Jason and Lisa Desjardins live life in full color. Their red front door contrasts perfectly with their clear blue foyer. Their dining room is painted a gorgeous kelly green. Unique paint treatments and colorful artwork are around every corner.
Jason and Lisa are also ambitious. Their remodeled basement, completed almost exclusively with their own four hands, is our Home of the Week.
A bit of water damage is what set the Desjardins on the path to resuscitating the basement in their townhome on East Monroe Avenue. The home was built in the 1940s and Jason and Lisa are only the third owners of the property, having purchased it in 2007.
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The basement was a great space just waiting for inspiration. Divided into two distinct areas, a sleeping space and an entertaining space, the basement has outside access, a full-height window and a full bathroom. The elements were in place for something amazing.
Jason and Lisa started with the floor. They chose a vinyl option from Arlandria Floors that actually made me do a double take. The espresso-finished strips of vinyl look entirely like hand-scraped wood planks. Although they leveled the floor themselves in preparation, Jason and Lisa did leave the installation of the vinyl to the professionals—one of the only items in the basement they didn’t tackle on their own.
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The next big detail that defines the basement are the two brick accent walls. The walls, constructed by Jason and Lisa from brick veneer, look like they have always been there. To hear them tell of the painstaking process of installing the brick and mortar makes me wince a bit. To hear them tell of hauling the heavy pallet of bricks on the beltway all the way from Maryland makes me laugh. They are definitely do-it-yourselfers.
The basement isn’t short on storage with a bank of closets and a spot to hang Jason’s bike. In fact, with a big screen for entertainment, a comfy couch, a bedroom and a bathroom, I don’t know why Jason and Lisa would ever leave their basement. However, after touring the smartly designed and executed space, I do understand why their basement serves as a gathering spot for friends, family and neighbors.
If you would like your home featured in The Home Front, e-mail Joanna at joanna.serth@gmail.com.
