Creating a useful and cosy space in the basement is a thing with which house owners have struggled for years now. Similarly to the attic, the basement can be difficult to make into a nice room due to its low ceilings, little to none natural light and lack of heating during the winter. However, there are many design solutions on the market to help you get your basement from an awkward storage unit to an envy-worthy chill-out area. It just takes some imagination and creativity.
Badly-finished basement
That is not as unusual as you could think – badly finished basements with old wood panels, exposed brick and old wallpaper peeling off can be found in every other household these days. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of work or thought to take it from that ugly stage to a modern and stylish space. If you don’t have time to get rid of the wood on your walls, paint it white or pastel and make it look like a beach hut! Old and exposed brick is on the other hand a perfect background for an industrial-looking lounge that is very much on trend right now. And peeling wallpaper? Peel it off completely and paint the walls with whatever colour you choose. Going with the industrial and beachy vibes, we suggest light colours though.
Cold basement
There is no surprise that underground is always colder than the perfectly heated living room on the ground floor. However, if you take to your basement lounge just enough blankets and install an electric fireplace, everything will be warm and ready for your cosy winter evenings. Remember the brick wall? Putting a fireplace there would be an interior designer’s dream.
Play with the lighting
With small windows and little daily light, basements tend to get gloomy and sad looking. Some people think they don’t have enough space to play with lighting though, as basements tend to come with low ceilings. We don’t see any problem here though! Think about standing lamps, ceiling and wall lights and reflective surfaces that give the room an illusion of spaciousness. Also, forget about dark walls and heavy furniture and focus on light attracting details and maybe even some fairy lights here and there. Although you don’t want your basement to resemble an operating theatre, having warm lights and light walls will make you feel both comfortable and cosy without creating a sad and overwhelming ambience.