New Jersey: Tall Pines Drive

This family room left a lot to be desired for a couple and their young children. There was no separation between the laundry and storage area, family room and playroom. The exposed cinder blocks and ceiling beams made the room feel unfinished, and there was little natural light. Designer Laurie Hickson-Smith took a cue from artist Henri Matisse in designing a colorful basement playroom for this family. Laurie sketched a design on the walls, and the homeowners stenciled it in with various colors of paint to get the perfect mural. Laurie chose to leave the exposed ceiling beams alone, but she painted them white to give the room an updated look. Amy Wynn Pastor built louvered doors to separate the family space from the laundry room and storage area of the basement.