This charming 1937 North Beach cottage had seen some good - and bad -upgrades over the years. Now it was time for us to add to the mix! Working within a limited budget, we were able to take a half-finished basement with a space-hogging gas furnace and convert it into a family room; a two-person home office; a laundry nook with drop-down ironing board; a bedroom with a walk-in closet; a bathroom with a big walk-in shower; and a sauna. We replaced the gas furnace with an exterior heat pump and installed two mini split heads upstairs to heat and cool the house. Upstairs, we tore out a 1990's-era entertainment center that occupied one whole corner of the living room (do you remember how big TVs used to be?) and replaced it with a spacious niche, reclaiming precious square footage. Design by NRC Homes and photography by Vicaso Real Estate Photography.