Greetings friends, it’s been a minute! Happy summer, happy June! I spent last week in Florida working remotely from our house, the one we bought years ago and rent to snowbirds each winter. It was good to be back and spend a few days at the beach. I also took a trip to Greece for 10 days in the early part of May, that was amazing! I’ll post pictures soon. Did you catch the photos I shared of my spring trip to Switzerland last year? Woah the flowers and scenery!
I’m home in California for most of the summer and looking forward to doing some local adventures here in Northern California. Years ago I posted about the best spots to visit in Sonoma County but it deserves an update! I’m thinking I’ll post a bit more this summer about some of the best things to do between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. California is a beautiful place to visit in summer. 🙂
Favorite links from the week:
This elegant Washington D.C. townhome and garden extension.
So lovely: the dark tones and wood finishes in this home.
Very cool: the mid century vibes and botanicals surrounding this abode.
Perfect for summer: these light and bright well decorated spaces.
Why slow decorating is the key to authentic interiors.
Plants that thrive in the shade.
Free and fun things you can do during the summer.
Guess which brand won America’s trust as most favorite for 2025?
Life lessons from older adults.
The lifetime effects of a fixed vs. growth mindset.
Hello all, happy (almost) fall! We’re still in summer mode around here, although my kids are back at their universities now. The house was full all summer and now it’s empty again. Sigh. It’s cleaner, but a lot quieter.
I did what a lot of empty nesters do, I started moving furniture around. I moved the sofa out of our study and placed my desk under the window so I can work from home when needed. With winter coming, having the electric fireplace nearby will be cozy.
The biggest news is…. I switched law firms. I was offered a new opportunity at a firm specializing in property litigation, now all my clients are developers and contractors, which is where I wanted to land. I love architecture, renovation, and design, so having clients that work in that industry is exciting for me. I also work less hours in my new position, so my hope is to start blogging again. Not weekly, more like once or twice a month… but that’s my goal. 🙂
September holds a lot of excitement: my stepdaughter’s wedding, a birthday trip to Hawaii, and a trip to London and Bath. On a whim, Matt and I decided to attend the Jane Austen Festival the second weekend of September, and we have Regency era attire to wear. People come from all over, the town will be dressed up, there are balls, parades, a theater production, and high tea, what fun it will be! I’ll share a blog post on that event for sure.
Favorite links of the week:
Green lovers, get ready to be inspired: 37 unexpected color pairings in layered interiors.
Dreamy: all the patterns and prints in the 2025 Southern Living idea house.
America’s first “car free” neighborhood.
How do to arts & crafts style in a contemporary way.
Home office bookshelf inspiration.
This 20th century guide to distinguishing between colorful European glass.
Landscaping ideas that add real value to your home.
Clever ways to hide kitchen outlets.
Peak season for fall foliage all around the USA.
Electricians weigh in: don’t use extension cords to power these items.
Habits that keep your brain sharp as you age.
September travel destinations and this new way to vacation: hybrid solo travel.
I look forward to it every year, planning a dining room tablescape in anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. For the holidays, I prefer classic patterns like tartans or leaf motifs, or something with a little metallic sparkle, but there are no rules as you can scatter festive decor over just about any pattern and make your tablescape chic and unique.
Having a tablecloth or a runner you can decorate with then put away and return to again in seasons to come is a wonderful tradition. I bought a new set of neutral plates recently, these Coupe Dinner Plates in Sand that pair beautifully with these Havana coupe salad plates in gray, the hues together are a perfect match. Now to find the perfect tablecloth for our upcoming feasts!
These sources below may assist you your search for table linens. Just browsing through the vendors, you’ll find additional sources for seasonal tablescape inspiration. I always study the layering and the creative medleys of accessories and botanicals.
We fill our homes with evergreens this time of year, and one of my favorite things about December is the botanicals that are also a part of the traditions of this season: poinsettia, paperwhites, and amaryllis.
This year my red amaryllis had three separate blooms, props to Trader Joe’s for whomever they chose as their amaryllis supplier, I’ve had flowers for weeks from a single bulb.
