Letter To Tiffany, How To Make A Multipurpose Basement
Dear Tiffany,
Thank you for showing me the basement.
You asked me how to arrange these two FLOTTEBOs your friend ordered so he can set up the basement for the upcoming bachelor party.
First and foremost, congratulations to your friend. I am excited to help him refresh that basement. Besides setting up the basement for the bachelor party, I think that basement also has good potential for other functions such as a mancave, a home office, and a reading corner.
Please see below for my sketch for his multipurpose basement. Since the bachelor party is only a temporary event, I would like to address other flexibilities first.
The multipurpose basement
I noticed that basement tries to have an eclectic look: one end has this large television screen with changing LED backlighting, and the other has a retro-style clock and some artwork on the wall. To maximize multiple functions in the basement and still keep their unique looks, I suggest installing a ceiling curtain to divide the space into two: one mainly for an extensive screen experience, and the other could be used as a home office whenever needed.
Focus 1: the fireplace
This multipurpose basement could function well when he arranges his furniture according to the following principles.
First, set the axis across the room based on the two primary features in the basement: the TV and the fireplace. Then, place FLOTTEBO on the center of the axis: one faces the fireplace the other face the TV wall.
On the fireplace side, FLOTTEBO is the transition piece from the office desk to the cozy fireplace. He can creatively place the FLOTTEBO pillows to meet different daily functions.
Restorative opportunities
One side of FLOTTEBO can be his daybed if he wants to take a break amid the busy tasks. Many studies have shown that mentally detaching oneself from work and engaging in restorative activities has improved workers’ life satisfaction and mood. That also maintains work performance and reduces health concerns. Even the WELL certification has “Restorative Opportunities” and “Restorative Spaces” as its target credits.
Desk orientation
I also suggest changing the desk orientation. That way, he could easily switch from watching sports to looking at the monitor without leaving his desk. He then can save the small television screen for the other bedroom. The position of the existing small TV on the wall is also inappropriate for his ergonomics, which might impact his neck in the long run.
Curtain material
There are several common curtain materials: cotton, silk, lace, and velvet. He can choose any opaque or sheer fabrics if he only wants a visual separation between these two areas. The velvet is heavy because of its thickness. They are great for blocking light and sound. If he has a guest who needs to crush for a night, then using velvet would be ideal, while other household members still use other areas in the basement.
Focus 2: the television wall
On the television wall side of the room, the FLOTTEBO could set a boundary to the game/exercise area. Positioning the edge of the furniture to meet the small angle wall will make the area a perfect square shape. You might find the square shape is not big of a deal. However, from Patheon to Villa la Rotonda (which resembled our human civilization), we humans have an innate sense of proportion. When proportions are considered ‘intuitively’ and expressed with balance, we feel a sense of stasis. It would be good to capture the synthesis of visual choice in our daily life.
Event Scenario: the bachelor party
To make this basement suitable for the bachelor party, he can leave the ceiling curtain aside and push FLOTTEBO to the center of the area. That way will leave the maximum space for passage and circulation. I assume there will be a lot of guests walking around during the event. The desk by the staircase can also serve as a temporary booth. In the future, he could add a mini fridge and credenza against the wall that makes enough countertop for occasional use.
Let me know what he thinks of these plans. I would be happy to hand out more sketches if he has other programs or ideas that he wants to try.
Sincerely,
H
