From Unused Basement to a Calm Cozy Lounge and Studio: Designing Our Studio (The Unplugged Story)

Burcu
6 days ago
4 min read

Marietta Interior Design Project | Basement Renovation, Home Office, Kitchenette, Bathroom, Lounge, Studio and More

Basement Renovation, Green Blue Basement, Cozy Inviting Lounge, Dining Room — DnC Studio Lounge, Basement Renovation Design by Design & Curations, Photography by Grayson Guldenschuh

If I’m being honest, writing this feels both hard and incredibly special.

Because this studio didn’t start as a floor plan or a renovation checklist. It began as a quiet dream — the kind you don’t fully say out loud yet. What unfolded over 14 months, two renovation phases, countless sketches, late-night Pinterest spirals, and a whole lot of faith became something far bigger than I ever imagined. Not just a workspace, but our creative home.

And yes, if you’re here strictly for paint colors, finishes, and sources, I will share more on upcoming blog or simply email me or comment here, I will send you all I know!

However, if you’re open to understanding the underlying purpose behind the design, this PART 1 is at the heart of it. And yes, it is our basement, and yes, it has a separate direct access, we feel so lucky to have this space. I will tell all, dream, vision board, inspiration pictures, and more! Let's dive in?

14 Months Journey: From an UNUSED Basement to a DREAM Work Space and LOUNGE

The Dream Before the Design

I dreamed about having my own space to design. Not just a home office, not just a desk, but a place to focus, create, host clients, store MANY samples, brainstorm freely, and feel fully in my element.

What I didn’t know was that it would become a family journey. Or that Alper would step in as co-lead. Or that it would live right beneath our home. What I did know was this: I wanted proximity. I wanted intention. And I wanted a space that felt inspiring every single time I walked into it.

I had a few inspirational images pinned on the vision board to my left, where I worked every day for my corporate job.

They quietly reminded me of what I was building toward, even when I wasn’t fully sure how it would happen.

Where Architecture Met Memory

Early 2024 is when things started to shift from dreaming to envisioning. I sketched an arched door — inspired by the arched windows in our home, wanting to carry architectural consistency through the space. Then I started flipping through design books and landed on a niche inside a Modern Mediterranean interior. It stopped me in my tracks.

It reminded me of childhood homes — white stucco walls, built-in niches, texture everywhere, soft light, warm wood. That calm, grounded feeling stayed with me.

Around the same time, I visited a few studios, including Stevie Interiors in Milton. Meghan’s studio visit was a defining moment. She generously shared how having a dedicated studio transformed her workflow, her business, and her creativity. That visit mattered more than she knows.

She also introduced us to Orlando Construction, who would later help bring this vision to life. With the help of a drafter, we translated the idea into a 3D sketch — and suddenly, it felt real.

Phase One: The Basement Becomes a Studio Through Renovation

Our starting point wasn’t glamorous. It was an unfinished basement workshop — concrete floors, raw walls, potential everywhere.

Starting from HERE...

But what made it special was access: a separate entrance, space to host a team, room to grow. We were deeply grateful to even have the option to do this in our home.

By summer 2024, things got busy. Really busy.

Our dining table was no longer cutting it. Samples multiplied. (Honestly, I was ordering things I loved just for future inspiration.) Lara was 3.5 at the time. She had strong opinions on which samples were “the best,” naturally. I felt fully in my element. And I realized something important: If I wanted to work at 5 AM or 9 PM — and keep balance — a home-based studio was the answer.

So we reinvested our profits and committed.

Then came the moment: A 9-foot arched iron door arrived. That door didn’t just close a wall — it opened a reality.

There she was, and we had Clouser Interior Photography to capture our dream, our vision, our commitment to this Studio. This was the phase one. Where I was having a clean start, literally.

Wall Color: SW Snowbound

Phase Two: Color, Growth & Going Deeper in Basement Renovation

By early 2025, our studio had grown to four people, and our inventory kept expanding. We needed more space — and a kitchenette (non-negotiable).

Phase two began. This time, I wanted something different. More color. More depth. Still calm, still grounded in nature, out side in, but moody and lounge feel in a Design & Curations way.

We went through multiple iterations. Alexis translated my vision into 3D, and while the layout worked, the color didn’t. I had planned burgundy, maybe maroon — sophisticated, yes — but it felt off.

Because at our core, our design philosophy is always Nature In. Then one night, at 1 AM, I woke up, searched endlessly, landed on a wallpaper… and it clicked. The color needed to come from our backyard lake.

WALL COLOR: SW Rocky River

Outside in.

Meaningful.

Grounded.

A Space That Holds Real Life

Phase two introduced our lounge area, kitchenette, gathering table, Alper’s desk, and even a play area for Lara and Leo. Because real life happens here, and balance matters.

And then there’s the bathroom, the boldest move of all. The wallpaper splurge, the risk, the joy. A space where we let ourselves play.