If you’ve been following along on our socials, you’ve already seen a few sneak peeks of this space on Instagram. Today, we’re finally sharing the full reveal — a one-of-a-kind vinyl listening room unlike anything we’ve designed before.
This Leawood basement transformation was inspired by our client’s deep love for music and high-quality sound. The result? A moody, character-filled space that looks incredible and sounds even better.
Did you miss the first blog post for this basement? Read it here.
Table of Contents
The Vision for the Space
The inspiration for this project started with a video clip our client shared — a CBS Sunday Morning feature from 2023 showing Jimmy Fallon in his personal record room. As a self-proclaimed audiophile, our client connected immediately with the idea of a dedicated space where sound quality, storage, and atmosphere received equal attention. That moment sparked a vision for something more intentional than a typical listening setup.
Because our clients had worked with Nina before, they reached out to explore how part of their basement could become the ultimate vinyl listening experience—one that felt immersive, intentional, and visually striking. From the very beginning, it was clear this room needed to go beyond pure functionality. Instead, it had to feel special: moody, layered, and rich with personality.
The Before: Existing Basement Conditions
Before construction began, the basement space was divided into two separate areas by a closed-in arch wall. Additionally, the only access to the back portion of the room was through a small, hidden side door.
While we weren’t changing the overall footprint of the basement, the layout still felt disconnected and underutilized. A built-in seating area further split the space, making it feel smaller and less cohesive.
In our first blog post, Nina walked through the existing space in a video, explaining both the challenges and the changes we wanted to make—and, ultimately, those early 3D renderings ended up looking almost identical to the final result.
The Remodeling Process & Construction
Demo began with opening up the wall separating the original music listening room (a closet) from the rest of the media area.
After we opened up the space, one of the biggest priorities in this project was sound quality. To create crystal-clear audio without echoes or distortion, every surface was carefully considered.
We installed custom white oak acoustic panels along the walls to absorb sound — think of them as beautifully designed sound sponges.
A thick carpet was selected to reduce vibration and prevent unwanted rumbling. Even the furniture choices were intentional, helping fine-tune the acoustics so every detail in the music could be heard exactly as it was meant to be.
Speaker placement and the main listening position were also carefully planned. Just like finding the perfect seat in a concert hall, we wanted our client to experience his vinyl collection from the ideal spot in the room.
The Final Reveal
These photos speak for themselves!
The space is truly one a kind and has the most unique personality.
The true showstopper of this space is the custom vinyl storage, designed and built by the incredibly talented team at Wes Edwin.
These aren’t just shelves — they’re fully custom cabinets designed to showcase the client’s impressive vinyl collection while blending seamlessly into the room. Crafted in white oak, the cabinetry ties in perfectly with the wall panels and overall palette of the space.
The storage was designed with both style and function in mind:
- Lower drawers allow records to be flipped through just like in a record store
- Middle display ledges highlight favorite album covers, again with ability to flip through records like in a store
- Standard shelving keeps the rest of the collection organized and accessible
Every detail was considered to make the collection easy to enjoy and impossible to miss.
Nina Walks Through the Space
In the video below, Nina walks through the completed music listening room, sharing design decisions, sound considerations, and how closely the final result matches the original vision and renderings.
Not only is the space exactly what our client was envisioning, but this project brought home a REMY Award and a designKC Honorable Mention, way to go Nina and team!
FAQs About the Space & Design Process
Did you change the size of the basement?
No — the footprint stayed the same. The transformation came from reworking the layout, removing built-ins, and designing custom storage that reframed the space. But if you're looking to add more space to your home, we do specialize in home additions!
Why were acoustic panels necessary?
For high-quality sound, controlling echo and reflection is key. The white oak panels absorb sound while still looking beautiful and intentional.
Was the cabinetry custom?
Yes! All record storage was custom-designed and built by Wes Edwin specifically for this client and collection
Can you design a similar space in my home?
Absolutely. While every project is tailored to the client, we love creating music-focused spaces that balance aesthetics and performance. Check out our remodeling galleries for more home inspiration.
Contact us to start designing your dream space!