Ask several persons what’s in their basement and you’ll get various responses: a storage room, a game room, a bedroom, a home theater. The basement is among the most versatile areas of your abode, lending itself easily to remodeling, furnishing, and almost every application you may think of. If you need a place for your book collection or a spare room for your guests, your basement will most likely be among your best bets. Here are some other ideas for making the most out of your basement.
Library
The basement makes a good reading room since it is a private, quiet area. Tucked away from the other parts of the house, you can enjoy your chosen books in peace while still being in close proximity in case you’re wanted upstairs. Place your bookshelves in the center of the room so your books do not get too much sun exposure. Light is typically limited in the basement, so make certain to plan out your light fixtures carefully. Mix strong task lighting with subdued ambient lights in one or two reading areas.
Entertainment room
The entertainment room or home theater is among the most favored home basement applications. It would be easy to bring about the dimmed lighting used in professional theaters, and soundproofing will take only a little time since the basement is very secluded to begin with. Make certain to organize your wiring—you do not want a jumble of wires hanging down from the ceiling as you are watching your favorite movie. Have the wires run over the walls or under the floor, and camouflage them using paint or carpeting.
Wine cellar
If you are an avid wine enthusiast, you might want something larger than a shelf to store all your bottles. With a basement, you can have an entire room all to yourself! Basements provide the cool, dry environment needed for preserving wines at their best. The temperature should not fluctuate too much, so keep it regulated by covering up big windows and installing fixed, even lighting. Maintain the temperature within the range of 48o to 56o F; if you live in an area with hot climate, consider purchasing an air conditioner.
Home gym
Privacy and space are the prime reasons individuals put off building a home gym. What’s the point of getting all that equipment if you have no place to put it? If your basement is big enough, you may change it into a fitness and personal gym area. Whether you have just one treadmill or lots of fitness arsenal, you may easily fit it into your basement’s space. Just make certain that there is enough air, though—make use of all your windows or try installing new ones to let more air come in.
Family room
The living room may be a wonderful area to hang out, but many individuals treat it as a display room for their guests. A separate family room will allow you and your kids to engage in different activities without worrying about messing up the carpet, hitting the shelves, or destroying the decorations. If you have little kids, get a floor with a carpet or rug to function as a play area. Stick to low-cost, sturdy materials such as plastic and metal, and avoid brittle ones like glass and wood.
Personal space
Sometimes you might like to get away from it all and spend some time alone. That is where a personal area comes in handy. Your personal area is where you can delight in all the things you like, do whatever you feel like, and do no more than be yourself. The basement will give you just the right amount of privacy for such an area, without alienating you completely from the other parts of the house.
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Craig Olson is a hot young designer at a top west coast design firm and a constant guest journalist at the web site redeco.org. His background in taking unloved and underutilized areas and turning them into wonderful new places has put him as one of the most in-demand individuals in the happening but at times crowded Los Angelesscene, and Craig's fresh take on old pieces has brought an altogether new and contemporary perspective to the world of antiques mixed together with stylish modern decor to create whimsical and definitely unique design statements!
