Basements are often neglected spaces in many homes, being used as storage for off-season decor, sports equipment and the like, and is usually the place where the water heater and fuse boxes live. Most basements are dark and unappealing, with small casement windows letting in very little natural light.  Unlike the main floors of your home, a cold, cement floor sits in place of finished flooring or carpeting and rarely do basements have enough floor to ceiling height. You might have your washer dryer down there (and a utility sink if you're lucky), but a lot of folks simply use their basement for storage that may or may not be organized. Choosing to convert your basement into a usable space is a great idea, which is why we’ve put together five ways that you can turn your basement into something amazing. 

Five Ideas For Converting Your Basement

A New Apartment

If you're looking for ways to add value to your home, then you might want to consider converting your basement into a small apartment or in-law suite. Not only will this provide an extra source of rental income, but you will also increase your home's value in the long run.  In fact, in a survey from the National Association of Realtors, they found that 20% of home buyers would be likely to pay more for a home if it had a mother in law suite. 

A Modern Family Room

Many homeowners tend to feature their family rooms on the first floor of the home. However, with the possibility of renovating your basement, you could turn your basement into a comfortable living space, suitable for entertaining friends as well as spending quiet nights in with the fam. When remodeling a damp or wet basement, you'll want to use a Tsurumi submersible pump to dry out the space before you have anyone work on the mechanicals, like electrical.

Create a Game Room

Back in the day, rumpus rooms were all the rage in basements across the US (and apparently Canada, too).  Today, a game room is a popular choice for a basement renovation, and can include not just your standard billiards table, arcade games and ping pong--it's also a great space for video gamers as well.  Think about filling the space with comfortable gaming chairs, an HDTV, a gaming computer and of course, the requisite gaming consoles.  Not sure just what to add?  Ask your teen, they'll definitely give you the deets!

A Media Room

If you don't want to go to the trouble of installing new windows (or if they're just not in your budget), then creating a media room would be perfect for a finished basement.  According to SF Gate, it's best to use dark or neutral paint shades in a flat finish, keeping the ceiling color the same shade or darker--lighter shades can reflect the light and cause it to bounce downward across your television or projector screen.  Additionally, try to minimize the amount of reflective surfaces in the room in order to avoid light that can bounce off of them.  Thick carpeting will help to absorb noise, and comfortable sofas, chaises or chairs make the perfect seating. 

Laundry Zone

You may already have your washer and dryer located in the basement (many folks do), but do you have an actual laundry room?  Why not upgrade your existing laundry area to an entire utility space?  This works great for basements that are only partially finished, too.  As mentioned above, a utility sink is great for rinsing dirty mops, washing off muddy shoes and cleaning up gardening equipment; adding a hanging racks for drying delicates and and a dehumidifier to help stop the space from becoming musty. Add an affordable countertop and cabinets and you many never leave!  (I kid, I kid...)

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Check out this super-informative article from Square One Insurance Services to learn more about your basement, including the different types of basements out there and even more ideas for refinishing.

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