PLAY STATIONS

DESIGN, Michelle Berwick, MB Design. CONSTRUCTION, The Holmes Group. Custom CABINETRY, Hartley Built. DOOR HANDLES, Schlage. Hello WALL SIGN, Niche Décor. BACKGROUND WALL PAINT, Chantilly Lace OC-55,

COLOUR BLOCKING PAINTS,

Summer Melon 2168-50, Saint Martin Sand 2164-50, Billowy Down 2064-70, Hale Navy HC-154, Benjamin Moore.

The basement of a Stouffville, Ont., bungalow goes from dreary concrete pit to colourful and creative kids ’ space.

HIDDEN BEAUTY

When a basement gives you a pipe you can’t move, make it a feature. Designer Michelle Berwick designed a bench to hide such a pipe, and the effect is cute and functional. Her departure from a lighter shade here is intentional. “Using a dark colour, like this blue, doesn’t mean the space will look smaller, ” she says. “It feels just the opposite when it plays off the contrast of white.

ALCOVE PAINT, Hale Navy HC-154, Benjamin Moore. Custom CANDY CART, Mike Holmes Jr., Rob Collier, The Holmes Group.

COME ON IN How’s this for a warm welcome? Vibrant colour blocking and a purefun “hello” sign enliven the first wall you see when descending to the basement, signalling the whimsy that’s to come. “This wall treatment is creative, easy to do and inexpensive, ” says Michelle. “It’s also a colourful antidote to the concrete jungle that was here before. ” Her skill at tricking the eye is already at play – did you notice the bulkhead on the right? T he elephant in the room was the ceiling, ” says designer Michelle Berwick. “It was just over six feet at the highest point and 5-11 under the bulkheads. ” Not exactly conducive to the expansive and bright playroom that owners Brittany and Wayne Young desired for their children (Livia, 5, and Tristan, 2). But Michelle was not deterred. Brought in by Mike Holmes ’ construction team (who were transforming the dug-out concrete hole into a workable basement for an HGTV show, Holmes Family Rescue), Michelle was tasked with designing the 1,075-square-foot space. “I needed to trick the eye away from those low ceilings and bulkheads, and relied on paint and decals to do so, ” says Michelle. Her imaginative use of them, from unexpected applications to a riot of colours, elevated the subterranean space into a kids ’ wonderland. “They use it every day and night for crafts, playing, games, ” she says. “It’ s so fun. What little one wouldn ’t want to hang out here?”

HANGING OUT

The owners wanted the children’s play areas to be soft and warm, so they opted for wall-to-wall carpeting. Because this is a place where paint, glue and slime are used liberally, Michelle topped the carpet with a rug that can easily be spot-cleaned and eventually switched out when necessary. The hanging chair (one of two) begs to be sat in, and the custom-made artwork reflects Tristan and Livia’s favourite things: Lego and unicorns.

Hanging CHAIRS, RUG, Wayfair. CUSHIONS, Tonic Living. ART, The Modern Art Cartel.

“The kids play and create here, so bright and fun wall treatments were a must. ”

PRETTY PLACEMENT A floating console does more than amplify the setting’s airy look.

“Custom built-in storage is the key to creating a clutter-free kids’ zone, ” says Michelle. This one nicely fills in a small nook and harbours toys, games and craft supplies while providing a surface for pretty things. The prettiness continues in zingy, painted-on rainbow stripes. “They keep the eye moving away from the lines of the bulkhead, ” says Michelle.

STRIPED WALL PAINT, Purple Easter Egg 2073-50, Honolulu Blue 2066-60, Key Lime 2031-60, Sundance 2022-50, Melon Popsicle 2016-50, Light Chiffon Pink 2000-60, Benjamin Moore.

CREATIVE HUB

The playful craft area inspires the imagination thanks to a mix of colourful chairs and the ingenious addition of pegboard, which keeps artistic supplies in plain view and easily accessible. More grown-up design details delight, too. “Normally in spaces with low ceilings, you can’t accommodate decorative fixtures – it’s all pot lights, ” says Michelle. “But I decided to sneak in a few pendants to up the pintsize space’s style factor and bounce light around the room. ”

CEILING LIGHTS, PENDANTS, DVI Lighting. TABLE, CHAIRS, Structube. PEGBOARD ORGANIZER, IKEA.

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