my beach theme with a wave-shaped sink, sandy-coloured quartz countertops and a backsplash of rippled glass.
Lastly, I created a small office space for Paul and Debbie, just in case they want to do some extra work on those drizzly days.
To help brighten and lighten this windowless room, I created a special feature to give the illusion of a window: a ceiling-to-floor mirrored panel with an extraordinary waterfall running down it. I added a capiz shell light fixture in front of the waterfall to further give the area the laid back feeling of the beach.
After adding a variety of accents and accessories - including seashells, pails and baskets - the room was complete. Using equal mixtures of sun, surf and sky, I turned this dim, cluttered basement into a beachy refuge for the whole family. Now they have a rainy-day retreat that is absolutely divine!
Interior design consultant Candice Olson is the host of Divine Design on the W Network. You can watch the transformation of this space on Saturday or Sunday. For more information, go to www.wnetwork.com/divinedesign or www.divinedesign.tv