Everything,including your basement remodel idea, starts with creativity. You don't have to be a creative genius, though, to come up with a good plan for remodeling your basement. But a good idea of how your basement should look like is a must. First off in planning for a functional basement is to not think of it as just a basement. Doing this sets a lot of limitations in the process. Your basement is also room but with less partition. Sometimes there's none at all. And like any rooms, your basement has walls, ceilings, and floors.



If you have a basement remodel idea in mind, you have to take these areas into account. Here are the pointers to explain why you should.

- Think of your walls as one big oil canvas. You imagine what you hope to put (or mount) into it. Some basement remodel idea involves creating partitions if the basement is used for several purposes. In redesigning your basement, make sure your walls set the mood to what the place is for. If it's for your children's play pen, you may choose to paint it with pastel colors. In another corner you have a home theatre, the color should compliment with the right amount of lighting. You may want to hang picture frames. These details constitute a lot to the beauty of your basement. Plan and design it well.

- The ceiling gives a feeling of space. Normally, the basement's headroom is lower than other rooms in your house. It's a must therefore to give this some thought in your basement remodel idea. To give an illusion of space, design your water pipes and drainage so it passes along the sides of the basement. This way, the center of your basement leaves a lot of headroom. Also, your basement's ceiling should be designed in a way that these pipes are easy to access and fix. Some use hanging joists and frame ceilings to serve this purpose.

- Make sure that the floor is free from moisture. Yes, this is important to consider. The basement is an underground facility and is therefore prone to moisture. The soil surrounding it is damp and dirty. Not only that, pipes from the ceiling may have leaks and would have spills all over. Get some water-resistant tiles for your basement floor (and your walls too). A vinyl is another option too. Plan your basement remodel idea to include a floor that is easy to clean.

- Plan properly your wiring and ducts. As mentioned with water pipes and drainage, a good basement remodel idea anticipates future maintenance and repairs. The conduits for electrical wirings, phone and TV cables, and air ducts should be a priority in the design plan. If you are drafting it yourself, put those conduits on the opposite side to where your water pipes are located. Not only is it practically but safe too. If you're hiring an architect or interior designer, tell them how you want them arranged.

These may all sound simple but these are essential considerations. Planning out your basement remodel idea can be more fun if these things are sorted out from the start. You want to have a basement that not only you can enjoy for yourself or your family but with your friends too.