Open Up: Bringing New Life to a Dowdy Basement

Realizing a basementís potential

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In the Seattle home that builder Paul Vassallo and his wife, Jeremy, bought, the basement had potential as a great space for their three active boys. Paul has decades of building experience, so he could view the space — poorly placed columns, exposed joists, dingy paint — and see what was possible. Understanding what can actually be built is especially critical in a basement remodel, which often requires structural alterations and modifications to plumbing, wiring, and ductwork. These were just the sort of changes the Vassallos employed, along with clever built-in cabinetry. —Adapted with permission fromNot So Big Remodeling by Sarah Susanka, published by The Taunton Press (2009).

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Remove a column, and you have to beef up the beam it supported. Here C-shaped steel channels were bolted to either side of the wood beam. The entire assembly was then trimmed out in wood. Supply air ducts were placed between the joists.

About the Author

Sarah Susanka

For 20 years, architect and author Sarah Susanka has been leading a movement that is redefining the American home and lifestyle. Through her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential design, she reveals that the sense of “home” we seek is a quality that has almost nothing to do with square footage. Her “Not So Big” message has become a launch pad for a new dimension of understanding how we inhabit our homes, our planet, and even our day-to-day lives. Susanka is the best-selling author of nine books including The Not So Big House, Home By Design, and The Not So Big Life, which collectively have sold well over a million copies. Her books provide the language and tools for homeowners to bring their own dreams of home to life. As a cultural visionary, Susanka is regularly tapped for her expertise by national media, including “The Today Show,” CNN and The New York Times. Builder Magazine recognized Susanka as one of 30 most notable innovators in the housing industry over the past 30 years, Fast Company named Susanka to their debut list of “Fast 50” innovators whose achievements have helped to change society, and U.S. News and World Report dubbed her an “innovator in American culture.” She is also a recipient of the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award for outstanding individual achievement toward making positive contributions to our world.

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