When a Potomac family decided to transform part of their unfinished basement into a changing room which overlooks their new backyard pool, they enlisted the help of Hopkins & Porter Construction.

The space needed to be large enough to accommodate the family’s children and their friends. “The homeowners are a young husband and wife with pre-teen children and an active social life,” said designer Gene Delgado of Hopkins & Porter Construction. “Their Potomac home has a beautiful pool and outdoor area but it didn't have a space dedicated to changing and dealing with all that comes with having a pool and many friends.”

Delgado created a farmhouse-style space, which he designed to match the rest of the home, which is located in the Merry-Go-Round Farm community of Potomac. “The aesthetic goal for the locker room was for it to hint of a barn but in modern way,” said Delgado. “The private shower and changing spaces subtly evoke horse stalls, but with custom doors and invisible hinges. The lockers, the light and plumbing fixtures, and the barn door hardware are genuine industrial grade materials.”

The space now includes dual showers, storage lockers, a hair drying station and a separate laundry room. “The room not only had to meet the functional requirements for changing and showering, but also the storage of pool toys, supplies, and contain an additional laundry area to handle pool towels,” said Delgado. “The room had to be tough enough to withstand heavy use and yet feel like a natural extension of the living areas. It was a tall order.”

The flooring is porcelain tile, which was made to resemble rustic wood. “The homeowner found the benches in an old barn,” said Delgado. “The antique pulley holding the mirror's rope added the final touch. It was a challenging design and we couldn't be happier with the result.”