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Kristen Bell doesn't make the same mistake twice. Instead of getting into a heated debate with a family member over a decorating decision (like she did recently with her husband), she decided to take full control over her sister's basement makeover after claiming her sibling's family was "busting out of the windows" of their Detroit-based house.
"A little sister always looks up to her big sister, no matter what age you are," Bell says about her sibling, Sara O'Connor-Machiniak. That's why she worked with Houzz to give O'Connor-Machiniak, and mom of four, a well-deserved basement renovation. "She's honestly in my eyes a superwoman," Bell says. "I have been wanting to do something like this for my sister for a very long time."
Even though Bell lives 2,000 miles away in Los Angeles, she worked with designer Melissa Kennedy from Meadowlark Design+Build and her brother-in-law to convert their dark and disorganized basement into a bright space the kids will actually want to hang out in. The entire makeover can be seen in the website's video series, My Houzz, which was produced by Ashton Kutcher.
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Take a look at the "before" photos for yourself — including the storage-turned-game-room and office that was converted into a fourth bedroom.https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/ac8163df08a61e69_8-1775/home-design.jpghttps://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/65d1d62c08b49470_8-9496/home-design.jpg
And here's the stunning after!https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/35112c3908a61e3e_8-4592/transitional-basement.jpghttps://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/95a161bd08a61e45_8-5488/transitional-basement.jpghttps://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/9151226a08a61e51_8-5480/transitional-kids.jpg
Instead of wasting serious space on storage, this new-and-improved basement offers different areas for the kids to escape, depending on what activity they want to do. Interested in a movie night? There's a cozy set-up for that. Want to engage in an epic pool tournament? Look no further than the games area. Watch a peek into the episode below or enjoy the full episode, including the reveal, here.
Lauren is a senior editor at Hearst. She was previously the senior editor at WomansDay.com and the home editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. Her book club, ramen, and jean jackets are a few of her favorite things.
