Things You Need To Know About Basement Remodeling And Basement Designs

Looking for a new home is both exciting and stressful. Who and what to put in each room can be a tough mental exercise. A new basement can mean a whole new brain workout.

The first priority

Checking to make sure a new basement is leak proof is the first order of business. Before purchasing the home, the basement should be checked after a heavy rain for a firsthand look at what effect, if any, the rain and saturated ground has on the basement. As dampness can cause problems later on, the degree to which that happens should be checked as well.

After moving in, and especially if it has been decorated, the basement should be checked often throughout each year for any signs of leakage and dampness effects. Should a problem arise, several effective products can be found via the internet or local building supply stores.

Making it personal

A newly constructed, $140,000 home included a full basement with an offset, individual room and a concrete floor throughout. The home buyers planned on this being their permanent home. For eight years, the basement remained a storage area and playroom. 

An aging parent and a son approaching the teenage years called for some basement remodeling ideas. With a gift for decorating, Mom was the woman with the plan.

After considering several basement designs, Mom decided the entire floor would be covered with a dark, rich, cherry-stained hardwood. The nondescript steel door to the outside would be replaced with a double paned, sliding glass door. Without a formal division, the room would consist of two sections. The front section (nearest the door) would host a wet bar to the left of the door. The bar would be made of wood and stained to match the flooring. Soft, recessed lighting over the bar would create a warm, inviting environment. A regulation pool table would command the center of this section. Track lights over the pool table would provide adjustable lighting for countless games of pool.

The back section would be a teen-friendly seating area. Recessed lighting here would avoid lamp breakage during inevitable horseplay. Fabric for the sectional sofa and cushions would be tough enough to withstand sleepovers and pillow fights and would, naturally, be stain resistant if not stain proof.

With her elderly father's health failing, Mom wanted to give him an overnight retreat or a permanent home if necessary. The offset room would be her dad's. Furnished with a complete, vintage bedroom suite from the spare bedroom in his present home, Dad would feel right at home here. Rich jewel-toned, striped fabric would adorn the bed. Family pictures and heirlooms were to put on the finishing touches.

Time was that men could care less about decorating and remodeling. Now that is old school. Today men are more vocal and more involved in the decorating and remodeling process. The "Man Cave" has become the fad for men. Determined the selected space be entirely his, the man of the house decides a theme that truly reflects who he is. This can range anywhere from a game room to the re-creation of a hunting lodge. Whether it is brand new or "seasoned," what could possibly be a better Man Cave than a basement?

Fishing enthusiasts can mount shelving (constructed to look like a wooden John boat) on gray, Min-Wax- stained, rustic, paneled walls. A good taxidermist can make a Rock Bass look like he just jumped out of the water. Mr. Bass, and others like him, can be mounted on both sides of the shelving as proof of the bragging rights of any good angler. What would any fishing theme be without a rack for his favorite rods and reels? What about a stained peg board for those favorite, but damaged and retired lures? Storage cabinets can provide a home for tackle boxes, fishing line, and other essentials.

In a Man Cave, the man can do anything he wants. The wife is absolutely forbidden to say anything against it. Why, a man can roll his Harley-Davidson right into that basement (provided it has an accessible door from the outside) and no one can say a word about tracking up, or getting grease on the floor.

Basement windows can be covered with fabric in Harley-Davidson colors and sporting that famous logo. He can make no-sew curtains himself. A thrift store sofa could be revived with Harley-Davidson fabric. Storage cubbies can be built, or purchased, and placed by the door to hold his and, if she will not comment on any mess he has made, her motorcycle boots and accessories.

With the huge selection of accessories and memorabilia Harley-Davidson offers, the man of the house should have no problem finding wall decor for his Harley Man Cave.

 A new basement is like a blank canvas. Usage and decor should reflect the heart and soul of the individual or a growing and changing family. Before embarking on the making or remaking of a basement, the key question should be, "Will we really use this?"