Ideas to Finish a Basement

Office

• When planning on creating a home office, finishing your basement and using it for that purpose is one option to consider. Being below the rest of your home, your basement by nature is fairly isolated from the rest of your home, which can help to create the psychological (as well as physical) barrier between your workspace and the rest of your home. Not only does this reduce the number of distractions that you have to deal with when trying to work, but it can also add a level of professionalism that is important if you have clients come to your home office. Converting your basement into a home office means you need to finish the walls and floor. Installing a bathroom is something to consider if you have clients visit, as well as installing a separate entrance to the basement so your clients do not have to go through your home to get to your office.

Game Room

• A game room provides you with a place to escape and relax from the stresses of everyday life. Begin by deciding what types of games you'll install. A pool table or air hockey table is a classic choice, but other options include a pinball machine or a classic video arcade machine. A dartboard is a low-cost game that takes up very little space, which is ideal if you have a small basement. Installing a stereo to listen to music and a flat-screen TV to watch your favorite teams add to the entertainment. You may want to install a bar in the game room or at least a mini-fridge to store beer.

Spare Bedroom

• As you have more kids or relatives move into your home, bedroom space can become tight. You can convert the basement into a spare bedroom or in-law suite to house the in-house additions to your family. Finishing the walls and floor is a must. Concerns about moisture and flooding can make installing wall-to-wall carpeting impractical in a basement, but you can use area rugs to make the room more inviting. Installing a full bathroom is a good idea, especially if the basement is used as an in-law suite since in many homes the people living in the basement would have to climb two flights of stairs to shower or bathe. You can also install a wall in the basement to divide it into a bedroom and a living room.

Media Room

• Like a game room, a media room provides an escape from everyday life. An extremely large flat-screen TV or a projection screen is the centerpiece of this room. A surround-sound speaker system adds to the home theater experience. Large, comfortable chairs allow people to relax and enjoy the movie or television show. Some people choose to install a bar in their media room; if you do this, placing a flat-screen TV or two over the bar can entertain the people sitting at the bar. And, of course, you need a stereo connected to the surround-sound speakers so you can listen to your favorite tunes.