Tales From a Basement Reno: “All I Knew Was I Wanted a Concrete Floor With Plywood Millwork”
Photo by Amanda Archibald
When Robin Heller and her husband, Noni, discovered that they were expecting their third child, Harry (now 1), they knew their four-bedroom home wouldn’t be able to fit them; their two other sons, Liam (9) and Lev (7); and any guests who came to visit. Having recently moved from Los Angeles to Baltimore, hosting friends and family from the West Coast was inevitable. Plus their house is also Heller’s HQ: She recently launched a design studio aptly dubbed Surrounded by Color with business partner Jen Levy. Heller was determined to make everything fit: her family, faraway guests, and further proof of her talent.
“The two older boys didn’t want to share a room, so we came up with this idea to build out the basement,” she says so matter-of-factly that it’s clear bunk beds were never a potential alternative. “When we were brainstorming about what to do, it just seemed like the perfect way to go.”
