Basement Penthouse (Apr, 1953)
Basement Penthouse
A veritable dean of home craftsmen, Norman Brokenshire practices what he preaches on his TV show in which he offers advice to all homeowners who get fed up with the expense of calling outside help for home renovations.
Deciding to put the basement of his home to practical use, Brokenshire tore out the battered plaster walls and ceiling. Installing the necessary wood framing, he applied plywood paneling to completely cover the walls and used Weldtex squares for the ceiling. Tiling was used for the floor.
Brokenshire,. setting an example for other home craftsmen, has created an unusually attractive, livable basement penthouse from once neglected space.—Robert Karen
Just what I want in a home, low ceilings, wood paneling, and linoleum floors.
So that is where all those bad finished basements are from!
I want those curtains. Depending on their color scheme, I’d either hang ‘em or burn ‘em. They’re wild.
In 1953 wood paneling and those curtains were the thing all the cool cats had. Can you dig it?
I’m hep!
Mike’s right! My 77 year old father still thinks wood paneling is the cat’s pajamas!
For the discerning 40 year old bachelor who still lives with his mom.
I actually lived in that basement in the early 1960. It was furnished with Billie Holiday’s things (her widower rented it to me) and it looked more like an after-hours club. I describe it on my blog (http://stomp-off.blogsp…), having also “borrowed” from here that photo of Brokenshire at his desk. Much good jazz was performed in that basement when I lived there.