5 Awe-Inspiring Basement Renovations
Talk about transformation. These once-utilitarian spaces are now fully designed and inviting places for living, working and playing
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
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If your basement is a dank, closed-in dungeon where you store paint cans and dread changing the HVAC filter, don't despair. Houzz designers have magically transformed some of the most depressing basements I've ever seen into family-friendly havens, inviting guest suites, inspiring workspaces and fantasy man caves.
Some of them had lots of square footage and the advantage of natural light to work with, while others were no more than damp holes in the ground underneath the house. Here are five of the most amazing basement renovations we've featured, along with links to see the full tours.
Some of them had lots of square footage and the advantage of natural light to work with, while others were no more than damp holes in the ground underneath the house. Here are five of the most amazing basement renovations we've featured, along with links to see the full tours.
by Wentworth, Inc.
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1. Colonial Upstairs, Scandinavian Downstairs
This basement renovation gave a family a multipurpose space where they could all spend time together playing, watching TV and using a home office. It also gave them a chance to break away from the colonial decor used throughout the rest of the house and enjoy another style they admired: Scandinavian modern.
This basement renovation gave a family a multipurpose space where they could all spend time together playing, watching TV and using a home office. It also gave them a chance to break away from the colonial decor used throughout the rest of the house and enjoy another style they admired: Scandinavian modern.
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by Wentworth, Inc.
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| Designer and builder Bruce Wentworth left the rafters exposed and painted them white to lighten up the space. He used wood strips to cover some of the more unsightly elements, like ductwork and structural posts, and in this area to create a clever media wall. |
by Wentworth, Inc.
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The renovation also gave the parents a home office from which they can keep an eye or ear on the kids.
See the rest of this basement renovation
See the rest of this basement renovation
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| 2. Contemporary Meets the Dark Side Architect Ryan Duebber transformed this formerly cramped and wet basement into a favorite gathering and entertaining space. The renovations gave the owners a den, laundry room, bathroom with steam shower and a bar-kitchenette. |
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| Duebber painted the exposed rafters black; they work well with the couple's contemporary tastes. |
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| Industrial touches mesh with the utilitarian elements often found in basements and the concrete floors. For instance, Duebber used a galvanized metal wall that's curved and corrugated to separate the living space from the utility area. See the rest of this basement renovation |
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| 3. Focused on Family Designer Erin Davis of Mosaik Design & Remodeling and Jenny Guggenheim of Fig Studio Interior Design designed and built this family-friendly basement, which includes a TV area, game area, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom. It is a walk-out basement bathed in natural light. |
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The kitchenette is a great spot for fixing snacks for movie and game time.
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4. Guy's Getaway
When a Family Guy writer and producer needed an inspiring man cave for working and relaxing, he called upon interior designer Kyle Schuneman.
Schuneman added mahogany bookcases for storage and display so the owner could have his favorite things within easy reach.
When a Family Guy writer and producer needed an inspiring man cave for working and relaxing, he called upon interior designer Kyle Schuneman.
Schuneman added mahogany bookcases for storage and display so the owner could have his favorite things within easy reach.
He also transformed a common basement con into a pro — a concrete jut-out now serves as a comfortable lounging spot.
A man cave down to the last detail, the basement now has a powder room with a urinal and four barber shop mirrors.
See the rest of this basement renovation
See the rest of this basement renovation
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| 5. Slide Down, Climb Up and Tee Off While this home's pirate ship in the bedroom was given top billing in our Houzz Tour, the basement probably deserved a separate tour of its own — starting on the first floor of the house, where a spiral tube slide provides an adventurous way to descend underground. Builder Steve Kuhl describes the slide as "severe tubular craziness." |
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| Once downstairs, one can start to ascend ... up a climbing wall. |
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| The basement also includes this golf simulator shed. The only problem with this basement is that the homeowners might never again need to go outside to play. See the rest of this home Your turn: Have a great basement makeover of your own? We'd love to see it. |
Ideabook published on Jan. 13, 2013.
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I never realized how much of a fan I was of abstract shapes, BUT MORE THAN THAT, when real world elements are altered to fit the theme and add to the design: it's just great.
Drylined walls,rewired,etc,great place to live looking out onto south facing garden.
The best way to deal with awkward areas that need painting is to use an airless spray unit!