Basement Art Studio Renovation: Leveling a Concrete Floor for a Dream Studio
Since December, our basement art studio renovation has been on pause for reasons we couldn’t control. We hired a crew to level the concrete floor in my studio, but just as the project was scheduled, the floor leveling compound was recalled. Everything stalled while a new batch was manufactured. It was one of those delays that feels small on but long in real life.
The unlevel floor itself wasn’t actually the biggest issue for me. I had been working on it for years. The real problem was that we couldn’t properly install new flooring unless the concrete was level. If we had laid flooring over the bumps, it would have shifted, separated, and eventually been ruined. The leveling had to happen first.
And honestly, the plain concrete wasn’t much to look at.
Before the pour.
After one pour
After the two pours
Having a dedicated art studio has been a dream of mine for a long time. I don’t just want a functional workspace; I want a beautiful one. I want floors that feel intentional. I want a space I can bring collectors or visitors into and feel proud of. The environment shapes the work, and it also shapes how the work is experienced.
The crew has now leveled most of the basement studio floor. Two corners still slope and need to be finished, but the transformation is already significant. Even unfinished, the room feels more grounded and ready for what comes next.
While waiting, I shifted my creative focus. Without a fully functioning studio, I moved toward watercolor sketches and started experimenting with gouache. It’s a different scale and a different mindset. Gouache has a quiet precision to it that contrasts with my larger acrylic paintings. It wasn’t part of the original renovation plan, but it has been a worthwhile detour.
This renovation has also changed how I see the room itself. The wooden cabinets were originally installed in the basement. I had planned to put them back after the flooring was done. Now, seeing the space leveled and more open, I’ve decided not to reinstall them. The studio feels lighter without their visual weight. Sometimes refining a creative space means removing what no longer fits the vision.
I’m looking forward to returning to larger-scale work. I miss the steadiness of proper lighting, the privacy, and the clarity that comes with a defined studio space. Still, I know that building something well takes time. A level floor may not be the most exciting part of a renovation, but it is the foundation for everything that follows.
Once the new flooring is installed, this long-held vision of a finished basement studio will begin to feel tangible. I’ll share more once the space is complete — and below is a glimpse of how it may look when everything comes together.
Possible look of the floor, once it’s all done.
