AWARD-WINNING

Residential Basement

Stacked Stone Fireplace I McLean, VA

Project Overview

This thoughtfully designed basement remodel in McLean, Virginia transformed a once compartmentalized lower level into a welcoming, multi-functional retreat for both adults and kids. The homeowners envisioned an open floor plan that still offered defined areas for relaxing, entertaining, studying, and hosting overnight guests. By removing unnecessary wall barriers, the design team created a series of connected spaces that feel open yet intentional, using architectural details such as niches, half walls, and columns to subtly delineate each zone.

Wide-plank engineered oak flooring in a warm butterscotch finish with a soft, low-sheen look runs throughout the main recreational areas, grounding the space with warmth and durability. The layout flows naturally from the TV and family room into a stylish wet bar and wine room—perfect for entertaining friends or hosting family gatherings.

The wine room serves as both a visual focal point and a functional storage space, featuring maple cabinetry in a rich sable finish paired with Andino White granite countertops. A stacked stone accent wall in warm golden tones adds texture and depth, creating a refined yet inviting atmosphere that feels more like a private lounge than a basement.

Adjacent to the wine room, the wet bar balances contrast and cohesion. Soft eggshell-finished cabinetry is complemented by darker maple accents at the bar face, while granite countertops and a mixed-material mosaic backsplash introduce subtle pattern and visual interest. A sleek pull-out spray faucet in stainless steel enhances functionality without overpowering the design.

A custom built-in near the staircase provides additional storage and display, seamlessly tying into the wet bar finishes and reinforcing the home’s cohesive design language.

The basement bathroom elevates everyday use with furniture-style cherry cabinetry finished in a deep tone with graphite highlights, topped with classic Crema Marfil marble. Porcelain tile flooring and shower walls in warm neutral hues are accented with a marble mosaic detail, while brushed nickel fixtures and a comfort-height toilet add both comfort and polish.

Anchoring the main living area, the fireplace features a porcelain tile hearth in soft haze tones and a dramatic stacked stone chimney surround that echoes the stone used in the wine room, visually linking the spaces and adding architectural presence.

The result is a polished, highly livable lower level that feels like a natural extension of the home—perfectly suited for entertaining, relaxing, and everyday family life in McLean.

McLean, VA Basement Remodel + Wet Bar + Wine Room

Before & After

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Providing services in Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

It all begins with a short, 15-minute call to discuss your goals, timeline, and vision. This first step helps us understand your needs and start designing a home where you can thrive — today and for years to come.

Contact Us

Whether you’re looking for remodeling ideas or inspiration for your upcoming Kitchen remodel, Addition project or Whole House renovation; our friendly and creative team will make the best use of your most important asset: your home. Contact us today.

Testimonials

 

 

We were thrilled with the work performed by Sun Design. We had used a different contractor to build a porch and it was an awful experience with long delays, so we were cautious. The Sun Design team listened to all our needs, presented multiple options to meet those needs at different price points, and delivered on time and on budget for our first floor renovation. They are exceptional at communicating with their clients on what to expect during each stage of the journey and carry our strongest recommendation.

Brendan Mahon

 

 

10/10 would highly recommend Sun Design. We found our kitchen layout was too small and wasn't working for us. We told Sun Design what our issues were and what was important to us, and their amazing design team created the kitchen of our dreams. It turned into a whole first floor transformation, moving kitchen, dining room, and living room around to a configuration that worked best for us.

Ashley Norman

 

 

I am a HUGE fan of Sun Design! The first time that we worked with them was over 15 years ago. We were ready to have a deck built, but not just any deck, and of course, Jeremy was the designer at that time and I remember how he went about designing it so that it looked like "part of the house" - It is beautiful. We recently refurbished it, and it looks absolutely beautiful!

Josie Zamolyi Caldwell

 

 

Sun Design transformed our "cookie cutter" house into a spectacular, unique home. Working with Ericka was a delight - her confidence and fun personality made the process enjoyable. Ours was a complete remodel - kitchen, family room, powder room, upstairs bathrooms, and some primary bedroom work. We loved working with Sun Design so much that we will be working with them again in the future when we are ready for an addition that will add a garage and in-law suite. Highly recommend!

Patti Ahlstrom

 

 

SunDesign came up with a creative design for our screened-in porch that beautifully fits into our existing landscape. Project was executed on budget and their craftsmanship is superb. Their responsiveness to a warranty issue we had with the door was immediately addressed. We highly recommend SunDesign — their teams are awesome to work with.

Gisela Ulmschneider

 

 

We had a fairly big project to build out part of our house. Sun Design has done a phenomenal job so far. We are getting close to complete. The design process was very collaborative and the execution of the build has gone well so far. Every part of the experience has been top quality and the team we are working with is amazing. The team is expensive but they are able to walk you through where every cent goes and why and they will look at different options to try to help reduce cost. They are well worth every penny. I would want to use Sun Design for any future projects and I highly recommend them.

Jen Navarro

 

 

Maryam and Jeff from Sun Design home care department are great to work with. Maryam is very responsive and attentive to all my inquiries. Jeff is my to go guy whenever I need work or maintenance in my property, very professional and thorough with his work. I have been a satisfied customer for 2 years now.

Brigitte Siegall

 

 

Sun Design handled the renovation of our large basement several years ago. We finished our laundry room and added two walls of built in cabinets, reconfigured a storage room and run-down kitchen into a guest room and sitting area, and finished a large rec room. Everything was redone - the floors, walls, ceilings, electrical work, etc. Sun Design did a terrific job - the rooms look wonderful. Our house was built in 1962 and we had a number of glitches along the way. But Sun Design made sure that, at the end, everything looked and worked properly. I highly recommend them.

Susan Louis

 

 

I have been working with Sun Design for over 15 years. They are a great company to work with, very friendly and professional staff. They are very clean, responsive, respectful of your property and I have nothing but the great things to say about Sun Design.

Goran Zukic

 

 

This review is to introduce you to Sun Design services and to recommend them for your next project. We used Sun Design for a deck – sunroom redesign, and the end result exceeded our expectations. Sun Design is easy to work with, thinks creatively, and effectively communicates ideas to enhance projects, and thus Sun Design has my highest endorsement. The staff is knowledgeable, courteous, and friendly. They truly care about every aspect of the projects they do. They arrive on time and leave the place spotless when the work has been completed.

H. Milton Richardson

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