What to Consider Before Finishing Your Basement

During these colder months, we find a lot of Atlanta homeowners wish they had finished their basements. The fun thing about basements are that they provide a great deal of potential for different functions your home may be lacking. What to consider when finishing your basement? The sky is the limit. Whether its an adult bar, a playroom for the kids, an art studio, a game room, a home theater, a wine cellar, a home gym or perhaps a private apartment for loved ones who stay with you, your basement has the potential.

If you’re asking “can I finish my basement, it’s pretty bad?” the answer is yes you can. the photo above is something we see a lot. We’ve transformed some pretty hopeless looking basements into dream spaces. Here are few ideas to consider before finishing your basement.

1. Game Rooms

The average house doesn’t usually seem like it has enough room for a pool table or Ping-Pong. But the basement does. Another aspect to point out here is that finishes in the basement can be just as nice as what’s going on upstairs. Brick arched columns, wood wainscoting and beautiful floors are all viable options for a basement remodel.

2. A Swanky Bar

Many of our clients tell us that after we finish their basements, they hardly ever wind up entertaining on the main floor again. The great thing about the basement is that there is lots of space to create a proper bar that will make your guests feel like they are sipping Old Fashioneds at the St. Regis.

3. Wine Tasting and Storage Space

If you’re looking for a good, temperature-controlled space for your wine collection, look no further than the basement. We can get you set up with the correct temperature control, lighting, racks and even a special tasting space.

4. Home Gym

There’s also plenty of space to work out in your basement. In addition to your workout gear and space for floor exercises, there are other factors we’ll help guide you through. These include low-impact flooring, lighting, ceiling fans, lighting, mirrors, mounted TVs and more. We can also help you design a meditative space for yoga.

5. Playroom Space

Basements are also great spaces for kids to call their own. There’s plenty of floor space and even the potential for a climbing wall. In this project, we created a darling playhouse for the kids within the basement, a real space to call their own.

6. Creative Storage

Whether it’s bikes, gardening equipment, holiday decorations, crafts, board games or another favorite thing, we can design clever storage solutions for your basement. In this basement renovation, we turned the bikes into a gallery-like installation on the wall. They are easy to grab and fit right into the room.

In this bibliophile’s home, we installed a beautiful basement library for their large collection of books. Custom shelving and thoughtful library lighting give it main floor elegance.

7. Space for Overnight Guests

Whether you have a kid who is moving in after college, in-laws staying for extended visits, want extra income from an ADU short-term rental or have a parent or two moving in, a basement can be a wonderful space to give everyone in the family privacy. We’ll help you navigate the rules involves, such as having proper egress.

In this more modest-size basement, we approached it like a studio apartment. This attractive cabinet is actually a Murphy bed that pulls out with ease.

And this beautiful basement bedroom includes the lovely architectural detail of large double barn doors. They add color and interest to both the bedroom and the adjacent living room they divide.

8. An Extra Bathroom

Of course along with a bedroom or any basement living space, you’ll want a bathroom. We recommend going ahead and putting in a full-sized bathroom if you can. This will serve overnight guests, a home gym or often winds up serving as a pool bath. And if you’re a sauna fan, we can help you get that home sauna of your dreams.

9. A Second Kitchen or a Kitchenette

Once you’re down the lower level stairs, you won’t want to have to run back upstairs for drinks and snacks. For an ADU, you’ll want to include full cooking capability. If not, consider a fridge, microwave, dishwasher and sink so that you aren’t lugging all that stuff up and down the stairs.

10. A Home Theater

A home theater can provide the ultimate movie night experience. We can help you figure out how to add a big screen and comfortable seating, along with fun glamorous details like millwork to complete your home theater experience.

We hope this post has helped you learn what to consider before finishing your basement. If you are ready to finish your basement or complete any other renovation projects, please give us a call to schedule a free consultation.