Basement Gains a Lounge, Wine Room and Bar for Entertaining

This Portland, Oregon, couple wanted to transform the basement of their historic home into a special place for entertaining. As parents in a blended family with three kids, they envisioned an adult-oriented retreat with a lounge, a home office, storage for their large wine collection and a bar for serving it when hosting friends.

After beginning construction with a contractor, they realized they needed more professional design help than they had anticipated. They initially hired Workaday Architects for a consultation on layout ideas, but the meeting inspired them to bring the firm on to design the entire project. The scope expanded to include built-ins, new stairs, a wine room, a powder room, the bar, lighting and more. The finished design balances the historic architecture of the home with the couple’s favorite midcentury pieces, meaningful artwork and modern updates.