Tips On Designing Your Basement
Make your basement a living space
If you go through the effort of finishing, a basement represents “found” living space in your residence. If an unfinished basement or cellar can be renovated to become living space, you have in essence enlarged the usable area of your residence without moving. A renovated basement offers you with additional comfort and convenience and can raise the future value of your residence.
Remodeling a foundation makes always sense
Even if your basement is already finished, finishing again may still be the logical thing to do. A previously unused basement media may become that home gym you need, or a seldom used recreation room for the kids may turn into the spare bedroom room you’ve always wanted. In the lucky event that your basement has already been renovated either by the previous occupant, or by you many years ago, much of the work and expense can be removed from the new project.
Is your foundation dry?
It is important to be confident that your basement will stay dry before you start your basement remodel. Kick off your project by closely examining the foundation walls, paying added attention to the corners and the area where the walls meet the floor. Employ a specialist to fill any cracks in the foundation walls you happen to observe, and it would be a sound investment to have the walls waterproofed as the first step in your remodeling job.
Cover the walls
It is not important what sort of space you may be designing a basement, you must cover the foundation walls. To cover the foundation walls, it is wise to engage a dry wall specialist who will stud out the walls and install the drywall. Freshly painted sheetrock can instantly provide your raw basement space a warmer and more lived in look.
Build a handsome floor for your foundation
The cement basement floor can be overlaid with linoleum or ceramic tiles, or it may be carpeted. You can consider having your contractor install an insulated floor covering the concrete slab; enabling you to keep the finishing basement warmer and dryer. A well-made and beautiful floor gives a finished basement the appearance of being an integral part of the house, not just an add-on.
Proper lighting
Proper lighting is critical to a successful basement remodeling project. Basements are usually dingy, because they have a paucity of, or no natural lighting. The goal of basement lighting is to cause the user to forget that he is in a room with no windows, or at best, equipped with small windows.
If the basement is partially below ground level, try to install as large a quantity of windows as practical to maximize natural light. If the basement is completely below ground level, the contractor should use as much lighting as possible to circumvent having the normally low-ceilinged basement look like a cave. Indirect lighting is the most effective way to light a basement, since it gives the room a more spacious appearance, and gives the impression of higher ceilings.
Let your creativity roam free.
Since your basement is in effect newfound, let your creativity roam free. If your pocketbook allows it, you can change some cool, damp storage space into a wine cellar, a home entertainment room, a cozy den, a home office - and add value to your home by doing it.
Frank Sarntarpia
House Improving