Orme’s Basement

Kathy & Chris were neighbours who lived in a house similar to mine but without a finished basement. After seeing my basement they contacted me to see if I could assist them in the design, finishing and decorating of their basement.
Faced with one large open room they had no idea where to begin. They wanted a bedroom, washroom with walk in shower, exercise room & sitting room with tv and fireplace.

There were of course challenges, the furnace was in the middle of the basement against a wall, there were two sump pumps on opposite ends of the basement to navigate around, plus the hydro panel had been placed by the roughed in plumbing. The plumbing itself was located quite a distance from the outside wall and proved to be our most difficult challenge . If we utilized the plumbing in it's existing location it would be impossible to have anything more than a small 2 piece powder room which would also leave them with a small narrow-basically useless closet beside the washroom to house the hydro panel.

We rec'd an estimate on relocating the plumbing which the homeowners decided on proceeding with and with that the job began !

The brightest part of the basement with three windows became the entertainment space, the other two windows housed a bedroom and the exercise room. I put a frosted glass door on the exercise room so that light from that room could filter through to the large hallway, which also allowed the exercise equipment to be hidden .

The furnace & water heater were hidden behind two large double doors which allowed for easy access when servicing either unit was necessary.

The electrical panel in the bathroom was built out to include shelving below for towels and a large lightweight canvas print was purchased to cover the panel which could be Easily removed when access was required.

The dry bar/coffee bar was something that Kathy had seen a friend do, once we got to the framing stage we found that we had the perfect spot for her wish. Complete with two bar fridges, a wine rack & a coffee dispenser!

We had been contemplating finishing our basement for some time when we met Sue. She had already finished her basement and so we took a look at what she had done and were quite impressed, so much so that we asked if she would help us through the process. After meeting with her and discussing what we had in mind she came to our house. She laid out the design of the rooms and even suggested a general contractor that she had used for her own place. Once underway, Sue made a point of checking in everyday to make sure things were going according to plan. Along the way, she gave us suggestions on everything from lighting, plumbing, doors, flooring, paint and furniture. Sue’s help throughout this process was invaluable. She was with us every step of the way - whether it was helping us shop for fixtures or reassuring us if we got nervous. The basement is now complete and we love it! Thanks Sue for all your help and support.

Kathy, Chris & Kaitie

I’d seen a number of the houses that Sue had remodelled and decorated. I live in Montreal and she lives in Collingwood, Ontario. We discussed how we could have her do interior remodelling of my home in Montreal. We did all of our work through FaceTime, phone calls and emails. She was fantastic! She was so creative in making suggestions for each of my rooms. Often the suggestions or ideas she proposed I had not even contemplated. Her “thinking outside the box” views and visions transformed my home into a true work of art. She even changed some of the rooms actual functions. She was very knowledgable about where to shop and where to find exactly what is needed for each room, be it a piece of art or particular item of furniture. For colours she really has an eye for just the right shades and hues. Sue was a tremendous help. She was right there to guide and make suggestions throughout the entire process. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone that needs a wonderful interior decorator.

Sean

“The Added Touch”
This is what I call the project that Sue Bell under took with me to my complete delight and satisfaction in early June. I had moved into a brand new townhouse and wanted a fresh look with all new furniture but did not want to clutter my home with too much “stuff” . After six months of living in my new home I still had pretty much bare walls and it did not have that “ cozy” feeling. You always know what you don’t want to but often you do not know WHAT you want.
Sue possesses an incredible eye for colour and space and quickly assessed and made recommendations for relocation of some pieces of furniture, re-positioning of pictures by grouping them, and the best fun was having her as my personal shopper for additions such as wall art, pillows and drapes to warm the room and other accessories.
She worked within my budget and was also available and willing to provide suggestions or confirm a purchase I made on my own. I am very happy to recommend Sue Bell, who has aptly named her business “Second Glance Decorating “.

Pat

I have known Sue for many years and have always been a huge fan of her and her work. Being new to Collingwood, and in a new build, I went to Sue for help and gave her free reign to furnish and decorate my space (within a budget). Sue worked with the builder and chose all the finishes and upgrades in my home. Sue handpicked everything in my home from the hardwood, to the light fixtures, to the furniture and even the paintings on the wall. I was initially nervous about Sue providing me with too feminine of a space (I’m in a bachelor pad/townhome), but I soon learned I had nothing to fret about. Sue transformed my house into a home and each and every time I return home from being out, I am thankful for my space and the way it looks. I absolutely love it... and so do all of my guests.
Thanks Sue!

Orme’s Basement

Basement Before

Basement After

Basement Before

Basement After

Kathy, Chris & Kaitie

Sean

Pat

Blair