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3 Ideas for Basement Wine Cellar Designs

There are 3 types of wine cellars that can be designed to fit a basement space. The full room wine cellar, the spiral hatch, and a standard storage area.

The Full Wine Cellar Space

(1) This (pictured) is the dream wine cellar. A full room with stone or wooden lined walls covered in rows of wine bottles. It comes equipped with a cooling unit and humidifier to protect the wine. (2) A leather seating area, possibly a wine bar countertop – stocked with wine classes, carages, aerators, and decanters. (3) For a more rustic wine cellar feel use wrought iron light fixtures and doors, stone walls, and hang classical paintings on the wall (Rustic Décor Ideas For a Basement). (4) If you have a large basement space, then a wine cellar can be closed off in its own room and the rest of the basement can be turned into a family room, bar, or entertainment room (14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement). This way it will cost less to run the cooling units and humidifiers.

The Spiral Hatch

(5) Not really a basement wine cellar per se, the spiral hatch can be built during a major remodeling or a new house build. These spiral wine cellars are usually fitted under the kitchen.

Ideas and Designs for Small Basement Spaces

(6) Instead of having an entire room dedicated to a wine cellar, a small area of the basement can be tailored for wine storage. Fit a few wine racks and if you are concerned about the temperature, a wine refrigerator will do the trick. (7) Small wine cellars or storage areas can be fitted under the staircase or in a hallway. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

February 8, 2013 in Basement, Storage

Decorating Basement Walls: Ideas from Stamped Concrete to Chalkboard Paint

Paint would be the simplest choice (A Palette Guide To Basement Paint Colors), but there are a few unique things that can be done with it. For example there are a number of texture painting techniques like using a sponge to create a marble looking wall, or using a brush to create linen looking wallpaper as seen in picture (1).

(2) A stone wall will create a very rustic, wine cellar look. (3) While brick veneer, thin slices of brick, create a raw and rugged feel.

(4) When it comes to concrete walls there is the option to have it stamped. This is when concrete is patterned to look like stone, bricks, slate, tiles, or even wood. Or how about getting the concrete polished or acid stained to color it?

(5) A stucco wall is another textured wall idea.

(6) Don’t forget finishing touches like crown molding. Or go a step further and fit the crown molding a few inches below the ceiling and have lights sit on top of it, bouncing light off of the ceiling and into the room (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options).

For more special basement wall ideas, try and tailor the wall decorations to the purpose of the room. For example if the basement space is for a playroom or a home office how about turning the wall into a huge chalkboard by using special chalkboard paint just like in picture (7). (8) Storage units (cupboards, book shelves, wine racks, etc.) can be used to fill up a wall. (9) A home gym would need wall mirrors, a home theater could use sound proofing, a man cave or bar would have walls with wooden panels or sporting memorabilia.

(10) Lastly, a photo frame layout is a great way of decorating a basement wall. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

February 8, 2013 in Basement, Construction

Basement Decorating Ideas and Designs For The Dream Home

The goal of decorating a basement is to make the space feel as comfortable as possible. This means trying to make the space not feel like a typical basement – dark, cramped, etc. When it comes to decorating and basement ideas there are two main areas to look at: 1) The overall interior design of the basement – this includes things like the flooring, ceiling, lighting, and walls. 2) Then comes the specific decorating ideas that make it a homely space.

Overall Interior Design Ideas

Lights: Lighting is going to play a big role in making a basement a wonderful place to spend time in. Get it wrong, and the basement will feel dark and uncomfortable. One thing to keep in mind is that if you want to make a space feel bigger use as many ceiling lights as possible, and try to light up all corners of the room. When you want a space to feel cozy and intimate, avoid lighting the ceiling and use table or floor lamps instead. For specific lighting ideas to use in a basement, from cove lighting to using a drop ceiling, have a look at the post we put together here: Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options.

During The Day: In the daytime the best way to light a basement is with sunlight. This means making use of windows. Different places will have different laws requiring you to have a specific kind of window (egress) because of fire safety.