I love a vivid solid red bloom, however amaryllis is available in several varieties and colors including pink, white, and variegated striped petals.
Interestingly, the trumpet shaped flowers we buy for their holiday blooms are forced indoors, but outdoors, their natural flowering time is spring.
Amaryllis can rebloom with proper care. With an adjustment to their watering schedule and storage conditions, your amaryllis will bloom repeatedly. Bulbs need to go through a rest period after flowering to recover and bloom again.
When the amaryllis flowers wilt, trim the spent flowers so the plant doesn’t waste energy forming a seed pod. Do not cut away the stems or leaves.
Allow the leaves to grow throughout the spring and summer in indirect light, watering regularly. Continued leaf growth ensures photosynthesis, which helps the plant store energy in the bulb for future growth. The collection of energy after the flowers expire is essential for repeated blooms.
As long as the flower stem is green, it continues to photosynthesize helping the bulb to store energy for future flowers and foliage. Once the color lightens and starts to turn yellow, remove the stem, trimming it close to the base. Apply a water soluble fertilizer eight weeks before your desired blooming period which allows the bulb to bloom again with the additional nutrients.
The appeal of rural living in the countryside continues to play out in interiors, with pastoral kitchens and cottage style surging in popularity as a respite from a modern world consumed by technology. Delft tile is also experiencing a revival in kitchens and bathrooms where the delicate blue and white motifs are popping up again as a classic choice in design.
The traditional hand-painted in blue and white tiles originated in the Netherlands in the 17th century and often feature delicate scenes of a simple life. The classic blue-on-white palette remains fresh and timeless, pairing beautifully with everything from quartz countertops to rustic wood cabinetry. Delft tiles possess an enduring quality rooted in craftsmanship and appealing to many as storytelling in small scale. Delft tiles have a long history in design, the iconic blue and white designs have been installed throughout the centuries all over Europe.
A Delft tile backsplash brings personality and artistry into a living space. It acts as both a functional surface and an appealing focal point, turning an ordinary wall into a gallery of miniature artwork. Whether arranged in a uniform pattern or mixed with coordinating tiles for a collected look, Delft tiles add a charm and warmth that appeals to homeowners who want a space that feels meaningful, layered, and European rather than modern or utilitarian.
via schoolhouse
via @plainenglishdesign
marlbourough tiles
cle tile
bambi alynn design
Delft tiles often feature delicate scenes of pastoral life including botanicals, miniature animals, geometric borders, or thematic elements like ships and biblical motifs.
petra palumba
cle tiles
marlbourough tiles
Where does the iconic blue color come from you might ask? Its source is an oxide applied to bisque ceramics. The story below:
How is hand painted Delft Blue made? The craftsmanship is explained on their site:
The origin and core of Royal Delft is hand-painting high-quality Delft Blue ceramics. Decorating begins with applying the contours with charcoal, after which the pottery painters apply the details freehand with special brushes made of sable and squirrel hair. The paint is water-based and the color nuances are created by mixing the paint more or less with water. The Delft Blue decor is painted with a dye mixture that largely consists of cobalt oxide according to a centuries-old recipe. Due to chemical reactions during the baking process, the painted pattern changes color from black to the iconic blue.
A deeper dive into the tile scene includes a visit to the picturesque city of Delft, famous for its charming canals and historical facades, like many other cities in Netherlands. Delft is the birthplace of the world-famous ceramics.
From Amsterdam, I hopped on a train, and walked from the station to the production house where I took the tour and browsed the impressive shop. Inside are all kinds of collectibles including the iconic tulip pyramids, a structural design that dates back centuries.
Pay for the tour, and you can walk around inside their facility from station to station to see the entire creation process play out behind the scenes.
It was most interesting observing the in-house artisans creating classic designs on porcelain and bisque using the dark oxide paint. Once fired the motifs transform under heat into the iconic blue Delft is famous for.
Once you’ve selected something to bring home, don’t miss the lovely flower filled courtyard where you can enjoy a light meal before heading out to walk around the town.
Delft is the charming small city, walkable like so many others, and lovely for spending a few hours strolling around and seeing the sites. It is easy to get there by train in less an hour from Amsterdam which makes Delft a delightful day trip.
