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Designer Profile: Custom Details Transform a Basement at Two Hands Interiors


Chicago-area interior designer Two Hands Interiors turned an unfinished family basement into a classy entertainment room with clever ceiling treatments, and warm materials like wood and leather.


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Featured Project: Masking a Basement's Flaws with Custom Designs

When repeat clients asked for help transforming their unfinished basement into a cozy and highly functional hangout for kids and adults alike, principal Rachel Alcorn was excited to help transform this blank canvas.

A dark, unfinished basement with raw plaster and a small casement window with concrete floors
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors.
A dark, unfinished basement with raw plaster and a small casement window with concrete floors
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors.

Basement remodels can be challenging because of the often-awkward ceiling arrangements, with HVAC guts and herky-jerky ceiling soffits, but the team turned a challenge into an asset. They cleverly transformed a challenging ceiling profile into space-defining features, demarcating the television viewing area and enhancing it with a custom-stained ceiling treatment with wood beams.

The basement room has a unique ceiling with wood panels, wood beams, and light fixtures inbetween a recessed area to give the illusion of more space, rich brown woodwork and couches, a tan billiards table, and yellow and black leather bench seat
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors.

The inspiration for the design was a "California Library" aesthetic - clean, warm, a touch modern but grounded in the traditional architecture of the home with warm wood paneling and leather accents. Leather details along with brass touches and fun textiles add texture. Vintage black and white photos and custom posters added a nod to the clients' alma matters.

California Library Design Inspiration Board, Two Hands Interiors
"California Library" Design Inspiration Board. Image credit: Two Hands Interiors.

Elegant, Custom Details Transform the Basement

One of the elegant details in this design is the dual-purpose space underneath the (really) big television. A space that can often be a no-man's land was transformed into inviting conversational seating when the television is turned off.


Principal Rachel Alcorn says, "the bench seat with custom cushions came about because we had a long run of built-in bench storage that needed some visual interest. The wall hung cushions allow the bench to be used for seating as needed, but without cumbersome seat cushions or pillows - a more modern and clean look. The leather straps with brass are a sophisticated and special detail - our clients say they are the element most commented on by guests."

A classy basement rec room with a line of low dark brown, wood cabinetry running the length of the wall underneath the large wall-hung television and custom artwork. Hung on the wall between the low bench storage and the large, boxy television is a line of back cushions in a tan-yellow leather held to the wall with custom black leather straps by Walnut Studiolo
Custom black leather straps by Walnut Studiolo hold the tan back cushions to the wall above the bench storage running beneath the television. This details transforms the space from a one-directional television room to a multi-functional party room with space for circular conversations. Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
Close-up detail of bench storage seats with black Hawthorne Small leather loop handles by Walnut Studiolo
The Hawthorne Small leather handle, used on the bench storage units. Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
Close-up detail of the custom black leather straps hardware on the wall holding the back cushion
Close-up of the custom black leather straps holding the bench cushions by Walnut Studiolo, with specialty hardware sourced by Two Hands Interiors. Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors

Two Hands Interiors reached out to Walnut Studiolo to create the leather cushion straps, which were an "Extra Large" derivative of the Hawthorne Wide leather handle, and matched the look and scale of the Hawthorne Small hands installed on the bench storage below. Timeless hand-dyed leather complimented the "California Library" theme.


On working with the Walnut on custom leather work, Rachel says "The Walnut team was seamless with our custom request - they sent samples quickly and really got the vision, and then executed the order perfectly and on time."


All the details came together to create a sophisticated and comfortable space that serves the entire family and flows with the rest of the house, while providing an experience all on its own. The family's basement remodel was finished just in time to host holiday parties, bringing to life their vision of a clean, sophisticated and warm entertaining area for years to come.


Read their project journal for more details on this remodel.

Photo Gallery

The basement room has a unique ceiling with wood panels, wood beams, and light fixtures inbetween a recessed area to give the illusion of more space, rich brown woodwork and couches, a tan billiards table, and yellow and black leather bench seat
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
The basement room has a unique ceiling with wood panels, wood beams, and light fixtures inbetween a recessed area to give the illusion of more space, rich brown woodwork and couches, a tan billiards table, and yellow and black leather bench seat
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
The basement room has a unique ceiling with wood panels, wood beams, and light fixtures inbetween a recessed area to give the illusion of more space, rich brown woodwork and couches, a tan billiards table, and yellow and black leather bench seat
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
The basement room has a unique ceiling with wood panels, wood beams, and light fixtures inbetween a recessed area to give the illusion of more space, rich brown woodwork and couches, a tan billiards table, and yellow and black leather bench seat
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
Focus on the walnut wood paneling that looks like a library in the basement rec room, it
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
Focus on the artwork above the couch, and a dark window shade over the casement window
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors
Focus on the wet bar in the basement rec room with white marble effect countertops and backsplash, brass sink fixture, and walnut wood cabinets and wine storage
Photo credit: Two Hands Interiors

About Two Hands Interiors

Based in Wheaton, Illinois in the western suburbs of Chicago, Two Hands Interiors was named for its "hands on" approach to design and from the founder's work as a fine arts sculptor. In their design philosophy:

"We favor story and patina over perfection. We believe the best interiors are livable and yet inspiring, telling a story - reflecting the personalities and passions of their inhabitants. Our aim is listen to our clients, ask the right questions, and then co-create an interior that balances beauty with livability."

-Two Hands Interiors

Learn more about Two Hands Interiors on their website, or follow them on Houzz, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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