Flooring: You have more expensive finished flooring options like carpet, which is best for cold climates, then there are flooring ideas more suited for hot climates like concrete. There are options which are better suited for under floor heating while others cant. Some feel softer than others. For more on basement flooring have a look at our post here: Flooring Ideas For a Basement.

Looking Up: The ceiling itself will play a role in how the space feels. Imagine having exposed hard wood beams, this would create a more rustic warm space. Or how about having a drop ceiling with modern light fixtures. One thing you want to avoid is have a flat uniform ceiling. Try and break it up by having different layers. For pictures and great ideas have a look here: Basement Ceiling Ideas From Cove to Fiber Optic Embedded.

On All Sides: Just like the ceiling, how you decorate the walls can style a space the way you want. Textured wall ideas include stamped concrete, stucco, and stone walls. Paint is the simplest way of going about it, but even with painting there are a few unique options – like using texture techniques (sponge painting). For photos and ideas have a look at our post here: Decorating Basement Walls: Ideas from Stamped Concrete to Chalkboard Paint.

If you have a large basement space, having internal walls can divide it up into different rooms (gym, home theater, playroom, etc.). Another way of doing this is to simply hang curtains. This way when a space is not in use, say a home office, you can simply hide it all away and enjoy the space for another purpose, like a family room.

Tips on Basement Decorating Ideas

The decor you choose will really be based on what kind of space you are trying to create. When it comes to the basement some room ideas include a gym, a laundry room, or a home theater. For example if you are putting a playroom down there, one DIY decorating idea would be to paint a wall with chalkboard paint. For a gym you’ll want to have wall mirrors (to check yourself out). For a family room you could have a pillow pit in front of the TV. To see specific decorating ideas for each type of room, you can see all the rooms we cover here: 14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement.

Here are some simple decorating ideas:

Use framed mirrors if you have a small basement. This along with the lighting tips mentioned earlier will make the space feel larger.

Depending on the type of flooring you use, say concrete, the floor can be quite hard and cold. Using area rugs will help with that.

A basement is a great space to use for storage. From using the space in the ceiling (in between the beams) to using the space under the stairs, check out our post here for awesome storage ideas: In The Basement: Storage and Organization Ideas.

Don’t forget about that cozy nook under the stairs. It can be used for storage, but if you check out some of our room specific design posts you can see how some people have turned that tiny space into a home office, a playroom, or fitted a bed in there. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

February 8, 2013 in Basement

Rustic Decor Ideas For a Basement

Keep these few things in mind when creating a rustic style in a room.

The Materials: When it comes to rustic basement ideas and the design style, these are the materials to use:

Stone: This can come in the form of floor tiles, used on the walls, or if you are planning on building a bar counter (8 Different Basement Bar Ideas and Designs) then the base of it can be made out of stone (1).
Wood: If you have wooden beams then having these exposed and on display will create a rustic setting as seen in picture (2). Raw wooden stairs is another way of creating a rustic space (3) (4). Sliding wooden doors would be a great addition (5).
Wrought Iron: The most common interior design piece made up of wrought iron would be light fixtures (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options). The door railing in the sliding door picture above uses it – you can also find some shelves made out it too. For more decorative elements, look to hang up and display wrought iron numbers or letters (6) (or how about a horseshoe?).
Concrete: This would not be a traditional choice for rustic decor, but can be used for a more modern, industrial style. For example having it stamped to give it a rustic texture – used for the walls or the floor, check out the wall in picture (7).

Decor: Other rustic decor pieces include old school antlers, or a great alternative would be drift wood found on a beach (8). There is also reclaimed wood and pallets to use for shelving, chairs, and tables (Basement Decorating Ideas and Designs For The Dream Home).

Lighting: When it comes to lighting we have mention using light fixtures made out of wrought iron, but specific lights to consider would be hanging wall lanterns (9). Or how about a fire place if you live somewhere cold (10)?

Furniture: Leather and wood are the best choices for furniture when it comes to creating a rustic styled basement (11). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10