Many people like to travel to Netherlands in spring for the floral displays however the destination is equally as charming in fall. Have you ever spent autumn in Amsterdam?
While shopping my local garden center I stopped short when I spied an entire shipment of hellebores in all different varieties that had just arrived. I’ve long admired these blooms but hadn’t purchased any for my garden in the past. I couldn’t resist their allure, bought two plants, and promptly planted in them in pots when I got home. In the fall, I’ll move them into the ground.
These magical cup shaped blooms belong to a special club. Hellebores bloom in winter which increases their appeal because their blossoms arrive long before other perennials bloom in spring.
Often called Lenten roses, or Christmas roses, hellebores bloom when much of the landscape is still shaking off winter. Planting hellebores in your yard feels like an act of optimism, as they are a reminder that spring will come, no matter how long winter lingers.
In many regions, their nodding flowers appear as early as February. Like snowdrops, they will push through frost and snow. At a time when color is scarce and cabin fever runs high, hellebores deliver pinks, creamy whites, inky purples, and speckled patterns at the perfect time, when most of us are over and done with the cold and longing for spring to arrive.
Hellebores fit nicely in real-life gardens. They are hardy in a wide range of climates (USDA Zones 4–9), thriving in woodland settings beneath deciduous trees where they receive winter sun and summer shade. Once established, they are drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, two major advantages for suburban and rural gardeners alike.
Unlike fussier perennials, they ask for little more than well-drained soil and an annual trim of old leaves, rewarding minimal effort with months of long-lasting blooms that also make the most elegant cut flowers.
Hellebores offer a sense of continuity as their evergreen foliage anchors foundation beds year-round, and their early blossoms provide nectar for emerging pollinators. They also make fantastic cutting flowers to lift spirits on a cold day!
In an era when outdoor spaces double as sanctuaries, these resilient bloomers offer understated beauty, perfectly suited to gardens in all designs, from New England cottages to West Coast courtyards. Hellebores can be grown in containers for a couple of years in the right conditions. When planted, they thrive in woodland or shade gardens, under trees or canopies.
The Hellebore, or Lenten Rose, is available in many varieties, as hybridization has expanded the plant’s palette. Styles include single and double blooms.
I chose ‘Anna’s Red’ for its burgundy hue, the flecked white ‘Cheryl’s Shine’ for its pattern with the goal of creating sweet bouquets around the house like this.
Below are a few informative articles sourced from the web:
1. Where to Plant Hellebores for the Best Flower Display
Yes, you can put vinyl flooring over carpet in some cases, but it depends on the carpet type, padding, subfloor, and product instructions. Vinyl plank or LVP may work over firm, low-pile carpet, while soft or plush carpet can make the floor unstable.
The steel beam beneath the powder room turned out to be the only major surprise. Otherwise, the renovation moved along smoothly, and Felix and Nova were out of the apartment for just under two months. Alan’s team contained the work area to help keep dust away from the rest of the loft, and Felix appreciated that they kept the space tidy throughout the project.
During construction, Felix stopped by the site daily to check in and answer questions. By then, though, Alan had a strong sense of what she wanted.
“But pretty much Alan knew what I wanted,” Felix explained. After nearly a year of talking through the project, that was probably no surprise.
Once Felix and Nova moved back in, the updates quickly became part of daily life. The stacked washer/dryer was a “life changer,” and the new entryway closet finally gave them room for coats, the vacuum, and the odds and ends that never had a proper place before.
The baths feel calm and spa-like, with plenty of storage and a simple, unfussy look. Felix loves the finished space, though she does have one small regret. She wishes the medicine cabinet in the full bath had been hung a bit higher, so the doors would not knock over bottles on the back ledge of the sink.
Still, for a first-time renovator, Felix found the process “surprisingly easy.”
Thanks to Felix and Nova for sharing their home. We’re so glad they finally went for it!
Ready to renovate? Start here for free!
Here you can learn more about our services and locations. Alternatively, browse more home renovation inspirations, processes, and cost guides.
