Rebel's Basement Portfolio...

The wide open space of most basements tends to intimidate homeowners who are considering a remodel. However, this large room can become your most valuable space-and you don't even have to give up your storage area. Don't think about this room as just one room. Think about erecting walls or building small rooms inside of the larger one. If you are having a hard time thinking of ideas on your own, here are some ideas and tips to get you started…

Basement Ideas

Theater Rooms, Teen Hangouts, & Man Caves

A basement's isolation creates a sound break for a children's play area, a teenager's hangout or a music studio. Soundproofing a basement is a smart investment no matter what you choose to do with the room, but especially with the popularity of theater rooms, or if it becomes a teen hangout or man cave. Soundproofing will keep the noise to a minimum so that people upstairs can enjoy their own space just like the ones down stairs.

Exercise Rooms & Recreation Rooms

The large space of a basement lends itself to an exercise room with lots of equipment or a recreation room large enough for a pool table and other games. For an exercise room, it is a good idea to have carpet laid because it will add a little cushion for anyone doing sit-ups, running in place, or other jarring activities. However, it might work best to have the rec room with a laminate or tile floor since many recreational activities lead to spills of food or drink, pool table chalk, and other items. By installing hard surface floor you allow easy cleanup for spills.  Tile floors can be heated further adding to your comfort so, ladies, your feet won’t be cold!

Wine Cellars

The cool environment of a basement easily lends itself to a wine cellar. This is a particularly smart remodel when your basement is not very big. However, if you have a large basement but don't plan on a massive wine collection, it is just as easy to build a small room in one corner that can be your wine cellar. We attend many remodeling conferences and seminars so that we are able to blend the latest technology with old world craftsmanship.  Allowing you to get exactly what you want out of this space.

Add a bathroom.

If you use the space regularly for entertaining, as a guest room, or a children's play room, consider adding a bathroom. This will keep you and your guests from running up the stairs every time they need to use the facilities.

Create storage spaces.

You don't have to sacrifice your storage area, but if you wall off a section and add a door, you can keep that clutter out of sight. Consider having shelves installed while you’re at it, as this will keep that space as organized as possible.

Add light.

Proper lighting is very important in a basement where natural light is little or nonexistent. Consider replacing little windows with egress windows or adding lighting that will make the room feel open and less dark.

Open up the staircase.

If you have a door at the top of the staircase consider removing this to further allow natural light to filter into the area.

Basement Tips

Basement Satisfaction

Few homeowners realize the wealth of home improvement possibilities that lie right underneath their feet. If you're looking to add space to your home, and to have fun with home design, there aren't many spaces more satisfying to work with than your basement.

Where to Start

For starters, you're dealing with what amounts to neglected space, so you get to start from scratch. Your imagination is your only limitation when it comes to what you can do, and when I mention imagination, I mean use it. A creative finished basement project can include theater rooms, recreation rooms for the family, home gyms, innovative home offices, basement bars with the obligatory pool table, and play areas for the kids. All those things that just don't make sense upstairs are good to go down below. Of course, if you're not feeling adventuresome, the basement is an excellent area to add a few extra bedrooms and a bath to increase valuable space and square footage for your home.

Install Windows for Light and Safety

Perhaps the biggest improvement you can make when it comes to lighting up your basement is utilizing the transparent properties of glass. Installing full-sized basement egress window will work wonders as far as bringing in natural light is concerned. And if you're considering adding a bedroom, that basement egress window is a must. Federal code requires a basement egress window to be installed as a safety feature in all basement level bedrooms to facilitate easy escape and easy access for the fire department in case of a fire.

Install Interior Windows

On a side note, don't limit your imagination when it comes to windows, either. Think about installing interior windows where appropriate. For example, installing a large pane of glass or French doors between your home office and the larger living space will make your basement feel bigger and make your office more inviting at the same time.

If you are considering a finish basement project, we can provide many examples of our previous basement finishes. While they offer limitless design possibilities, basements also produce interesting remodeling challenges because of the prevalence of exposed wiring, plumbing and ductwork. Working around these structures and incorporating them into your design can be tricky, so you want to be sure that you trust the work to someone, like us, who knows what they're doing.