3 Easy Basement Remodeling Steps

A basement doesn’t have to be a dark musky place where people store the junk they are never going to use, and where all the scary things happen in horror movies. With a little creativity and a few personal touches, your basement has the potential to become your favorite room in the house-or below the house.

If your basement has never been worked on, you have a little pre-remodeling work to do. Before creating your masterpiece, you need to start with a blank canvass. Build your canvass by installing insulation and drywall on the walls and (most importantly) on the ceiling. If funky, urban-chic is the look you’re after, go ahead and leave one of the concrete block (CMU) walls (or a portion of the wall) exposed. But choose wisely because it’s difficult to add electrical wiring on a CMU wall without making it look like an afterthought. Call a basement renovation contractor to help out with the construction.

1. Add Light
Good lighting can be the difference between a dark, even scary, basement and a bright, cheery extension of your home. Natural light is always preferable to artificial lighting, but unfortunately, in most basements it’s either scarce or non-existent. If you are lucky enough to have a portion of your basement that is above ground, take advantage of it. Ask your contractor to determine if it is possible to add windows (or even a door) without extensive structural renovations. Also be aware of anything that is hanging above existing basement windows and blocking out light (i.e. balconies, awnings, or even overgrown vegetation). You may discover that simply removing these things can increase the amount of natural light you end up with.

While natural light is best, for some basements it’s just not possible. In these cases, artificial light can be used to create a more welcoming space. Since you are probably going to use your basement for a variety of different activities, go ahead and use several different kinds of lighting. Newer CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs are gaining popularity because they are energy efficient and fit into traditional incandescent fixtures. Technically, they give off the same amount of light as a traditional incandescent, but some designers argue that the aesthetic quality of the light is inferior. Don’t be afraid to mix CFLs with incandescent. Use the CFL lights for everyday use, and the incandescent lights for ambiance and more visually demanding tasks.

As for the fixtures themselves, your options are pretty much limitless. Most basements (sadly) are lit by rejected, out of date lamps leftover from the upstairs area of the house. If you’re doing a basement renovation, budgeting for quality lighting can pay off in the end. Though they are relatively expensive, recessed lighting fixtures in the ceiling can be a nice touch, particularly if they are switched so that each area or “zone” of your basement can be controlled independently. But if this isn’t possible for you, a mixture of table and floor lamps can be just as functional. The key is to make sure that every single square foot of the basement has access to plenty of light.

2. Add color
Even if you have natural light in your basement, it will still probably appear somewhat dark and gloomy. For this reason basements can tolerate somewhat brighter than usual paint colors without appearing garish. Primary (Red, Yellow, and Blue) and Secondary colors (Orange, Green, and Purple) work well. You don’t have to brightly paint every single wall. Just choose one or two, and paint everything else a more neutral tone. Remember to only change colors on inside corners, never on outside corners. If you must change colors in the middle of a wall or on an outside corner, add a piece of molding to separate the two colors. If you have a finished ceiling, paint it white to help brighten up the room. Mix a little bit of your accent color in the white ceiling paint; this will make the colors look like they belong together.

If you aren’t ready to say goodbye to your white walls yet, there are other ways to add color to your basement. Fit a festive slip cover over a piece of upholstered furniture, or paint a piece of wood or metal furniture. Throw pillows and coordinating area rugs are also a good way to add personality to your (now favorite) room, and they also give people a place to sit on the floor. Don’t forget to add artwork. Either hang up something you already own, or have some of your favorite personal photos enlarged and framed.

If choosing a paint color scares you, and selecting furniture makes you dizzy, consider consulting a decorator. Decorators are well trained, and they often come up with ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of. Your decorator can help you determine what look you are trying to achieve and what colors and styles would be most suitable for your space.

3. Add Accessories
Even though your basement is an extension of your home, it should function for your family as an oasis from the stresses of everyday life. The location of your basement isolates it from the rest of your house (and the rest of the world). We tend to think of basements as a safe place physically, since they are the place you run to for protection during dubious weather. However, a basement can also be a safe place emotionally. So, it’s appropriate for your basement to be decorated to reflect your personal tastes and passions. Fill it with the things you love (Note: this does not mean that you should clutter it up with junk that you simply can’t part with.) Think about the activities that you enjoy doing in your spare time, and equip your basement accordingly. Set up a stereo so that you can listen to your favorite music. If you like to play cards, set up a table for this purpose. Perhaps you’re a fan of billiards. Invest in a pool table so that you can invite your friends over for a few games. Measure the room first to make sure that it is suitable for the size table you are buying. If you always want to see the latest DVD release, consider purchasing an entertainment center with surround sound, and transform a portion of your basement into a home theatre. If you outfit your basement with the things you love, you are undoubtedly going to find yourself wanting to spend a lot of time there…and your friends probably will too!

Eric Lachance is the heart of Royal Renovations Ottawa. Eric has more than 25 years of experience in the contracting and remodeling/renovation industry. All of his projects are completed professionally, meticulously and with great pride which is demonstrated by his superior craftsmanship

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