Basement Remodel

Step-by-Step Guide to a Transformed Basement

4/18/2016

I absolutely love creating and transforming spaces into something magical. Our latest project is the dreaded basement. I will help lead you through some important steps to get you to your intended goal. This is not for a complete renovation or remodel, taking an unfinished basement to a finished one. Rather, it is working with the space you have, whether finished or unfinished.

What is your space
Before you can go any further, what basement room/s are you focusing on? Start small and then build from there. Don’t try to do it all at once!

Analyze your space

What do you need your space for? Kids Playroom? Teen Lounge? Office? Storage? A place to hide from your family? Laundry?
Figure out what is most needed and most important. In this case, we want a great functional playspace for our kids that will carry them through the years.

I love all the incredible ideas out there, but I find myself getting stuck. How do I justify to my husband that I would like to build a tree house in the basement? And not just any treehouse, an eco-friendly treehouse that is made out of discarded Christmas trees?! How do I explain that it would be really cool to have a slide that starts on the second floor of the house (much like the traditional laundry shoot) and opens up in the basement into a giant ball pen. Or a pirate ship that has a putting area for mini golf. I love all these ideas! But really? The kids are only young for so long. Is it worth the investment? And I don’t think our preteen would enjoy showing off theJake and the Neverland Pirates ship to his buds for years to come. But I must admit, I am a little partial to the slide idea…

Steps when analyzing your space:

Look at your space. How many rooms or what room/s do you want to update?
Get the measurements. Measure the length and width of your space and keep this list handy for when you start your shopping.
Yea or nay tidy up. What is currently in this room that you can either sell on ebay or give away to friends or charity? Things like old toys, broken furniture, boxes of stuff that you have no idea what is actually in them are must-go items! What items can you use in your room remodel? I am a huge fan of keeping the existing functional items and incorporating my theme around those items. It is a great place to start and to get your creative juices flowing.
Theme. This is an important step in the process. How long-lasting do you want your “theme” to be? If you are like me, I shy away from the short-lived themes like a basement that looks you just stepped out of the movie Frozen! While your children may love it for the short time, what will you do when they become obsessed with another movie next year? We can’t afford year-after-year makeovers. But we can afford minor tweaks here and there as the children get older. Just a general theme for your decor will help you get started to know your likes and dislikes. Combining themes and room ideas can also really add to the room.

Here is a brief list to get your wheels turning:
style:
contemporary, classic, whimsical, traditional, minimalist, retro, country, etc.
feeling:
warm, cozy, soft, hard, linear, flat, fresh, open
colors:
dark, deep, bright, bold, soft, light, neutral
purpose:
relaxation, play, bar, social hour, games, entertainment, sanctuary, reading nook