Thank you for finding that old post Autumn! I was going to look for it myself when I read the title of this current posting. My biggest concern with the transition between our family room & kitchen was having the ability to paint the 2 rooms different colors (if I ever decided I wanted to do that.) That's why we had the column added. All your feelings are normal Laura! You will 2nd guess almost every decision, but for the most part it will all come together nicely and you'll be happy with your home! In looking at your floor plan - I think it would be nice to do molding above your opening as in the Houzz photo you posted. (Not sure what type of molding you're doing around your windows and door frames, but that room opening would follow in the same style as the rest of your doors/windows. I wanted to do that on mine, but we had a corner smack dab next to the right of our opening and a light switch to work around so we decided against trimming it out. This post was edited by downsy on Mon, Jan 28, 13 at 19:10

Finished concrete (like epoxy) or porcelain. Nothing else is in the 'water proof' category. Rubber flooring will work (with a horrible smell and HORRENDOUS price tag) but it has been known to soak up mold if it gets wet. Sheet vinyl will work for the dumbbells. Your requirements will prevent you from looking at other products. You will need to pick a #1 requirement and then shop for that ONE requirement. You will choose the product that best fits all the other requirements. For instance, cork is great in basements but is not water proof. It is great for denting...but it will dimple. Etc. As you can see it fits many things but not all. Pick #1 concern and then find something that kinda/sorta/maybe fits your other issues.

I would also add that you want the heating ducts and plumbing pipes wrapped with insulation as well. Right now is the PERFECT time to do it because everything is exposed. Metal (like duct work) LOVES to transmit noise (telephone WIRES are METAL...ahem...just saying). Wrap those puppies and you will have removed a HUGE source of sound from multiple areas of the house (there is NOTHING like hearing the details of someone's day via the duct work from two stories above...at 1am). I've always liked the 'double stuffing' of the ceiling. If you double stuff the joists (two layers of mineral wool instead of one) then you can probably go with the lower priced product. So long as their densities are the same and the material make up are the same then you should get awfully close to the same ratings. Use the resilient channels throughout...you can't think of the bedroom as being one area and the rest another...if one part 'leaks' noise then the other part will too. Think of the entire space as a bathtub. If you have a hole in one end of the bathtub, it will leak because the water will find it's own level. Noise kinda does the same thing. The other option, if you don't want to use the resilient channels (because you want the ceiling height maintained) then you can look at Green Glue liquid acoustic barrier. There *MIGHT be an application where they apply the liquid/foam to the joists and then mount/screw the drywall to the joists. Green Glue also produces drywall/foam additive that can be used INSIDE the holes for the screws (you drill the pilot hole, you fill it with the foam/liquid and then drive the screw into place). This acts like a mini-resilient channel. And then use the acoustic drywall. And remember your SOLID CORE door for the bedroom. That way you reduce every ounce of noise moving from the basement area into the bedroom area. You should be fine using ALL of the options open to you. You can never have too much noise abatement. You really can't. Silence is silence. Once you achieve it, it is difficult to figure out which bit was 'overkill'.

100% agree if you plan to use it as living space, go with 9'. It's surprising how much that extra foot adds to the overall feeling of a space. I deliberately chose 8 for my cellar, but that's because I never plan to use it as living space. I love having the laundry room and all mechanicals/HVAC so easily accessible in a cellar - and cellars are expected in a home in my area of NY. So yes I wanted a cellar, but the cost to bump mine up to 9 wasn't worth it, to me. YMMV. :)