Could your basement be doing more for your home? When you need extra room for work, storage, laundry, guests, or downtime, an unfinished lower level can start to feel like missed potential.
Below are our favorite basement renovations that show how homeowners turned overlooked spaces into practical, polished rooms they can use every day.
(Above) This Sunnyside basement is now a bright and comfortable space for working at home while doubling as a place for storage, movie nights, and everyday family use.
Key takeaways for basement renovations
Plan the basement around real daily needs, such as work, laundry, storage, play, fitness, entertaining, or guest space.
Use lighting, flooring, ceiling updates, and wall finishes to make a lower level feel brighter and more comfortable.
Add built-in storage where possible so the basement stays useful without becoming another clutter zone.
Think through plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, ventilation, and ceiling height early, since these often shape the final layout.
Match the basement’s purpose to the home’s routines, whether that means a family room, office, recreation area, laundry zone, or specialty cellar.
Sweeten’s renovation stories show how much potential can be hiding below the main floors of a home. Instead of building an addition, many homeowners can rethink the square footage they already have, turning a basement into a polished office, a family hangout, a better laundry area, a storage-friendly lower level, or a small but memorable entertaining space.
1. A basement renovation turns a dark cellar into a home office
Location: Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn, New York
Goal:Turn an underused cellar into a polished home office, laundry area, storage zone, and occasional guest space.
Renovation scope: The team sheetrocked the walls, poured an epoxy floor over the existing concrete, built closets under the stairs, added a storage island, installed open shelving, and layered in 18 recessed LED ceiling lights.
Result: The basement became a bright, gallery-like work level with a clean white palette, exposed masonry texture, better laundry access, and enough flexibility for work, storage, and guests.
Danielle, an interior designer, needed her Brooklyn cellar to become more than a place where extra stuff landed. She wanted a bright studio for her design work, practical storage for family items, a better laundry setup, and enough comfort for overnight guests when needed.
After posting the project on Sweeten, she met experienced general contractors and chose one who felt both capable and genuinely excited about the job. Her story is also a good reminder that preparing for a contractor site visit can help homeowners explain their goals clearly before the first big decision is made.
For readers remodeling a basement, this project shows how much lighting, storage, and flooring can change the feel of a lower level. The finished space added a full working floor to the home, with polished surfaces, open shelving, and enough light that Danielle could work there comfortably at any hour.
2. A Queens basement adds space for study, movies, and laundry
Location: Sunnyside, Queens, New York
Goal: Make a 1,200-square-foot townhouse feel bigger by turning the basement into a living and utility level with room for work, entertainment, laundry, storage, and a better bathroom.
Renovation scope: The project included floor leveling, large matte concrete-effect tile, exposed and painted heating pipes to help with ceiling height, new vents, a new basement door and window, and a reworked layout with a larger bathroom.
Result: The basement became a study, gaming, and movie area, music space, storage room, laundry zone, and brighter bathroom with a freestanding tub, large wall tile, and a custom concrete sink.
Gordon and his family lived in a compact three-story townhouse where every floor had to pull its weight. They had already renovated the kitchen years earlier, but the basement still felt underused, uneven, and poorly planned for daily life.
Because they were renovating a basement in a landmarked 1925 townhouse, the work came with more than design decisions. It also called for the kind of early planning many owners weigh when looking at thecost per square foot in New York City before changing layouts, utilities, or finished living space.
The result gave the family more usable space without changing the home’s footprint. For small houses, the best basement remodels can feel less like adding a bonus room and more like finding a missing floor.
3. A New Jersey basement renovation creates a modern family room
Location: Bergen County, New Jersey
Goal:Replace an outdated 1970s basement with a family room that could support kids, toys, music, laundry, wine storage, and extra household storage.
Renovation scope: The work included waterproofing, plumbing and electrical changes, moving the laundry room, raising the ceiling from under six-and-a-half feet to over eight feet, adding built-ins, and installing new windows.
Result: The lower level became a family-friendly room with COREtec engineered plank flooring, warm gray walls, white trim, built-in storage, IKEA laundry cabinets, laminate counters, and a wall-mounted drying rack.
