Basement Design Ideas For The New Homeowner

Posted by The Popular News Today on Thursday, October 13, 2011

By Casey Torren


If you are thinking of basement design ideas, now is the time to bring them to life. Gone are the days when basements used to be empty spaces with no use and no style! So how do we go about this? Where do we start? If you are a beginner at basement remodeling, there is no need to worry. Basic design ideas are abundant when it comes to revamping the basement. Read on through this article to find out more.

There are a number of problems basements generally have. First of all, most basements have very low ceilings. A low ceiling can give a space that claustrophobic feeling. The good news is, there are many ways to combat this basement design problem. When thinking of basement design ideas to combat low ceilings, focus on ways to create illusions of height as well as maximize the space in general.

To give the illusion of wider and higher ceiling space, make use of light colors on ceilings and walls as well as floor and table lamps to further illuminate the room. Wall sconces can create a huge impact if you utilize them the right way. They have to be installed high enough so that their light will reach the ceiling and open space. All sconces are a great choice in a sense that they illuminate towards an upward direction. If you put them too low, they could be glaring. Thus, they have to be installed above eye level.

Fluorescent lighting fixtures will tend to make your basement dimmer and smaller so you might want to avoid these kinds of fixtures. Ceiling lights generally draw the eye to the ceiling and therefore emphasize even more on how the ceiling appears to be caving in. So try alternative lighting fixtures as mentioned earlier (floor lamps, table lamps, sconces).

Another common problem with basements is little space. While some homes are fortunate to have larger basements, most have quite small ones. The small size of the basement often makes homeowners think the basement can only be used for storage. This is not true, as the possibilities are many.

If you have a fairly small basement, arrange your furniture pieces in corners of the room, leaving the center clear. This can make the room more spacious and airy. Mirrors are also great for making small rooms appear larger.

The next problem to tackle is the starkness most basements have. Basements are often seen as cold parts of the house that have no use. Warm up the place by adding homely accessories such as vases, indoor plants, paintings, candlesticks and a fishbowl. You could use some popular basement design ideas and create a theme that is warm and inviting. For instance, you could choose some Rustic style furniture of wood and have a fireplace as your basement heat source. Place area rugs to further warm up the place.

There can be so many basement design ideas out there that it is sometimes difficult to imagine how to put them all together to recreate your basement. To make the design process much easier for you, think of a theme first. Once you have a specific theme to use on your remodeling project, you may start working around it.




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