Regent Homes Blog

3 Great Ways to Finish Your Basement

Posted by: Regent Homes, on August 30, 2013

Have you found yourself eyeing your basement recently, with its cold cement floor, its piles of boxes, and its dim lighting? Are you wondering if you could do more with this space? More and more homeowners are thinking just like you, and are taking back their basements and turning them into an asset. If you’ve been thinking about reclaiming the space below in your house, here are three suggestions that show that basements are for more than just storage:

A Media Room / Home Theater

New sound and video technology has made watching television, movies, or even YouTube videos easier and easier to do in the comfort of your own home. A basement’s contained space allows you to control the sound better, and it makes for easy cozying up on a pair of couches or some recliners. There’s no need to spring for a giant wall-sized screen and a pricy projector; any high definition television, inexpensive blu-ray player, and simple five-channel sound system will make you feel like you’ve taken the whole family to the movies.  Hang framed movie posters on the walls, prominently display your DVD collection, and make sure you have a method in place to deliver fresh popcorn.  Cozy up, fire up Netflix or pop in a blu-ray and make your basement the entertainment center of your home.

A Spacious Play Room

How many times have you stepped on a Lego in the middle of the night? Or how often have you skated on piles of Brio train tracks? It’s frustrating to find the kids’ toys spread around the living room, across the dining room, in the kitchen, on the stairs, and – well, everywhere! A toy box alone won’t help you contain the overflow. To help manage the mess, try converting your basement into a playroom. Some simple basement fixes are all you need to create an open space that lets the kids spread their Legos, make crafts, build train tracks, and host tea parties. Consider scrubbing and painting the walls a warm color. Add some recessed can lighting, wall sconces, or table lamps to brighten the space. Laying down mildew-resistant carpet provides a soft grounding for all sorts of games. A couch or chairs with removable cushions also gives the kids hours of fort-building time. Any of these changes localize the mess, help you keep common areas clear, and give the kids their own place to romp.

An Exercise Room

Almost everyone resolves to make more time for going to the gym, although traveling to and from the gym, committing to memberships, or even finding childcare can be preventative. Well, what if the gym could come to you? With some simple fixes in your basement, you can turn that open space into your own workout room. This lets you to set up larger equipment like treadmills or weight machines without taking up valuable first floor or bedroom space. Putting a television in one corner allows you to fire up a workout video. Carpeting or large rugs offer a soft spot for rolling out the yoga mat. Your basement will naturally stay cool in the summer, preventing you from making any excuses not to stick to your plan. Remember that basements tend to be dark, so keep the Vitamin D flowing by cleaning windows or replacing broken ones, or consider knocking out any unnecessary dividing walls to let in natural light.

However you choose to fix up your basement, you can take a previously unused space and turn it into a place for gathering, entertaining, playing, or exercising. And the best part about it: a finished basement ups the resale value of your home!

Contact Regent Homes online or call 614-529-2927 with any questions about your basement’s potential value!

Categories: All Posts, Resale Value