Home Tree Atlas: Home Decor Ideas and Mood Boards

Flooring Ideas For a Basement

There are a number of basement flooring ideas and options to choose from, and the decision on which one to use will come down to what sort of room/space you creating (home theater, playroom, kitchen, etc.), the style you want, and also the climate you live in (different types of flooring are better for hot vs. cold places).

Tile: Ideal for homes in warmer climates but can have under flooring heating for cold climates. Good for basement family rooms and kitchens.

Concrete: This is one of the cheapest options. You can have it polished, acid colored, painted, and even stamped to add more styling. It cannot be heated from under, so it is best for warm climates.

Under Your Feet: Modern Flooring Ideas

Wooden Flooring: Hardwood flooring creates a cozy and warm space. It is ideal for basement bars (8 Different Basement Bar Ideas and Designs). Wood laminate flooring would work for a basement gym.

Carpet: Carpet or even carpet tiles is the best choice for homes in cold climates, though it is one of the most expensive choices. It is also great for the sound quality in basement home theaters (Designs and Ideas For a Basement Home Theater). Area rugs are an alternative to having an entire floor carpeted.

Some softer flooring options include laminate, rubber and cork – which would be great for playrooms or home gyms. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

February 7, 2013 in Basement

Basement Ceiling Ideas From Cove to Fiber Optic Embedded

The Drop Ceiling: The best way to make the basement feel like any other space in the house would be to use a drop ceiling. This will create a cozy setting, and also allows for recessed lights to be fitted (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options). A more stylized version of a drop ceiling would be a cove ceiling, which has light fixtures hidden away but bounces light onto the ceiling and into the room creating a grand setting – and making the room feel larger just like in picture (1). Or how about breaking up a basement layout by having a multi layered drop ceiling like in picture (2).

Unfinished: For unfinished basement ceilings, painting the beams, piping, wiring, and anything else up there one color will create a uniform look as seen in picture (3). For more ideas on what to do with an unfinished basement: Unfinished Basement Ideas For Making the Space Look and Feel Good.

Finished: Simply painting the ceiling is one idea (have a look at our post here for color combinations: A Palette Guide To Basement Paint Colors). To get a bit more advanced you can go for a textured painted effect as seen in picture (4). For example you can create a marble look by sponging the paint, or create a linen texture with a special brush.

Large beams in a finished basement can also be painted. To add more style, crown molding can be fitted around them just like in picture (5).

Other Basement Ceiling Ideas: Other ceiling design options include having exposed wooden beams for a more rustic feel (Rustic Décor Ideas For a Basement) or use wooden panels. If you are planning on having a home theater in the basement, soundproofing the ceiling would be a good idea as well as having a fiber optic constellation ceiling – seen in picture (6) and in our Designs and Ideas For a Basement Home Theater post. 1/2/3/4/5/6

February 7, 2013 in Basement

Turning a Basement Into A Family Room: Designs & Ideas

A Fun and Comfortable Space (1): Some ways to make the basement family room more fun and entertaining would be to have a pool table (2) or a pit, pillow mound, or beanbags in front of the TV area seen in picture (3). If you want to turn your basement TV room into a home theater have a look at our post here for ideas: (Designs and Ideas For a Basement Home Theater).

Snacks and Drinks: A bar countertop is something to have in a family living room (4), along with a small refrigerator for drinks and snacks. If you want to go a step further there is the option of a dry or even a wet bar (8 Different Basement Bar Ideas and Designs).

Dividing Into Rooms: If you have a large basement space it can be divided up to create multiple rooms. Or even just hanging curtains can be used to hide away different areas:

Gym (Ideas for Setting up a Home Gym in a Basement)
Home Office (Ideas For Turning a Basement Space Into A Home Office)
Kitchen (Looking at Basement Kitchen Ideas and Designs)
Wine Cellar (3 Ideas for Basement Wine Cellar Designs)
For kid friendly ideas like having a chalkboard wall have a look at our post here: playroom (Fun Basement Playroom Ideas: From Softening the Floor to Swings)

Storage: Just like any family room, it will need storage. Built in or free standing? Have a look at our post here for ideas (In The Basement: Storage and Organization Ideas).

The Nook (5): Some unique basement family room ideas revolve around the nook under the staircase. A lot of people have turned that space into a cozy office, playroom, or storage space – The Space Under The Stairs: Ideas and Designs.

Lighting: Lighting is also an important part in making a basement feel like a comfortable space. For ideas on how to light the basement the best way have a look at our post here (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options). (6) Windows are one way to do this, as it brings in sunlight during the day – some places will require you to have certain types of windows fitted into a basement because of fire concerns.

The Walls: (7) For ways on decorating the walls of the basement have a look at these two posts: (Decorating Basement Walls: Ideas from Stamped Concrete to Chalkboard Paint) (A Palette Guide To Basement Paint Colors). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

February 7, 2013 in Basement, Living Room

Resource List for Building a Basement: Construction, Finishing, and More

We are a design website, but for those who need to get into the construction side of things when it comes to building a basement here are the best resources we’ve been recommended. Let us know of anymore we can add to the list:

When it comes to room ideas check out our design post here: 14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement. For interior design ideas have a look at our post here: Basement Decorating Ideas and Designs For The Dream Home. 1/2/3/4/5