Basement refinish for a Southwest style Guest Suite
When we first came to look at the basement of this home in Portland’s Mt. Tabor neighborhood, it was clear why the homeowner had decided to remodel. This partially finished daylight basement was in rough shape, with worn carpets and a foul smell that made it nearly impossible to stay for more than a few minutes.
The immediate need was simple enough. The homeowner had invited a friend to come live in the basement full time, with long-term plans to rent the space out as a short-term rental unit. In order to make this area livable, something had to be done.
All of the most important parts for a separate living space were there. A separate entrance, properly placed egress windows, and adequate head height. However, the drywall, flooring, and general aesthetic of the space needed a major upgrade.
The homeowner’s goal for the space was to convert it into a suite for friends, family, and renters to use. Visually, she wanted to achieve a style inspired by interior design trends of the southwest. Also, because she anticipated hosting some disabled guests, accessibility was high on the priority list.
To make sure we achieved all of the homeowner’s goals for the project, we decided the best course of action was to fully gut the old basement and rebuild it exactly as the homeowner desired. This involved removing all of the finished surfaces, including flooring, drywall, cabinets, and some interior walls.
The first challenge was to address the smell of the space. Our team removed the old carpet, replacing it with tile throughout the basement. By doing so, we were able to eliminate most of the porous floor surfaces where odors tend to get trapped.
The homeowner chose an orange porcelain stone tile, which both helped remove the odor and achieve her vision for a Southwest-style interior. We further enhanced the overall style of the space by rounding out doorways into arches and incorporating fixtures and finishes that met the desired style and color pallete.
To achieve the desired layout with a living space, attached bedroom, closet, and bathroom/laundry room, we also had to move several plumbing fixtures and HVAC lines. Of these, moving the location of the bathtub and the shower proved to be the most challenging.
Furthermore, while working on the structural system of the home, we discovered that one of the overhead beams in the basement was splitting. We quickly brought in an engineer to find a safe and cost-effective solution that would keep the home in top shape for decades to come.
After completing this remodel, the homeowner now has a beautiful new basement where she can host guests and make some extra income renting out the room. She couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.