Home Improvement DIY

A lot of people are finding they are out-growing their home but can’t afford to move home or they simply don’t want to deal with the hassles.  One way that people are increasing the number of useable rooms in the home is by decorating their basement.  Some people don’t like the idea of turning their basement into a room simply because it’s underground.  The good news is that some rooms naturally lend themselves to this.  Here are a few tips if you do decide to decorate your basement.

Music or Theatre Room:  With a little thought and work, you can easily turn this underground room into a music or home theatre room.  A major consideration would be sound insulation.  You’d want to put acoustic lining on the ceiling and walls to keep the sound within the room.  Most basements don’t get much light which is perfect for home cinemas.

Games Room:  Adults and children alike can get a great deal of use from a games room.  Whether it’s pool, dart boards or even your own drinks bar, you can have a lot of fun in a basement games room.  If you’re having friends over and want to put on some music, the sound won’t travel very much making your neighbours a lot happier.  You can create a great party atmosphere with a lick of paint and some groovy lighting.

Workshop:  Because of the nature of workshops, you won’t require much in the way of decorating.  All you really need is a workbench and tools.  For people who make small items, working in the basement can be perfectly fine.  However if you are producing larger items such as furniture then it may be difficult for you to get these items out of the basement.

Home Gym:  Having your home gym in the basement is a great idea.  You don’t have to worry so much about damaging the floor if you drop your weights.  An ideal choice of flooring is rubber as it is slightly bouncy and will absorb the impact of weights dropping.  You need to make sure however that you have a good ventilation system in order to make sure you’re getting enough fresh air in.  Another good reason for having a gym in the basement is that you’re unlikely to have nosey neighbours looking in at you as huff and puff like an asthmatic ant carrying heavy shopping bags.

How much time and money you spend on your basement really depends a lot on what you plan on doing with it.  You can spend very little or you can spend a small fortune.  The great thing is that much of the work you do will increase the value and desirability of your home whenever you may decide to sell it.

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