Photo: Instead of chairs, you can always purchase couches for people to sit on while watching a movie. Shutterstock.
You might become the most comfortable house on the block with a dance studio in your basement. Shutterstock.
Practice in a Dance Studio
Do you love to dance? Maybe you have children who are into dance? No matter what the reason is, your basement is the perfect place for a dance studio. You can even open it up to teach children how to dance.
All you need to do is line up a few mirrors, get a comfortable mat in the corner for the dancers, enough lighting, a few other supplies, and you’re good to go. Even if it’s just setting up a corner for your children to pretend they’re dancing in front of a large crowd while Baby Shark plays in the background, it’s an area that can keep them entertained and moving.
Giving yourself a home office in the corner of your basement can also help you sneak those Amazon purchases until the packages arrive at your doorstep. Shutterstock.
Envision a Basement Office
Did you experience the joys of working from home with children in the kitchen or living room because you didn’t have a good space to set up an office? If you have a basement, you now have an excellent location for a home office.
Even if it’s full of storage, you can still rearrange a portion of it so you can set up a desk (you might already have one down there) and other supplies. Bring your laptop when you need to work quietly or set up a desktop. Keep this area your designated workspace, not just so your family can understand you’re working during that time but helping you stay motivated.
You can tear up the old staircase and build a new one to fit your needs. Shutterstock.
Complete Staircase Makeover
Maybe you don’t go into your basement often because of the staircase. It might be old wooden steps, or you have a little crawl space with a ladder. The trick is to leave no corner unturned when you’re looking at renovating your basement.
Talk to professionals if you need advice on the best way to install a safe staircase. You can also change it up a bit, so you have a barn door instead of a regular door leading to your basement. It can not only increase the value of your home but give it a unique look.
You can even add lights on your stairs for safety measures. Shutterstock.
Install Brighter Lights
If you don’t have a finished basement, you might have poor lighting, which can make it unwelcoming. To give yourself more motivation for renovating your basement and spending time down there, update the lights.
You can add recessed lighting to give the illusion of higher ceilings or add LED lights. You can also add a couple of new light fixtures in the corners where you don’t get much light. The key is to know your plan before you start adding lights, so you know where to put your new fixtures.
Adding a second kitchen can help you store all of your dry goods and extra dishes. Shutterstock.
Build a Kitchen Corner
You don’t need to add a refrigerator or other appliances to your kitchen corner. It can be a little spot where you might have a sink and a few things for easy access to snacks or quick meals. This spot can also give your older children a space to hang out with their friends without bothering you for snacks.
Of course, you can always go all out and build the kitchen of your dreams in the basement. This option can allow you to have a little flexibility when cooking a large meal, or you need more space for bulk groceries.
You can even ask your regular guests what they’d like to see in your basement to help them stay comfortable and pleasant. Shutterstock.
Wall a Guest Room
Do you often entertain and have your friends spend the night? Your children might enjoy sleepovers, or you have a family that comes to visit from another state. Instead of needing to squeeze people into your living room, or give up your bedroom, build a guest area in your house.
This area could be a brand new bedroom, or you can simply set up a few beds for a comfortable place to sleep. You don’t need to do a lot if you already have a finished basement, but if it’s unfinished, you might want to look at putting something on the walls and adding carpet to get in a more welcoming look.
Maybe you want to surprise your partner with a unique mom cave in the basement. Shutterstock.
Say Yes to a Mom Cave
Mom, does dad already have a place to go while trying to find your own space so you can read or just relax before continuing with chores or making the evening meal? If so, you need to look at installing a mom cave within the basement. Think of it like a she- shed but inside your home.
Have fun with your redesign by adding a bunch of colors and creating it, especially for you. You can install vinyl flooring and colorful wallpaper to help give it a unique look. You can even add a little locker so you can hide your special snacks.
You can even build the storage room in the form of drawers or closets so you can store a variety of items. Shutterstock.
Put Storage Under the Stairs
Do you have a finished basement or design on what you want to do to create your dreamy basement but find that you’re struggling with storage space? You don’t want to get rid of everything you had lying around, so it’s time to find another place to store your valuable items.
If you have stairs with nothing underneath, talk to a contractor about tearing down a part of the wall and installing a storage closet. This idea can give you extra space to keep your essential objects safe and in your home.
Sliding barn doors in your home can give it a unique look. Shutterstock.
Break Up Your Basement Space With Barn Doors
It seems that adding sliding barn doors is a theme in homes. Many people are going for this unique look, and it’s great for anyone who has a large open basement. You can separate your space by adding some barn doors and creating different rooms.
Maybe you’ll have a bedroom on one end and an office on the other. You might also have a rec room for your children and one for the adults. It’s your basement, and the possibilities are endless on what you can do with it.
Adding space for the laundry can help when it comes to the piles of dirty and clean clothes that tend to collect everywhere. Shutterstock.
Add a Laundry Room
Do you have your washer and dryer sitting in a random spot in your home and always wished for a wonderful laundry room where you could fold and hang clothes? Whether your washer and dryer are in your basement or stuck somewhere else in the house, you can build an incredible room for them.
You don’t need to build more walls unless you want to. You can easily put up cupboards, storage space, shelving, a sink, and any other items you think you’ll need. You can even decorate the wall and floor in a particular area, so people know where to look for the clean clothes that they forgot to put away.
Sometimes your study area doesn’t have any electronics, including a computer. Shutterstock.
Create a Study Area
Do you need a separate space from your office that houses all your books, hobbies, or just a place where you can work on specific tasks, such as writing? Maybe your children handle their homework better when they have a designated space away from distractions, but it seems there is a television in nearly every room. You might also dream about becoming a best-selling author, but you don’t have a space to write your book.
Make your basement a study area where people can work, complete their school work, or go back to school, or do anything else. Set up a bunch of bookcases so you can house all of the books and create a mini-library. Get your minds going every day by learning something new.
Sources:
“72 Really Cool Modern Basement Ideas.” Bryan Sebring, Sebring Design. February 2020.
“25+ Astonishing Unfinished Basement Ideas that You Should To Apply.” SHW Home Decor.
“20 DIY Finished Basement Ideas to Create a New Living Space in Your Home.” Tierney Mcafee, Country Living. February 2020.
“9 Finished Basement Design Ideas.” Ashley Knierim, The Spruce. May 2020.
“30 Suprisingly Stylish Basement Remodel Ideas.” Lucia Tonelli, Elle Decor. June 2019.
