Imagine
a space so inviting teenagers want to
stay home on a Friday night: Welcome to Design Home
2008’s lower level. “It was all about nesting,”
said architect Wayne Visbeen. “The whole estate
was developed around family.”
Beyond myriad seating spaces, a pool and
spa, bedroom suites sweeten the deal. A son who loves
gaming and seven friends can gather comfortably in his
custom gaming room with theatre-style seating. While
a DJ station adds urban appeal, favorite posters turned
into wallpaper, an idea from interior designer Rick
Whallon, add eclectic interest.
Meanwhile, a daughter who loves theatre
and her friends will enjoy singing, dancing, and performing
on a small stage in her suite’s entryway. Enhanced
by a chair suspended from the ceiling, New York loft-style
décor, dressing room, and bathroom that rivals
most master baths, her space is a haven.
Adults won’t be strangers to the
lower level either, which also houses a billiard room,
kitchenette and home theatre. But the key draw?
“The sports court is the last thing
you see when you walk through this house, but it anchors
the home,” Visbeen noted. “Physically, it
was a feat of design and engineering. Psychologically,
it’s the home’s heart: It draws out the
kid, the competitor, or the cheerleader in everyone.
“The way the home’s flow leads
to the sports court is really unusual,” said Gordy
Constantine of Scott Christopher, Inc. “It had
to be built first, and the concrete goes down 24 feet
below grade. It’s not a feature you could do just
anywhere.”
But the lower level isn’t all play
– it’s the hub of the home’s technology.
From a small audio/video equipment room comes control
of the home’s DVD players and overall sound system.
It also has a back stairwell connecting directly to
the second garage for ease of hauling groceries or allowing
frequent guests quick access to the home’s entertaining
area.
“Just like a machine has gears,”
Visbeen noted, “the lower levels of the home put
into motion the rest of the home’s design. The
connection brings a surprise factor as each level unfolds
into the other.”
