CLUB LEVEL

December 29, 2025

Family membership has its privileges at this stylish lower-level remodel, where an empty nest becomes the ultimate family hangout.

Words
Amy Thurston
@amytkc

Photos
Laurie Kilgore
@lauriekilgorephotography

Designer
ML Designs
@mldesignskc

mpty Nest Syndrome is a real thing. We parent through all the stages and milestones of life and then send our children out into the world. Some of us use this newfound freedom to travel; some take up puzzles; some even move entirely, selling it all and moving to a loft downtown. But one of us decided to turn the basement into a destination to lure adult children home. Yes, what this client wanted was a club.

Elizabeth Crawford of ML Designs understood the assignment: Make a unique and personal space that her clients’ grown kids can’t wait to come back to, along with their spouses, friends, or whole families. Peppered with references to their youth, moments spent with dad, or personal interests pursued wholeheartedly as kids, Crawford created a backdrop for the spaces where new memories will be made.

When you arrive at the curved vestibule—paneled and painted in a warm shade of white—the vintage table and dramatic, modern light fixture signal that you should be prepared for the unexpected. As you continue into the TV room, a crushed-velvet sofa and olive green leather club chairs are anchored by a heavy bronze coffee table.

“The client’s husband and sons watched all the Bond films together, so I found a framed image of Roger Moore as James Bond,” Crawford points out above an upholstered console table. Textures and florals softly complement this more masculine moment.

A clever slat wall transitions into the game room. Crawford says she loves this wall trend but wanted to incorporate it subtly in case the homeowner wants to change it down the road. A subtle use of trends almost always ensures timelessness.

The game room is drenched top to bottom in high-gloss coats of Sherwin-Williams’ Raisin and embellished with brass hardware and fencing. This palette lends a jewel box and jewel-toned effect perfect for late nights. Under the Cynara chandelier from Visual Comfort, the wood table and upholstered swivel chairs counter the deep tones and add the necessary element of comfort. The mood continues to the powder room, where an upholstered door, dressed up with brass nailheads, opens to reveal geometric and floral wallpapers, crystal lighting, and brass fittings. A framed Slim Aarons mixed-media piece, placed appropriately, recalls the vibe of decades past. Across the room, one wall was painted black for effect, displaying prized vintages and large-scale vintage art of the first astronauts—a childhood fascination of one of the clients. Crawford says that taking notes and being a good listener helped her to fine-tune the design and make the project extra personal.

More details abound at the bar. The nailhead trim on the walls and the brass inlay on the legs of the island are just bit players next to the Cristallo quartzite statement stone and classic Visual Comfort Adrian Globes. Comfort is key in the furnishings for the bar and adjacent sitting area, where rich, chocolate velvet and creamy boucle are paired with contrasting fabric details. These spaces are all about a good hang and lingering conversation—you can almost hear the ladies catching up and the men talking sports.

Somehow, after Crawford assembled all the fun spaces, she managed to squeeze in a well-appointed office for her client to get some work done. Behind an iron-and-glass wall, a seating area and desk are revealed, bathed in natural light.

With its layered nostalgia, inviting textures, and clever personal touches, the Club Level gives this family a place to gather, laugh, compete, unwind, and reconnect. It’s a reminder that even as our children grow up, the spaces we share can still bring us together. And in this home, there’s always a seat open and a story waiting to be retold.