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Design Dilemma Basements

Any ideas on how to design our basement layout?

last year

We are going to finish our basement this winter and would like some ideas on best layout. We don't have any plans on splitting the space up into multiple rooms, but instead would like to keep it as much of an open space as we can. With this decision, however, comes the dilemma on how to set up the open space in an efficient and practical way. We also don't know if we should do carpet is a portion to sort of break up the open area so it feels like separat designated areas.Our only "needs/wants" are a family room (with movie screen if we can figure out a layout), and a home school area. Other than that we don't really have anything we necessarily want, which is why we plan on just framing around the perimeter for the most part.

I've attached some pictures of the space now (sorry for the mess, it's currently just a giant kids playroom/storage area). I've also attached the prints to show the entire basement floor plan. Lastly, I've attached 1 possible layout idea we had that I made using a free online program. The sectioned off portion shown in the rendering is for a bathroom, the mechanical room, and a small gym or storage area. Thank you for taking the time to give any input!

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Comments (9)

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Debbi Washburn
last year
Is your hot water heater gas fired? I would not want a work out room in the same space due to fumes unless you install some sort of exhaust.

For the floors, I would do a luxury vinyl in the whole living space, then just do area rugs where you want definition. Since you aren't creating rooms, I would just play with furniture sizing and placement so you can figure out where to run electrical and things for the tv. Make sure to decide the size of the tv and then figure the placement of the sofa so you don't wind up not being able to sit far enough away.

If there ever may be a time where you want to close of the movie area, you may want to consider a large opening between 2 spaces with barn doors so you could separate the spaces if need be.

Good luck!
functionthenlook
last year
My son did both hard and carpet. The kitchenette area with table is vinyl for crafts and messy play. The play and TV watching area are carpeted. Basment floors are cold 🥶 in the winter unless they are carpeted.
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Looks like a very fun lower level! Just a couple of thoughts: I think the bar area will be popular and it will be fun to sit or stand there, so I'd do an L shape at bar height instead of 4 bar stools and a love seat. Think about your poker friends and whether they'd rather sit at the bar or together on a love seat. Also I think you could get more people at the bar than on the love seat. You might want a closet in the game area (for cards, board games, ping pong paddles and balls, etc.) Try sketching up the exercise room closet in the lower left corner of that room backing up to the theater room, and a closet on the ping pong side of that wall also backing up to the theater room. That will provide some sound barrier, if someone wants to watch a movie and someone else wants to work out or hang by the bar with music or the TV on. (You could split one of the closets so that part of it opens to the theater room, and that could be storage for your AV stuff.) Your drink ledge could be in an L shape from the exercise room doors to the outdoor doors. As for the doors, the French doors take a lot of floor space, and I think are harder to lock (for the exterior doors.) How about sliders that have the divided windows to look like French doors? What will your flooring be? If carpet throughout, will that make it hard to play ping pong? Or will you be doing some kind of tile, wood, or other hard floor with area rugs? Just something to think about. I see the question on your drawing about an entertainment center for a TV behind the bar. A couple of my friends have bars with TVs built into the mirrors. You don't really know it's a TV if it's not on; looks like a fairly regular mirror. Something to check into. You have room to make the bathroom a bit bigger. It might be nice to have a shower in there for after a workout, or if you ever add a sleeper sofa for overnight guests. It looks like this will be a very fun area for your family!
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Thanks, Benje. I really appreciate the time and thought you've put into this--very generous of you. I like your ideas. I guess the biggest difference with this is that we lose the fourth bedroom/office. When we bought the house, we planned on one kid, but--twins! My office is currently the small bedroom, and they share a room, but we'd really like to give them their own space. So our plan helped us get there (without losing my office). You've raised some interesting points, and I will show this to my husband so we can think it all through. Many thanks again
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Are you remodeling because the kitchen is dark, or for some other reason? If only because of the lighting issue, there are many solutions to that, and some have been suggested already. I don't think borrowing light from the sunroom is going to be helpful. Pass thru openings aren't a good solution unless the room you're borrowing light from is super bright, and you'll lose storage; plus you have 2 doors that swing into that wall. They'll be awkward if hung to swing in the opposite directions. Painting the walls a lighter color with higher LRV will help, as will a new, brighter backsplash, and possibly a new lighter countertop.. No one has mentioned LEDs above the cabinets, but that can be helpful too. If you can't increase the window size, maybe you can add a skylight above the sink area. At the least, dropping a pendant closer to the work area should help. Painting the island to match the other cabinetry will increase brightness as well. Love the floors!
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fnmroberts
last year
You have a good conceptual beginning. Are you DIY ’ing the space or hiring? In either case you need to envision need for utilitiy (electricity/heat/humidity/water & plumbing/gas). We finished ours many years ago. There are useful computer design tools to assist now but some basic concepts still apply.

Develop an usage plan - storage, bathroom, office, kitchenette, entertaining/AV area. We placed masking tape on the floor to represent walls, permanent fixtures, lighting/switch/plug placement. Then we ”lived” the space, adjusting as necessary. Color helps define various areas within a greatroom concept.

Here’s a visual that may offer some ideas.

https://youtu.be/3FqMEqaf0-I
kl23
last year
You can use area rugs to identify spaces, no need for carpet. Will you use radiant heating under the flooring to keep it from chilling you in winter?
thinkdesignlive
last year
I’d encourage you to put the homeschool area near the big window. Keep the TV area in the darkest area.
kl23
last year
I would enlarge the bathroom to provide room for a shower after the workout and a little hanging space for a change of clothes.
kl23
last year
I would want more storage space, built in shelves and floor space for bulky items. Are your built-in cabinets sufficient for you though?
kl23
last year
I also think it is important to connect the style of this space to the rest of the house. Connect with style (traditional, contemporary), theme (nature, beach, southwestern) and colors.
Silvia Punta
last year
KL said it best

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