Cristiana moved from a 750-square-foot apartment into an early Craftsman Colonial that had charm upstairs but a basement in need of a new purpose. The lower level had low ceilings, dated finishes, and too much storage clutter, even though the square footage had real potential for family life.
She came to Sweeten to find a contractor who could carry out the architect’s plan, and the work involved a lot of practical problem-solving. Her home renovation in New Jersey shows why storage, ceiling height, laundry placement, and waterproofing all need careful thought.
This kind of family-first basement remodeling works because the finished room supports real routines. The kids gained a play space, the family gained storage off the main floor, and the laundry area became clean, organized, and easy to use.
4. A Philly basement remodel turns storage into a laid-back recreation level
Location: Ardmore, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia
Goal:Convert a dated basement storage area into a recreation level with TV seating, exercise space, a bar, a mini kitchen, and better storage.
Renovation scope: The team planned zones for fitness, entertainment, and the bar, worked around low ductwork, placed cabinetry and a sink strategically, installed a pump for a bar sink below the sewer line, and helped solve delivery and vendor issues.
Result: The basement became a relaxed hangout with plush theater carpeting, durable vinyl plank flooring, granite counters, gray cabinets, chrome hardware, and built-in cabinets that hid the gas meters.
David had already demolished the basement after moving into the family’s 2,700-square-foot home, but the project sat unfinished for two years. What he really wanted was a comfortable place for serious TV watching, exercise, a bar, and storage that did not feel like an afterthought.
He posted the project on Sweeten and chose a contractor who could help turn the open lower level into useful zones. In a region wherehome renovations in Philadelphia can involve older-house quirks, low ceilings, and tight mechanical conditions, that practical contractor support mattered.
The finished space gave the family a spot that feels easy to use and comfortable to settle into. Between the theater carpet, vinyl plank flooring, granite counters, and hidden storage, the basement finally became the recreation level David had pictured.
Bonus story: A small basement corner transforms into a showpiece
Location: Washington, DC
Goal:Transform an under-stair basement space into an insulated wine and whiskey cellar while improving the indoor/outdoor entertaining flow.
Renovation scope: The project added floor-to-ceiling tempered glass, recessed lighting on dimmers, under-counter refrigeration, bar lighting, a stain-conscious countertop, green wall color, and patio tile that matched the indoor floor.
Result: The unused triangle under the stairs became a glass-front focal point with insulated bottle storage, better lighting, and a stronger connection between the basement and backyard.
Annick had worked in the wine industry, and a Sonoma harvest helped spark the idea for a cellar at home. This is our bonus story that shows how one overlooked lower-level corner can become something surprisingly useful and personal.
The homeowner posted their project on Sweeten because they needed a contractor who was comfortable with a small, but very specific, job. Their architect led the design, the contractor brought it to life, and details like glass, refrigeration, lighting, and exterior connections all played a role in shaping thecost of their home remodel in Washington, DC.
For readers collecting basement remodel ideas, this one stands out because it proves a basement upgrade does not always need to take over the whole floor. The finished cellar keeps the wine insulated, shows off the whiskey collection, and gives the basement a memorable feature that feels personal, polished, and easy to enjoy.
Frequently asked questions
Are basement renovations worth it?
Yes, basement renovations are worth it when they make unused space more practical, comfortable, and easier to use every day. They can also help a home feel larger without changing the home’s existing footprint.
What can I turn my basement into?
You can turn a basement into a home office, family room, laundry area, guest space, workout zone, entertainment room, or extra storage area. The best use depends on what your household needs most day to day.
What should I plan before remodeling a basement?
Most renovators plan flooring, storage, ceiling height, plumbing, electrical work, and moisture control before remodeling a basement. A general contractor can help you understand what changes are realistic for the space.
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The post 5 Smart Basement Ideas That Add Living Space appeared first on Sweeten.
Yes, a duplex can be harder to renovate than a single-level apartment because the work may involve stairs, layout changes, multiple bathrooms, flooring transitions, and systems across two floors. With the right general contractor, the process becomes easier to plan because each level can be treated as part of one whole-home remodel.
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