Basement Remodel
Tips
• Create a focal point. Whether it is a fireplace
or home theater, a centerpiece or primary focus helps define and make
sense of the space.
• Make the space livable. Analyze
your lifestyle and consider how your family handles eating,
playing, exercising, relaxing and watching TV. Would specific areas
help control or add structure to the chaos? Would separate activity
zones allow more than one person to use the basement at one time? Would
a wet bar or second kitchen be beneficial? Are you planning on a game
table or home theater? What size furniture will you use? How many people
will be downstairs at once? Is there room to walk around?
How many trips upstairs would you be making if you did
not have a bathroom, sink, refrigerator, dishwasher, or TV down stairs.
• Storage. Most of us use our basements as the catch-all.
Remodeling your basement is not going to change that, so allow for it. Built-in
cabinets and shelves maximize the space and create a great solution for all
that electronic equipment. Cabinets behind a wet bar can save trips up and
down the stairs and let you store those extra holiday dishes in a protected
space.
• Stop the noise. If you’re planning on putting in your dream home theater, (the one with watts and watts power and a sub-woofer that is part fog horn), be sure to use sound deafening materials. You may expect it to be a little loud in the basement, but the sound travels right through the ceiling into the upstairs. Without it, pets will cringe, dishes will rattle and the neighbors will complain. Soundproofing is much easier to install and more effective when done right from the start.
