There must be countless pictures of beautiful basements in magazines, newspaper articles, and websites that you've seen. You have one but you feel like it needs more work. You want to make it look good and functional. Perhaps you dream that your friends would take pictures of it and send it to some of their friends too. So how do you make your finished basement idea come to life and beautiful?
Planning Stage - Beautifying your basement requires preliminary stages. It all begins with your concept. You had it pictured in your mind right from the start. Assuming your basement is 50% complete, it should be the right time to lead this project into how you want your basement to really look like.
Moldings and Windows - Start by evaluating the basic things. Inspect the windows, moldings, drainage and ducting, safety issues and even your appliances that plan to put there. Often times, these preliminary tasks are neglected and when things go wrong, your basement's interior can be sacrificed. Anticipating this, you can better enjoy the comfort your finished basement idea is suppose to give you.
Selecting Your Flooring Materials - Flooring materials is essential to the overall interior impact of your basement room. Since it is below ground level, the first thing you see when going down is the floor. You hope to create a good impression right away the moment your friends come down to your den. So floors should be part of your plan. Use materials that don't absorb moisture such as vinyl or tiles. Use colors that are light and matches the feel of the room.
Basement Walls - Keep the walls dry. Home basements are in close contact to the ground. Therefore moisture is frequent. If this is not considered in your finished basement idea early on, moisture can damage your walls. To prevent this, use a drywall covering. Also use an adhesive that doesn't smell. There are a lot of brands to choose from. Pick the one that you think is best. By keeping your walls dry, you also maintain the beauty of its interior.
The Ceiling for Basement - The ceiling should be light weight and easy to install. An example of materials that fit this description are acoustic tiles. It's safe and has aesthetic value. Planning for your finished basement idea, consider this in your list. Acoustic tiles will also allow easy access to pipes and ducts in case of repair or inspection.
Using Glass - Use glass for fixtures such as doors and windows. You can also use glass blocks for your windows. For your doors, have it designed in a way that you can see who is coming up the stairs through the glass mount. Glass also allows more of the natural light to come in.
Decoration - Decorate your basement. If there's a home theatre, put furniture. If you have a storage room, put some cabinets that look nice with the walls and moldings. If it's a home office, put a little library with books. Don't forget, wall frames can accentuate the interior look neatly. Take some time to read magazines or the internet.
Convenience - The things that you must keep in mind in attaining your finished basement idea are comfort and convenience. Your basement should not feel like a basement. Treat it as an extension of your home. With all the pretty colors, expensive materials, and decorations you put in your basement, saying that it is beautiful still boils down to coziness and function.
The basement is a part of your house that can be used in so many ways. If given some thought, you can remodel it into something worth your time and money. Nowadays, a finished basement design has become a very popular investment. How to improve it is easy, manageable and relatively affordable too. In fact, with a little creativity and knowledge in art or interior design, you can turn your basement into the most beautiful and favorite hangout place in your home.
Don't despair! Here are some of the things you can make out of your unattended basement.
- Your home office. Supposing you have a small business run at home and you need an office. The basement can be the perfect place to set this plan up. Assuming that you have a finished basement design already. All you need to do is furnish it. Add office furniture and all other office supplies, equipment, and useful stuff like lamps, book shelf, etc. Don't forget to install a phone and a fax machine.
- As a Small Gym - A treadmill doesn't require a huge space. So does any set of weights. You can always put it in a corner in your basement. A good place would be near the window if you like to work out with the cool breeze of fresh air. That way you'll also have the feel of a semi-outdoor while doing your regular exercise.
- Kids' Play Pen - There are really no furnishings needed on this one. Although you might need a removable rubber carpet on the floor to go with your finished basement design. Kids can be messy and unpredictable. Accidents can happen. A rubber mat should keep them comfortable in their place. And for extra safety precaution, consider setting up a railing around them.
- Private Entertainment Room - Take advantage of the lack of lighting and convert it into a new facility. Some homes use the dark corners in their basement as a mini theatre. Others would use it as a dark room. Not only is your finished basement design space optimized, it has brought a new experience too.
- Personal Basement Bar - Converting your finished basement design into a bar is a cool idea too. That would take away your problems in where you want to hold mini parties with your friends on weekends. But remember to have proper ventilation or a room temperature balance because it can get warm and sweaty when it's crowded.
- A Guest Room - If you have a big family and have used up all the rooms for your kids, why not use the basement as another bedroom. You can have your guests use it. You in-laws perhaps if they come over to visit the kids.
- Music Studio - Your finished basement design is probably the most well insulated place in your house in terms of acoustics. If you have a teenager who loves to play in a band, you might want to explore this option. A music studio can be cheaper and only needs good sound insulation.
There may still be more but these are just the common things done for a basement. If your basement is spacious, you can accommodate all of the above mentioned. It's really up to you. A very good finished basement design should be flexible in terms of use. Just make sure it's still cozy and can make your friends or guests feel welcome. This little den in your home can go a long way.