DIY & home

Making The Most Of What Lies Beneath: Renovating Your Basement

If you’re lucky enough to have a basement, it’s your right to turn it into a great space.

Most people that have a basement use it as a dumping ground or a place for laundry. But you should take advantage of the fact that you’ve got extra space and renovate it as you see fit! But when it comes to renovating your basement what can you do to make sure you’re getting the most out of it?

Picking Your Options Wisely

It all depends on how big your basement is. But it’s more space than less in your basement, go for the open plan options. Be sure to choose the right idea according to what the space entails. A small space doesn’t have to be a junk room, it could be a guest room! From there, you can lay out a floor plan, and start to realize your vision.

Keeping It Waterproof

A basement can harbor so many germs, mold and mildew, but you’ve got to ensure it’s adequately waterproofed. Be sure to check for signs of moisture, especially if you renovate it during the winter months. You don’t want it to flood by the time spring rolls around. An item like your basement floor drain needs to be kept on top of. But it’s important that you have professionals come by to inspect the space for signs of moisture. It needs to be done before you renovate.

Disguising The Mechanics

Because a basement is the foundation of the home, you need to give consideration to how these structural essentials can detract from the aesthetics of the space. But luckily, it’s easy enough to disguise these components. While you may look at these bulkheads as unsightly, you can plan around them to an extent. You can put them within walls and ceilings; exercise your creativity so that they don’t stand out a mile.

Using Lighting

A basement can be a dark and dingy place, so you need to ensure that you are putting enough effort into making the space as vibrant as possible. It all depends on your purpose. If you want it to be an extra room, and you haven’t got any source of light entering into the space, it’s worth taking advantage of the numerous tricks to reflect light back into the space. Mirrors is a very simple trick, but you can also add more reflective surfaces, like brass and silver.

The basement can be a room that’s criminally neglected, but it can prove to be one of the highlights of anybody’s home. As far as resale value is concerned, a basement can add almost as much as a garage. Because a basement can be a functional room you can do so much more with it. But as so many decide to use it as a laundry room or somewhere to store their junk, this is neglecting, possibly, the most important room in the house. Let’s make the most of it, shall we?

kristangible