While we’re waiting for temperatures to rise here at Lake Anna, how do we elevate our time indoors?! With many homes here at the lake being retirement forever homes and full-time luxury homes, dreams come to life in basements as well as boathouses! The sky’s the limit for how these folks have interpreted their fun custom spaces! Let’s take a visit to three very unique basements!

Retro Diner Basement

Steve and Eileen Smith built their home in the Gordon Sale subdivision in the early 2000s. The conversations about it started when they were first dating and jet-skiing by what was then a very overgrown and unkempt lot, but with beautiful water frontage. Unbeknownst to Steve, Eileen already owned the lot, but she very casually asked, “What do you think of that lot?” His reply was something along the lines of, “Well it’s a shame the owner doesn’t take care of it.” Their dream to make it their forever home took off from there and started with the inspiration of an old Coca-Cola machine. “We designed the basement around the coke machine,” Steve explains.

The stairs leading down to the basement have red carpet and ‘50s model cars on the stair landing. And then, bam… it’s a party! Rockin’ around in the retro diner-themed basement, you’ll find yourself at the main attraction, the soda shop-style bar! New, but made to look vintage, is this custom bar from Bars and Booths in Charles Town, WV. As soon as you pull up a chair, Steve is breaking out the karaoke equipment. “ He’s down there every night singing,” Eileen says as she dotes on her husband, watching him sing ‘Wrapped’ by George Strait. They also enjoy games of pool, shuffleboard and foosball, as well as entertaining in their retro basement. And you’re in good company with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, even in the bathroom!

Basement Billiards & Bar at Foxhall

Jeff Owen, Owner and Builder with J.O. Contractors, built his Lake Anna dream home he calls “Foxhall” in the early 2000s as well. It became his full-time residence in 2008 as he also grew into it to grow his business of building custom homes here at the lake. His portfolio includes homes up to four stories and 11,000 square feet. While building custom homes for clients, he has had plenty of time to think of what his must-have features would be.

“My intention was to add things that were unique that hadn’t been done before,” Owen said. Like, custom welded iron railings, balconies, catwalks, stone accents and a metal roof… and… a really fun basement bar for entertaining! “Every year during the holidays, I host about 70 of my closest friends, clients, neighbors and sub-contractors, complete with food, fellowship and my mom’s homemade eggnog recipe.”

The party usually moves to the basement, where the bar is completely stocked, both with spirits and a bartender… and overlooks the pool table and media room with comfy seating and surround sound. “This is going to be a party palace, and it really does entertain well.” And don’t forget the Fox-themed decor – the real ones and the carved and stuffed ones. On any given day at Foxhall, a fox can be spotted either in Jeff’s office or running through the yard, so he really has fun with the furry friends.

Movie Night with the McCoys

Jim and Mary Jo McCoy built their home in The Waters in 2016 and moved into it full-time when they retired. They always knew that they would want a media room to be an added attraction and a drawing card for family. Take a walk on the red carpet entrance to the Theater Room, and relax in your own leather recliner with a cupholder, or grab a bar stool! The décor is complete with midnight blue painted walls, gold trim, red velvet curtains and a brick veneer wall. Maxing out the small space, the Theater Room can seat up to six movie-goers in recliners and two at the back bar for a fun night-in at the movies!

Tiffany Hazelwood

Tiffany Hazelwood has a degree in Journalism from the University of Richmond is a full-time Real Estate Broker with Lake Homes Realty, a lake-focused real estate firm, where she serves as the Anchor Agent for the Lake Anna market. She has been a licensed realtor since 2008 and has been specializing in real estate here at the lake since 2016. She has enjoyed writing the real estate section for the Lake Anna Breeze™ since 2019. In her spare time, Tiffany enjoys jet-skiing and boating on the lake, traveling with her boyfriend, Tom, and time with their 3 dogs.