SMART IDEAS AND TIPS FOR RENOVATING YOUR BASEMENT

Hello and thanks for dropping in. Today I’ll be sharing some smart ideas and tips for renovating your basement.

After a recent visit to my son’s DC home I started to think how valuable a basement can be in a home. His new home has a basement that encompasses the entire footprint of his home. The space contains a Family Room area for TV watching, a large Play Area where toys are stored, a Guest Room, Bathroom and the Laundry Room. It’s a place where his children can escape from the grownups while at the same time giving the grownups some separation (at times) from active kids. How ideal! I wish my house had such a space!

USES FOR YOUR BASEMENT

More than just an underground space, a basement represents a range of possibilities for enhancing your home. In this prior post we explored how in my reno project, The House on Cottage Grove , I turned a basement into a cozy bonus room that’s perfect for lounging around…

playing games…

and entertaining guests.

These are just some of the many things that your boring old basement can blossom into.

BASEMENT AS A WINE CELLAR

Around the world, more and more people are finding ways to use their basements in creative and useful ways. So how should you go about your below-ground renovation? If you have a large family and you like to entertain, you might be interested in what Italian Americans call a basciument. This is the part of the house that serves as grandma and grandpa’s second kitchen and the place where they make and store wine. My home only has a very small basement area, but it was large enough for us to turn it into a wine cellar.

If you have plans to turn your basement into a wine cellar and you have the space, why not go all the way and create a second kitchen and dining area?  This area could then become a great entertaining space. Nothing like entertaining in your wine cellar!

BASEMENT AS A GARDEN

There’s nothing more fulfilling and delicious than growing your own food at home, and believe it or not your basement might just be the place to do it! The Japanese have proven how LED technology can be combined with indoor hydroponic agriculture to grow certain produce quicker than conventional planting methods. You can use a downsized version of the same technology to grow healthy leafy vegetables and herbs right from the comfort of your own home. Perfect for harsh winters like we have here in Lake Arrowhead where our growing season is so short.

STORING ENERGY IN A BASEMENT

Tesla and its founder, Elon Musk, aren’t perfect, but one thing that can be said about them is that they helped to bring solar power into the spotlight. This is a phenomenon that’s happening not just in America, but worldwide.

For example, Wired has an interesting article on how over 120,000 homes in Germany are embracing solar power and storing the future of green power below the ground. After installing solar roofs, Germans are reportedly using their basements to store electric batteries as an alternative power source for their homes. FASCINATING! By doing the same in your basement you’d be one big step closer to a smarter, cleaner and more efficient home. I’m really intrigued by this and might look into doing it in my next home.

DESIGN AN UNDERGROUND SPEAKEASY

Beyond the idea of adding a wine cellar to your basement, you might want to consider turning it into a bar.

And, why not make things even more interesting by turning it into a Speakeasy? After all, an underground home bar and game room is just a couple design choices away from looking and feeling like an authentic Prohibition-era New York City Speakeasy. Get inspiration for yours from my popular Speakeasy post.

Why open a normal door down to the basement when you can disguise the entryway or decorate it, adding special lighting like the Speakeasy, Three Dots and a Dash, that I visited on a recent trip to Chicago. How about that for inspiration!

BASEMENT AS A BEDROOM

Even if  your basement has ruggedly exposed bricks, beams, posts and pipes, you can put those naturally decorative features to work in a great design. This is an inexpensive way to pick up extra living space while adding livable square footage to your home.

Photo by Aw Creative on Unsplash

PROTECTING YOUR BASEMENT RENO INVESTMENT

However creative your basement ideas may be, it’s not going to be much of a renovation if you don’t first deal with the structural integrity of your space. Long neglected basements may suffer from cracks, leaks, or even broken-down utilities. On a recent trip to England I learned that this is particularly true for homeowners in the UK who are choosing to renovate and expand their homes instead of selling amid Brexit-related property market concerns.

Homeowners in the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea are following a popular trend of excavating their basements to create new rooms, further raising the value of their million-dollar homes. Whether it is for a simple conversion or an expensive upgrade, it’s important to ensure the structural integrity of your basement before doing any renovations. In order to maintain that integrity, you also need to ensure that your basement is well maintained. HomeServe outlines how British homeowners have a variety of insurance options available to them for their water heaters and heating systems, as well as other basement maintenance related concerns.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR RENOVATION?

If you can do some of these tasks yourself, go for it. But for tasks that you’re not sure about, it’s better to get professional help, along with insurance or repair coverage to ensure that your planned renovation won’t turn into a disaster in the future.

I am now taking on clients in the San Bernardino mountain areas of Southern California for interior design and full scale remodel projects. I have an amazing team that I am incredibly grateful to work with! If you are in the Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear and know of anyone looking to remodel their home, please help spread the word!

So there you have it: SMART IDEAS AND TIPS FOR RENOVATING YOUR BASEMENT

Thanks so much for dropping in!

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission. This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.  It’s what helps to make this blog possible. Thanks very much for your support.