Our repeat Leawood clients faced a common challenge: how to stylishly store and access a growing vinyl collection while creating an immersive listening experience. The answer? Custom vinyl storage designed by Nina Schmidt and brought to life by Project Director Shannon Washam, resulting in a basement transformation where the prized vinyl collection isn't just stored but celebrated. Where every note resonates with crystal clarity, and the design itself is a masterpiece.
The Vision
This clip of Jimmy Fallon from a CBS Sunday Morning feature back in 2023 in his record room at home inspired our client who is a self-proclaimed audiophile, (someone enthusiastic about high-quality sound reproduction) to update his vinyl listening spot in his own home. Having worked with Nina in the past, our clients reached out to see how we could transform part of their basement into the ideal auditory experience with ample room for storage and showing off his impressive vinyl collection. We also wanted to keep aesthetics up front through the process to create a moody spot full of character!
We're making sure this Leawood basement sounds incredible. To get super clear music without echoes, we're putting in special white oak panels on the walls. Think of them like sound sponges. Plus, a thick carpet on the floor will help stop any rumbling or vibrations. Even the furniture is being chosen intentionally to help make the sound just right, so every little detail in the music comes through beautifully.
We know that where you sit to listen matters! We've carefully planned where the speakers go and where the best listening spot will be. We want our client to hear the music exactly how it was meant to be heard. It's like finding the perfect seat in a concert hall!
The star of the show? The custom record storage made by the awesome team at Wes Edwin. These aren't just regular shelves! They're special cabinets designed to look amazing and show off our client's records. The white oak wood matches the room perfectly, blending style and usefulness.
Cabinet elevations by Wes Edwin Designs
These cabinets are more than just pretty; they're super practical. There's tons of space, and it's easy to find any record. We've even included cool ways to browse! Down low, there are drawers where our client can flip through albums like he is in a record store. Up top, there are little shelves to show off his favorite album covers. And for the rest of the collection, there are regular shelves. It's all about keeping things organized and making those records look fantastic!
The Existing Space
Though we aren’t really changing the footprint of this basement space it will soon look like a completely new space. Currently the room is split into two parts, separated by the closed in arch wall. The only way to access the back part of the room is through a side hidden door as seen below.
Our team will remove the built-in sitting area in the image below, as this will now serve as the entrance to the storage area and the side entrance will be closed off.
Where the current records are displayed will soon be the custom cabinets.
Designer Nina Schmidt Walks Through the Space Before Demo: Video
Renderings and Plans
Our talented architecture team came up with a few design options for Nina and our client to decide between. Here are the plans we went with.
If you think these renderings are exciting, you’ll LOVE to see it all come to life through construction and styling details.
Stay tuned as we demo the space and install the cabinets! Dedicated spaces are a huge 2025 trend, and we’re excited to bring this dedicated music listening space to life for our amazing client.