Starry Sips & Scenes
CHASKA, MN
Completed 2025
“This project manages to balance the complexity of a hyper-modern cinema room with the character of an old-school speakeasy, while still maintaining continuity through palette and materials. The black in the countertop ties seamlessly into the star ceiling of the theater, while brick appears both as a backsplash and as a feature wall at the base of the stairs. The brown tones in the theater carpet complement the dark wood stain of the cabinetry, and the brass and black metals repeat throughout the spaces, even connecting to more serene areas like the bath and bedroom. These thoughtful details allow a design filled with texture, color, pattern, and contrast to feel cohesive rather than chaotic.” – NARI
“Mom’s Design Build finished our basement into a theater/speakeasy. They did an amazing job and we have gotten so many compliments. If you’re looking for quality, Mom’s Design Build is the way to go!”
Starry Sips & Scenes transformed a once bare, unfinished basement into a luxury multi-use retreat. This Minnesota basement renovation features a speakeasy-style bar and lounge with dark-stained wood, textured brick, brass accents, and gold wallpaper, paired with a star-lit home theater boasting ten leather recliners and surround sound. Additional spaces include a guest suite with bedroom and bath, a mirrored workout room, and an infrared sauna for ultimate wellness. Perfect for entertaining, relaxing, and working out in style, this basement blends high-end design with functional living.
Designed by Melissa Mlejnek
Behind the Design
Design Notes
Before
A bare basement. Concrete, framing, potential — and a family that wanted a destination, not a storage floor.
The Idea
A speakeasy. Real clay brick — sourced genuine, cut thin — walls the entrance; an antique door sets the vintage tone; gold textured wallpaper wraps the booth. Past the bar, a theater color-drenched in space grey waits under a custom star-panel ceiling.
After
Movie nights happen under a starry sky now. The wet bar anchors the hosting, the infrared sauna sits steps from the bath, the workout room wears coral, the guest suite ocean blue — one basement, five moods, zero reasons to leave.
The Brief
- —A high-end theater with surround sound and room for watch parties
- —A stylish bar built for hosting
- —A private exercise room
- —A comfortable guest suite
- —A sauna near the bath
Materials & Craft
- Genuine thin-cut clay brick
- Custom star-panel ceiling
- Gold textured wallpaper
- Infrared sauna
- Surround-sound theater system
01
Brick with history, priced with sense
Genuine clay brick cut thin for interior use — the character of real masonry on the entrance wall without the mass or the cost.
02
The starry ceiling
A custom star-panel ceiling turns the theater into a night sky — the room’s namesake moment.
03
The speakeasy door
An antique door, hunted down to match the vision, opens the gold-wallpapered booth — an entrance that feels like a password.
04
Light as a dimmer switch for mood
Ambient, entertainment, and bar lighting layers swing the same rooms from cozy to party without moving a chair.
The hard part
Making five very different rooms — theater, speakeasy, gym, guest suite, sauna — read as one composed space: moody neutrals tied through texture and lighting, with bold color saved for where it delights.
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