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But their plans quickly became more elaborate than just an updated entertainment area. St-Pierre’s husband wanted to create the brew room of his dreams – a hobby he had picked up many years earlier – and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

They hired Ottawa General Contractors to transform the basement.

“Anytime you get to do something that deviates from the norm it’s fun,” said project manager Natalia Pierce. “Watching the brew process is fascinating, with hoses, tubes and pipes running to various pieces of equipment.

“It is a blend of chemistry, technology and excitement.”

Photo by Ottawa General Contractors / Postmedia

This project was a first for the renovation company. While the entire process went relatively smoothly, there were certain challenges in creating a safe and functional brew area.

“The ventilation was a fairly significant challenge,” said Pierce, who explained that proper airflow in the space could only be achieved by installing another source of incoming air in the room. There were also certain requirements with regard to electricity in order to power the beer brewing machinery.

Pierce said the family was very involved throughout the entire renovation and provided carefully curated, well-researched plans to create their perfect brew room and cozy family space.

Photo by Ottawa General Contractors / Postmedia

Despite the uniqueness of the brew room, St-Pierre’s favourite part of the renovation is the family area where she’s able to spend time with her son and husband. She dubs the family “basement dwellers” now.

The family room is inspired by her son’s love of Lego and Star Wars. The ceiling is painted “death star grey” and visible piping and black cabinetry add to the outer space vibe.

Games, books and figurines pack the many shelves lining the basement’s walls and there’s even a custom snack bar.

The renovated space is still fairly new for the family – only finished about “four batches” ago.

“It’s exactly what we wanted,” says St-Pierre.