Many of us have homes with unused formal living rooms or studies just waiting to find a second life. One Mason couple did just that when they transformed a non-descript corner room, that had been used as an office, into a pub style room that evokes the look and feel of a gentleman’s club or a cozy hotel lounge.
When the couple contacted designer Cyndi Kohler of Neal’s Design-Remodel, they told her they were looking for a casual room with rustic finishes where they said, “Peanut shells could fall on the floor, and they wouldn’t look out of place.”
Kohler began with what she refers to as “a super plain vanilla box.” Originally her clients thought they wanted a typical walk-up bar configuration, but the room wasn’t large enough to make that work. Kohler then drew a plan where the cabinetry and appliances were placed on the perimeter walls and a seating area was placed in the center of the room.
Once that design was in place, the next step was to select materials that lent themselves to the rustic, casual feel that the homeowners wanted. “There is not a stitch of drywall in the room now,” Kohler says. “Every surface is covered with wood, brick, copper or slate.”
The wood is salvaged lumber and it is plentiful in the finished space. The goal was to replace the low ceiling with something that would make more of a statement in line with the masculine, mancave-like feel the team was trying to achieve while keeping in mind the interior and exterior architectural lines of the home. Neal’s team was able to raise the ceiling by taking advantage of available attic space to gain a good deal of height without interfering with the roofline.
The result is an incredibly inviting room that beckons guests in for a glass of bourbon or simply the perfect space for the homeowner to curl up with a good book.
Resources: Designer: Cyndi Kohler, Neal’s Design-Remodel; Carpenter: Anthony Cabaluna, Neal’s Design-Remodel; Chandelier: Keidel; Cabinetry Wood-Mode; Copper countertops: MetalCraft; Reclaimed wood: Elmwood Reclaimed Timber; Windows: Stained Glass Overlay; Beverage refrigerator, wine refrigerator, kegerator: True from Custom Distributors