Our first official client project with Clark + Aldine is 100% complete and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. It’s wild to think in 8 weeks we were able to transform this unfinished basement into a livable, functional and relaxing place to just be! We are going to take you from start to finish on all the things that happened in the space, and as promised we will source as many products as we can at the bottom of this post!

Clients Nick and Kerry recently relocated from Chicago to Michigan. I am sure some of you Chicagoans caught the Chicago cross road in their project name! Nick works in the automotive world while Kerry owns her own small business, Reset Brain + Body. Kerry works with clients through a fresh new approach to mental health. She offers interactive classes, support groups, meditation sessions, yoga, individual therapy and so much more. Check her out even if you’re not in the area she’s got online wellness coaching she offers!

Nick and Kerry have a little dude Cole and their dog Nellie. Together they live in their 1,300 sqft 1941 bungalow. When they came to us with this project their need was simple – more livable space for their growing family. Living in a house with one bathroom becomes challenging very quick! They needed not only livable space but functional space as well. Our goal was to make every inch of their basement work for them and their needs.

As with every project, we started with space planning. We laid out the bathroom, living space, play area, mudroom and dry bar/dog kennel. Painters tape is a great way to map out a space to give you a feel for what it will feel like with walls, and help plan furniture placement. You can then walk through the actual space before you buy anything. It really ensures comfortability with the layout, and allows for some changes before construction kicks off.

Designing is where we went next, specifically in the bathroom as lead times for finishes such as tile tend to be the longest. We immediately fell in love with green tile and knew it had to be a statement accent wall in the shower. I just love how the horizontal placement created a space that felt much bigger. When you’re dealing with low ceiling heights, you take everything you can get! We tiled the ceiling and used a glass enclose to create the spacious shower, while also serving as a pseudo sauna.

Choosing a shower fixture was challenging to say the least. With such a low ceiling we had to maximize every free inch, and the available fixtures were limited. But after three options we found the perfect setup. Next up were the floating shelves we created to provide ideal function to a smaller space. Adding these allowed for additional storage and a beautiful design element. Mixing metals is one of my favorite ways to create depth in any space and in this bathroom we have three different metals working together. The gold on the vanity and toilet paper holder deliver some glam to the space, while the black light fixture and towel bar work as a neutral against the chrome shower! The runner and art work help pull the entire space together making this basement bathroom a real show stopper.

With the bathroom design complete we went into the main space and began with a decision on the ceiling. It was going to be black. What we love about black ceilings is that they create the illusion of a larger space. And in this basement the black helps with the limited height, which essentially disappears now.

Right outside the custom pocket door of the bathroom is a perfect play space! Here we wanted to create an area to not only store toys but for all creative play to happen! I styled several shelves with baskets for toy storage while leaving others open for books, larger toys or creative play use. The rug helps create a cozy feel to this nook and everyone needs pillows and stuffed animals to keep comfortable while playing on the floor. The featured art work is both custom by our clients little one and a local artist here in Michigan, Kimberly from Small Moments.

When it came to the living space I wanted to deliver a fun play on the boho vibe that our clients Kerry and Nick dig. We were working with two pieces they already had, making accessorizing this space key. Pillows, a new rug, poof and some fun concert posters helped complete this vibe. I also found a functional tray to house their remote, coasters and a favorite design book!

Behind the living space features a pub table for additional seating, and a custom dry bar with a built-in dog kennel! This just might be my favorite part of the entire project. It’s design with function to the fullest. The bar top is a piece of reclaimed Elm wood from 28 Furniture Co. that Michael fit to spec. He also built the floating shelves and kennel, which features shiplap wall and custom doors with rebar and a solid latch.

Two more pieces to this project to complete it. The custom mudroom space and staircase with railing to fit everyone’s needs. We used the small space at the bottom of the staircase and filled it to the max with both function and purpose. We fell in love with these leather bins and built the space around them. The bins can go both ways inside the cubbies, so there’s no wrong way to put them away. The staircase was rebuilt with oak treads and risers, and was paired with this custom black horizontal railing to tie in with the modern boho vibe we created in the space.

Looking how to create a modern horizontal railing? Here’s our full tutorial.

Clark + Aldine has been a business for a while now, but venturing out 100% on our own is fresh and new. We’d like to thank Nick and Kerry for taking a chance on us, the new kids on the block. We’re so blessed to be able to do this together as a couple and family, but when we can help create great spaces for amazing people it makes everything so much more fulfilling.

Now for what you’ve all been waiting for…the sources!

PAINT

Ceiling Paint – Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams
Wall color – Alabaster By Sherwin Williams

BATHROOM

Green Shower Tile – Tile Shop
Carrera Shower Tile – Home Depot
Floor Shower Tile – Home Depot
Carrera Shower Curb – Datile
Shower Enclosure Towels – Dream Line
Shower Slidebar Kit – Kohler
Shower Wall Mount – Kohler
Shower Trim – Kohler
Toilet – Kohler
Bathroom Art – Gary Malin
Toilet Paper Holder – Amazon
Vanity – Tennant Brand
Faucet – Delta
Vanity Hardware – Rejuvenation
Vanity Light – Wayfair
Towel Bar – Rejuvenation
Towels – Quick Dri
Runner – Folktime Nirvana Fringe
Rug Pad – Amazon

KIDS PLAY SPACE

Toy Storage – IKEA
Letter & Number Baskets – Crate Kids
Baskets – IKEA
Rug – Target
Art – Small Moments

LIVING SPACE

TV Wall Mount – Amazon
Rug – nuLOOM
Rug Pad – Amazon

BAR AREA

Pub Table – Wayfair
Backsplash – Quadrostyle

MUDROOM

Storage Bins – Target
Hooks – Target Similar Here

AUBURN + DAYTON BASEMENT PROJECT