Gallagher Remodeling, Inc. is proud to win an EM National Association of the Remodeling Industry Contractor of the Year Award for the luxurious basement Game Room we designed and built. You can also view the project at the EMNARI website.

EM NARI 2004 CotY Awards Competition

Residential Interior Entry
Our Lincoln clients sought a high-end, classy and yet cool and fun place to relax and entertain guests - with room for 52” TV, stereo, slot machine, foosball and pool table, and a bar. The original unfinished basement of their new construction home, built in 1999, required a complete overhaul to become their entertainment retreat.

The clients had very specific ideas for the room’s function and mood. They wanted three types of space: a game area, home entertainment area, and a bar. Our design located the bar in a corner area, to one side of the room, leaving a central space for traffic flow between areas, and from the adjacent garage through to the gym, sauna, and stairway to the first floor and the rest of the house. This configuration also allowed a triangular flow between areas with different functions, and gave visual emphasis to each distinct area, because there was enough distance between them for people to step back and see each spectacular space. To open the space, and have it feel less like a basement, we put in a steel beam, supporting the two floors above, which allowed the removal of a support column from the middle of the room.

The owners wanted the lighting to be a dramatic feature of the room, while maintaining the atmosphere found in upscale hotel nightclubs. They were looking for a dark space with subdued lighting to create a pleasant, adult mood for parties. We chose to use a series of halogen micro spots recessed into the drop ceiling panels, with blue glass surrounds. Handmade red glass wall sconces creating the possibility of brighter light for gaming as well as soft mood lighting. The repetition used in the placement of the lights creates rhythm and continuity throughout the space. The controls for the light are tied into the home automation system, so they turn on automatically when someone enters the rooms, and with the touch of a wall pad icon, they will illuminate the space in various pre-set configurations. We concealed rope lighting under the bar overhangs to cast a warm glow on the bar front panels and the bar top inside the bar area.

A special use of materials creates a dramatic flair in this game room that make it stand out from your typical basement renovation. The absolute black granite used on the bar top is made of 3 layers of stone to create a guttered edge for drink set up. Absolute black granite floor tile unifies the appearance of the bar area, and are a very practical material for bar tasks. The traditionally styled custom mahogany cabinetry and woodwork with raised panels suits the subdued mood the lighting creates and maintains a upscale feel in visual contrast with items such as the foosball table. The tile in the bar area and main area carpeting maintain an aesthetic connection with the rest of the design while providing practicality in use and clean up.

The high-end stainless steel appliances used in the bar area are another feature that set this room apart as an extraordinary room. The bar is fully equipped with a SubZero icemaker, Fischer & Paykel double dishwasher drawers, trash compactor, and a U-Line wine cooler. The wine cooler is lit from within to display fine wines and provides a locking mechanism to protect especially valuable vintages.

The craftsmanship of our carpenters on this project can be seen especially in the custom-built entertainment center, which was built on site, with oversize doors, which open and then recess next to the large screen TV. The lower doors are fitted with acoustical fabric to maximize the sound transmission from the sub-woofers housed within. To make the best use of the available space, the entire entertainment center was recessed through the garage wall into a closet construction. In order to do this, we had to structurally support the opening with engineered lumber, relocate the waste line from the bathrooms above, and provide doors to access electronic components from behind - all while maintaining the one hour fire rating required for a wall in common with a living space and a garage. The end result is yet another dramatic and very functional feature in the room which creates an impressive focal point in the sitting area.

In addition to all the other striking features in this project, there were a few features we provided which were truly innovative. The bathroom we installed at the rear of the room had a very unusual design and features. In keeping with the mood the bathroom is lit only by two red blown-glass globes, creating a focus on the granite lavatory vessel and console top. The shower interior is finished with a slate-like ceramic tile and fitted with a rain head shower, mounted flush with the tiled ceiling. It is enclosed by tall glass shower doors. The bathroom finishes are in perfect keeping with the mood and luxurious sensibility of the project.

The home automation system is a very interesting, state-of-the-art feature of the project. The portable touch screen device (seen on top of the bar in the photos) controls all the systems in the room including music (stored on the computer dedicated to home automation), lighting, heating and cooling, security and fire detection. When someone pulls into the driveway, they are announced and their picture (from the exterior camera) pops up on a small window on the TV! We installed this system as part of a larger renovation project throughout the home.