A Look Behind The Process of The McGee Home Basement

After a few years of living, working, and playing in our dream home, we finally finished our basement! 

Building our first custom home for our family after years of designing for our clients was one of the most rewarding experiences, and we couldn’t wait to start working on our unfinished basement once we moved in. We had a lot of ideas, and everyone had a must-have — from Syd’s skate-ramp to the girl’s ballet bar and air hockey table.  

With some help from our friends at Killowen Construction, we created a fun, functional, beautiful space, and we’re so excited to share it with you! Before we dive in, though, we’re giving you a sneak peek of the inspiration and process behind the designs.  

Where we began

The year we moved into our home was one of our busiest yet. On top of design projects and the day-to-day of running a business, we wrote a book, launched a multi-year partnership with Target, and filmed our Netflix Show “Dream Home Makeover.” Fun fact: the set for our interviews took up most of the central area of the unfinished basement! We put our plans to finish the space aside for a few years while we dreamed up every detail.

Behind the scenes of our basement before — the filming set for Dream Home Makeover!

Behind the build

From the beginning of the process, it was important that the basement felt as non-basement-like as possible. We had a lot of ideas, and we needed a good team to bring them all to fruition. We were so lucky to work with Killowen Construction and Killowen Cabinet Co. on our basement (and our entire home). Each detail is built with intention, from the custom secret door in the kitchenette to the beautiful arches throughout. 

The key pieces

Our basement was designed to be a space for relaxation and play, but we still wanted to make it feel elevated with a few of our favorite pieces. We incorporated a mix of old and new, with a few vintage finds from over the years and a big custom sectional. Here are a few of the pieces that made the room: