People used to always tell me - don't do a major renovation in your home until you have lived there for a little while. Boy is that ever TRUE! Once you live in a home you get a feel for what works and what doesn't, especially when you have children.

In our home out on eastern Long Island, we had an unfinished basement. After 5 years of living there, I finally decided what I wanted (and needed) to do with it.

I asked my friend Lisa of Abaca Interiors if she would spear head the project. Thankfully she accepted and did the most amazing job bringing my vision for this basement to life.

For starters, I needed storage. Storage for all of the Little Miss Party supplies we have accumulated over the years. So Lisa suggested we take one of the walls and turn it into custom built in cupboards that flush into the wall. I took great advantage of these closets filling them with vases, candle holders, cake stands and so much more.

The most important thing to me when designing this basement was to make it feel like a regular room in the house. Not like a basement.

Lisa suggested the wood panels for the ceiling and very light grey stone tiles for the flooring. I love love love how both turned out.

I also wanted a wet bar or small kitchen in the space. This way my husband and I could entertain in the space as well.

We already had an extra fridge in the basement so Lisa doctored it up with some gold tape on the handles. I'm obsessed.

The ultimate goal for this basement was to have a place and getaway for the kids to play. They have so many toys and it was time to send them down there! They now have a chalkboard wall, art table, TV to watch movies and their very own closet for toys. It's so perfect.

Included in this renovation was a bedroom. We had a two car garage and only used one side of it. So I thought let's turn one garage into a bedroom so we have extra space for guests to stay over.

Lisa nailed the design in this room. It feels light, bright and like a total escape. My favorite piece that she sourced was for the lighting next to the bed - hanging pendants from CB2.

Now I take great pride in having guests stay over in this space and I always make sure they feel welcome and well taken care of with the simple things like cold water next to the bed.

This basement renovation was so worth the wait.  I'm so proud of how the space turned out and love nothing more than entertaining with the kids, my husband and friends in there.

See more details about our basement renovation in features on:Better Homes & GardensDomino Magazine

Photos above by:  David A. LandSpace in photos above styled by:  Charlotte SafaviSpace in photos above designed by: Lisa Hershman of Abaca Interiors