Whether you're looking to furnish and design the basement in your brand-new home or simply want to renovate your existing basement, one of the best ways to improve the usability of your home is by transforming an underground space into a lively area filled with warmth, space, and colour.
Below are ten really amazing basement design ideas that might inspire you.
Bedroom
Whether it's in preparation for an occasional guest or to make space for a growing family, there are so many benefits of adding a basement suite. It's no surprise having a bedroom in the basement is one of the most popular reasons to develop that space.
Smart ideas include adding a window to let in sunlight and fresh air, a closet, and shelving. Trundle beds are also really great for basement bedrooms because they offer innovative storage solutions in smaller spaces.
Tip: If someone in your home is a shift worker, having a basement bedroom is a great solution. It'll give them a quiet and dark place to sleep during the daytime.
Playhouse/Romper Room
If you have kids, one of the best ideas for transforming your basement is converting it into a playhouse space where they can horse around and have fun without disturbing the rest of the household.
Where appropriate, fun ideas include mounting a basketball hoop (for soft foam balls), setting up a video game station, a child-height table complete with chairs for arts and crafts projects, bookshelves, a ping-pong table, and plenty of soft carpeting.
Home Theatre
Instead of disturbing the rest of the household with a home theatre set up on the ground floor, why not move it to the basement? You can invite friends and family members over to watch the big game or enjoy a movie night.
Depending on the size of the space, you can go for either a wall-mounted TV or use a projection system to take advantage of a large wall. Add comfortable sofas, leather chairs, and tables, and you'll definitely be a popular host.
Home Gym
Keep your sweating and grunting to yourself as you maintain a healthy lifestyle when you transform your basement into a home gym. Fun ideas include adding mirrors to the walls, attaching a yoga harness or workout bars to the ceiling, mounting a TV on the wall, and even installing a sauna or steam room for when it's time to wind down after an intense workout.
Transform Ceiling Pipes
For larger basement spaces with exposed ceiling pipes, you can transform these into a nice decorative touch that will add class and style. Either paint the ceiling pipes to match the surrounding ceiling or try a matte black paint that will add a trendy modern look to your larger basement areas.
Wine Cellar
Whether you partake occasionally or are an avid collector, an elegant idea for transforming your basement is to set up a wine cellar. Beyond the shelving and special refrigeration units, one really great idea is to use glass doors. These do a great job of showcasing your collection while letting you and your guests admire your oenology expertise.
Home Bar
If there's already a plumbing connection in your basement, it's really easy to transform a corner of your basement into a really cool home bar. Interesting ideas include using lighted, exposed shelving for stocking your liquors, small under-the-counter refrigerators, and a sink along with a full bar station set-up. And if you've got the space, add some tall stools and a wooden counter for your "customers".
Tip: This is a particularly smart idea if you enjoy brewing your own beer or making your own homemade spirits.
Apartment
An especially clever idea if your basement has a separate entrance is to take it from basement to apartment. Whether it's for a growing family, domestic help like nannies, or for rent to city dwellers in need of a place to live, a basement apartment is a great idea for creating a separate living space for someone.
Consider first the steps to becoming a landlord. Ensure you understand landlord rights and responsibilities and check with your local fire, safety, and landlord regulations to ensure everything is up to code.
Hockey Rink
While it doesn't involve any messy ice, one really fun idea for a big basement space is to convert it into an indoor hockey rink. By applying linoleum or another smooth, hard surface over your existing flooring, painting and marking off the lines, and installing two nets, all the hockey lovers in your home can happily go downstairs to slap the puck around without disturbing the other members of the household.
Music Studio
Whether it's to burn off some excess steam or to practice ahead of paying gigs, having your own music studio at home is pretty awesome. Simply lay down carpeting or thick throw rugs on the floor and add sound absorbing boards to the wall, and an entire music band can practise in your basement without disturbing the neighbours. Make sure to add some chairs and a coffee table for all your admiring fans as well!
Tip: With a bit more investment, you can also add professional recording equipment, perfect for both memorializing your musical prowess as well as creating podcasts and video content.
No matter what your ideas for the space, utilizing your basement as additional living space is both functional and a great way to let your creativity shine.
Instead of accepting boring old underground spaces used for doing laundry and storing things, why not transform that space into a new room equivalent to or better than the rooms on the other floors of your home?
Ready for action? Here are 9 ways to budget for a basement design!
