Industrial Deco Lounge

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Resurrecting a space to become an entertainment center? Our Chapel Hill clients had the idea of changing their nice sized basement into the “go to” spot to entertain and hangout. The space has a nice separation from the rest of the house, allowing the family to be loud and rowdy while watching an intense game or using the space as a quiet cozy get away. We took cues from industrial era lofts to create a pallet of materials: wood, steel, leather and concrete; colors: turquoise blues with grey undertones and warm browns; and forms: bold curved lines. The existing low ceilings; exposed ducts, pipes, and mechanical equipment; and a narrow stair were addressed by “editing the space”. We fogged out the exposed ceiling framing, ducts, and pipes with black paint making the space feel taller and calmer. Hiding the mechanical equipment and providing railing for the narrow stair gave us the opportunity to collaborate with a local artisan in the creation of screen panels. The screens were designed to be able to be completely dismantled but as far as regular access it is just a matter of lifting off enough panels. While there were challenges, the space also has amazing assets: rugged brick walls, rough wood ceiling framing, steel and beautiful natural light that floods in from large window wells. The solutions to the challenges and the existing assets worked well together in creating an industrial NY loft feel in our NC basement lounge that our clients loved.

Architect: Heather R.B. Washburn, AIA
Architectural & Interior Design: Calico Studio, PLLC
Photographer: Keith Isaacs