A Freehold basement is designed for entertaining all ages

The style is modern and sophisticated, comfortable and fun-loving

Designer Andrea Leone made the most of her expansive, high-ceilinged basement by creating spaces for entertaining. “One piece of advice I can offer someone in a new-build scenario is to add an extra foot to the ceiling height. Instead of the standard 8-foot basement ceiling, we made ours 9 feet. Many people have mentioned to us what a difference it makes. You truly do not feel like you are in a basement.”

Andrea Leone loves to entertain. “We have a young family and a large extended family, and we’re always hosting parties.” So the designer, a partner in the  Manalapan-based firm I and I Designs, decided to create a dedicated entertaining space in the basement of her Freehold home.

Leone wanted the space to appeal to a wide range of ages: “It was important that the space be kid-friendly and a ‘cool hangout’ for our boys, but I also wanted to ensure it had just as much allure for our grownup parties too.” The designer’s goal was an aesthetic combination of sophistication and comfort, with a splash of exuberance. “We wanted to create a modern, lounge-like atmosphere but also ensure it would be cozy and inviting,” she explains. “I started with a color palette of gray, white and black. Then I added bold and fun accents and decor with a ‘pop art’ feel.”

“We wanted to conceal the traditional support beams in the basement,” Leone explains. “To achieve this, we designed the kitchenette area in a way that hid the beams inside it.”

The expansive basement is divided into two main zones, one for games and the other for movie watching. (A separate home gym has a room of its own just off the game area.) Leone used the same neutral base palette in both areas and furnished the spaces to encourage interaction among guests. “In the game area, we used swivel chairs positioned in front of a bar ledge. That configuration offers different opportunities for mingling.” A built-in kitchenette is handy for serving refreshments and for storing tableware. Leone came up with a clever “hide-in-plain-sight” method for storing boardgames. “Over the bar ledge, I added game boards with magnetic pieces,” Leone notes. “We can play these games during a game night and, when not in use, they are kept neat and serve as a conversation piece for sure!”

Designer Andrea Leone in the game area section of her basement.

At the other side of the basement, a theater room features relaxed, comfortable — and unexpected — seating options. “I didn’t want traditional movie-room seating,” Leone says. “Instead, we opted for an oversized black sectional in a rich, soft fabric. This gave us the cozy yet modern feel we were going for.” Swivel chairs, like those in the game room but upholstered in a different fabric, provide an additional conversation area.

Though the spaces feature similar colors and furnishings, Leone added details that give each zone a distinct look. “When designing the millwork, we wanted to differentiate each area based on its purpose. In the game and bar area, I envisioned a playful design, so we created a chevron pattern, which subtly recurs throughout the space. It appears in the tile backsplash and carpet, providing a sense of continuity. In the movie area, we pursued a more streamlined approach, drawing inspiration from traditional theater aesthetics with straight lines and wall sconces. My goal was to blend modern elements with subtle but traditional details.”

Leone drew from traditional theater décor when designing the millwork for the movie area.

Less traditional, but lots of fun, is the whimsical display in the passage between the two spaces. “I filled large acrylic boxes (permanently sealed) with some of my boys’ favorite candy. This enabled us to use custom color combinations.” Those bold colors are repeated, sparingly, throughout the space — in accents such as coffee table books, wall art and cocktail glasses — adding a hint of vibrant energy to the otherwise understated spaces.

Acrylic boxes packed with favorite candies create whimsical “artwork” in the corridor between the game area and the movie area.

Leone is thrilled with her renovated basement. “This space was unused, so it was a true blank slate for us. Fortunately, we knew exactly how we wanted to use it! We were able to create a space that doesn’t feel like a basement, but rather an extension of our home.”