Basement

Fun Basement Playroom Ideas: From Softening the Floor to Swings

Fun Things: There are quite a few playroom ideas that are perfect for a basement space. For example, as seen in picture (1), the little nook under the staircase can be turned into a cozy little private playroom. Or how about building a small fort or tent in the corner of the basement (2) (3). Some fun basement playroom ideas would be, if you have over head beams, a swing can hang down from one (4). Or a simple idea would be to have bean bags laying around (5).

Storage: One thing that you will defiantly want is storage. Cubbies close to the ground for the kids to get to toys and crafts supplies, and ones higher up for display items and things you want to keep out of reach (6) (7) (In The Basement: Storage and Organization Ideas).

The Walls: One fun idea is to have a wall painted in chalkboard paint (8). Other decor ideas include hanging up letters (9) and covering a wall with a map (10).

The Floors: A basement’s floor can be a pretty hard surface, especially if it is concrete with no finishing above it. Rubber, laminate, and cork flooring are some softer flooring options, but a quick and easy way to go about it is to put down some colorful area rugs to cover the playroom floor. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

February 7, 2013 in Basement

A Palette Guide To Basement Paint Colors

Wall Paint Color: 1488 Sage Mountain

Wall Paint Color: Merlot Red (closest match)

Wall Paint Color: Passion Blue (closest match)

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Red (closest match)

Wall Paint Color: Stormy Sky (closest match)

Wall Paint Color: Bryant Gold (closest match)

Wall Paint Color: Sea Star (closest match)

The paint colors you go with for a basement will depend on whether you want the space to feel cozy or large. To make a space feel large go for bright colors. For a cozier setting paint the walls with deep dark hues. Lighting can also play a part in how your basement feels: Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options.

The choice of your basement paint colors also depends on what kind of space you are turning it into. For example a gym would need bright colors, a bar could use more rustic colors, while playrooms would have more colorful color schemes (14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement).

Here are some color specific posts to get ideas from:

Important Note: Keep in mind the colors of the ceiling, carpet and any major cabinets/furniture. All of these, together with the wall color, form the color scheme of a room. As you see in the pictures above – the color palette is not made up just from the wall color but also the ceiling, beams, carpet, etc.

Mix things up with unique features like stamped concrete wall textures, or turning an entire wall into a chalkboard – have a look here for more basement wall ideas. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Here are some neutral paint color ideas – ideal for most basements:

February 7, 2013 in Basement

Design Ideas For That Perfect Basement Laundry Room

Space Saving Ideas: If your basement space is limited then have your laundry room designed so you can stack the washing machine and dryer on top of each other to save space as seen in picture (1). You might need a stool to reach the top buttons and reach into the top machine.

A Sink: Having a sink in a basement laundry room is a great idea (2). If you are remodeling and are having plumbing work done for the washing machine and dryers, it won’t cost much more to have extra plumbing for the sink done at the same time.

Storage Options: Storage is an important part of a laundry room (3) (4). You’ll want everything close by. So some storage options to consider include built in cabinets or wall shelves, would be best if the budget allows, or free standing storage units would also work. How about installing a clothes rail between two cupboards (5)?

Helpful Laundry Room Storage Ideas and Solutions

For ideas and photos of how to store your ironing board, have a look at my post here: Wrestling With Your Ironing Board: Ideas on How To Store It and Hide It.

Work Space Basement Laundry Room Ideas: Look to plan a space for an ironing board and a hook on a wall to hang it onto (6). Or have one that is attached to the wall and folds out. A countertop is ideal for sorting and folding clothing (7) (8). If you are going to be spending some time in the laundry room, how about hanging up a TV on the wall?

Safety Design Tips: When planning on putting a laundry room in the basement some things to consider are: needing to have a floor drain (for any overflows) and that the machines will need to be near an exterior wall for the dryer vent.

Basement Space: This laundry room can be a room itself, closed off with walls, or a simple solution would be to use curtains to hide the area when it is not in use (9) (The Small Basement: Ideas and Tips On Making It A Dream Space).

Windows and Lighting: Having a window in a laundry room would be ideal as you’d be able to air out the space (it is also great for having some sunlight shine through during the day) (10) (11). When it comes to lighting, the best light fixtures to use would be pendant lights as they bring the light closer down than normal ceiling lights. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11

Here are some other basement and laundry room posts for more ideas:

February 7, 2013 in Basement, Laundry Room

Ideas For a Basement Staircase: Designs, Railings, Storage, and More

Who knew there would be so many options when it comes to basement stair ideas and designs? You have everything from the steps, to the railings, and where to put the door or to have one at all (and what about the nook under the stairs?).

The Finished Product: The finished stairs themselves can be carpeted, wooden (1), or painted (2). How about going uber fancy with some floating stairs (3)?

The Steps: When it comes to the steps they can be solid blocks or have a lip on them as seen in picture (4).

Staircase Design: Some options when it comes to the overall design and layout of the staircase include having it broken up into multiple levels (seen in picture (5)), or have the steps widen at the bottom to create a more dramatic entrance (6).

Railing Options: The type of railing you put in will be based on the style you want your home/basement to be. For a modern and sleek look how about glass paneling (7) or brushed steel rails. For a more traditional look wrought iron railing would be best (8) or wooden stair railing (9) (Rustic Décor Ideas For a Basement). Then there is the option of not having any railing and enclosing the staircase seen in picture (10).

The Door: One thing to do to create a more inviting basement space would be to have the door at the bottom of the steps (11). Or go without a basement door at all.

The Nook Under The Stairs: If you are planning a remodeling of the basement and are putting in a new staircase, plan out what you’ll be doing with the space under the stairs. This can be turned into a great nook for a home office (Ideas For Turning a Basement Space Into A Home Office), a playroom (Fun Basement Playroom Ideas: From Softening the Floor to Swings) or a storage area (12).

The Side Wall: The wall going down alongside the stairway can be designed for a number of things. It can simply be used to hang up décor (13). Hooks can be fitted to it to store extra jackets, or how about hanging extra shelves if the staircase is wide enough (14) – for more storage ideas have a look at our post here (In The Basement: Storage and Organization Ideas). Or it can just be lined with stone or painted over (Decorating Basement Walls: Ideas from Stamped Concrete to Chalkboard Paint).

Safety: Lighting also needs to be taken into consideration around the staircase, for ideas check out our post here (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14