Decorating with a Moody Color Scheme

The couple's basement lounge isn't just strategically dark, it's light-years away from what it was. Although the room was finished, it was dated and soulless—drowning in carpet (even covering the built-in bar) and with a basement-basic drop ceiling. Ryan confidently dove into a transformation that cost around $1,000. "I'm a pretty handy guy," he says. "I kind of inherited the gene of: How hard can it be? I'll figure it out."

"I wasn't afraid of all the black because I knew in the end I was going to lighten the look with textiles and reflective finishes." –Ryan Rabuska, homeowner and designer

Credit: Matt Dutile

Color-Drenching a Dark Room

That go-for-it approach included daringly color-drenching the walls, ceiling, trim, and door in black paint so the background faded away and the low ceiling seemed to disappear. Ryan spent six hours and used 5 gallons of paint to spray the basement. Another layer of black in velvet curtains creates a makeshift wall, Ryan's easy and affordable way to hide two structural posts. He hung 10 curtain panels from three rods to "build" the wall.

"We wanted to make the basement feel special without spending a lot of money." –Ryan Rabuska

The monochromatic foundation counters a high-contrast black-and-white floor Ryan painted after ripping up the carpet. "My personal design style is I like a lot of contrast," he says. "Most of our house is light and bright, so I like that the basement contrasts that."

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Credit: Matt Dutile

Credit: Matt Dutile

Budget-Friendly Basement Ideas

Behind the bar, a self-adhesive wallpaper from Target dresses up the wall where a large mirror used to be. A pair of sconces bought on clearance light up the space—with a little trickery. Rather than having the sconces wired, Ryan attached a battery-operated, remote-controlled puck light to the socket.

At the bar, he got extra creative by cladding the once-carpeted bar with PVC pipes to emulate a reeded look. Furnishings, including a modular sofa, were mostly repurposed from items the couple already owned, supplemented with a few glam reflective accent tables.

Matt Dutile

Floating TV Shelf

His DIY punch list also included adding a media center, a straightforward and chic floating shelf that holds the TV. A wall with a long alcove seemed like an invitation to build an oversize floating shelf. Ryan used 2x4s to build the frame, which he screwed into wall studs. A plywood top and front piece, both stained, screw into the frame. "It ended up looking expensive and chic," Ryan says.

Now the space Ryan and Jeff never contemplated using has become a getaway—a bonus spot for watching movies or relaxing with a drink in the 1970s A-frame house. "We look forward to our time down there," Ryan says. "We both work a lot, so it's nice to have a dedicated space to relax and unwind. The extra space has definitely been a benefit to our house."