Whether you use your basement for additional storage at home or as an entertainment room for your family and guests, these basement organization and design tips will help you maximize your space!
Basement Room Ideas for Your Layout
Planning a basement renovation? Think about how you’re going to use this additional living space once it’s finished so you can start mapping out your furniture layout and design elements!
Go with a Family Room
Photo via @janelockhartdesign
Want to keep your upstairs living room nice and tidy for guests? Create a basement family room for more relaxed hangouts! Set up a TV and comfy couches, move the playroom downstairs, and you’ll have a cozy area your kids will never want to leave. For a bonus touch, add a fridge for snacks and sodas!
Develop a Home Office
Photo via @organizerjanet
A basement space or storage room can easily be turned into a functional home office. All you need is a desk, comfortable chair, bookshelves or file cabinets, and good lighting. If your basement office will share space with a downstairs living room, consider using bookshelves as room dividers!
Design a Game Room
Photo via @select_basements
Ever wanted your own game room? Arcade games, a pool table, a ping-pong table, dartboards, video game consoles, and more can help you turn your basement into an entertaining space everyone will love.
Get Cozy in a Movie Room
Photo via @improvenet
Create a home movie theater in your basement! Whether you go all out with multi-level seating in front of a projector or a simple sectional setup around a flatscreen TV, you’ll have a cool spot to enjoy a show.
Set Up a Workshop Space
Photo via @erinlangnorris
If you’re a regular DIYer or a crafts enthusiast, a workshop space is a great basement room idea that keeps the mess out of your upstairs living area. Concrete floors make spills and cleanup simple, while cabinets, cork boards, and freestanding bookshelves can help keep you organized.
Create the Ultimate Fan Hangout
Photo via @delta13rack
Love watching your favorite team on the big screen? Use them as inspiration for your basement! Design an awesome game day space by setting up plenty of seating around a TV or projector screen. And don’t forget to decorate with team jerseys, banners, blankets, and other memorabilia!
Upgrade Your Basement Design
After you’ve determined how you’re going to use your basement, it’s time to start designing and decorating. Make your new living space feel complete with the design tips below!
Brighten Up the Walls
Photo via @magdainteriors
Even the smallest, darkest basements can feel bigger and brighter with a pop of color! To make the space feel larger, use neutral paint colors that reflect light like whites, beiges, and grays. If you want to spruce up a drab basement space, go with more energetic colors like yellows, oranges, and blues.
Change Out Flooring
Photo via @cyrusconstruction
There are plenty of basement flooring options that will give your space a great look! Ceramic tile, laminate, and rubber flooring are just a few options. Vinyl or carpet tiles are also easy to install, and they come in all different colors and styles that will work with your basement design.
Use Area Rugs
Photo via @mcad_design
If replacing basement flooring is out of your budget, a few area rugs can provide both color and comfort. Area rugs are also a clever way to divide living and entertainment spaces in an unfinished basement.
Keep It Light
Photo via @hhuntinteriors
Don’t have basement windows that allow natural light to come in? Get creative with your basement lighting! Build lights into the walls, around the floor, or along stairs. You can also set up lamps to brighten up corners, or hang string lights from the ceiling to get more light throughout your basement.
Include Multi-Use Furniture
Photo via @keep.calm.and.clean.on
When thinking about your basement decor, make sure to include furniture that’s comfortable yet functional. Pull-out couches and futons can be used for both relaxing and as beds for guests, while furniture with hidden storage is great for keeping blankets, pillows, or toys out of sight.
Add a Bar or Kitchen
Photo via @timberidgecustomhomes
No entertainment room is complete without a place for snacks and beverages! Turn an empty wall, nook, or corner in your basement into a small kitchen or wet bar with a fridge, cabinets, and a sink.
Separate the Stairs
Photo via @inspire.architects
Want your basement to feel more cozy? Hide your stairs behind a wall divider! Whether you include a dividing wall during your basement remodel or you add a DIY room divider later, separating your living space from the stairs will give your basement a more finished look.
Divide Spaces with Doors
Photo via @azlewisdesigns
If you’re creating a bedroom in your basement, or you simply want to divide a large basement into multiple spaces, use barn doors, french doors, or sliding doors to get more privacy!
How to Organize Your Basement Storage
Basements can be a dumping ground for all sorts of items that don’t have a place in your home. Don’t let your storage room or basement living space become cluttered. Use the tips below to get organized!
Ditch Boxes for Plastic Totes
Photo via @thecontainerstore
What’s the best way to store items in a basement? Go with stackable, waterproof plastic totes! Sturdier than cardboard boxes, clear bins allow you to see what’s inside so you don’t spend all day digging through storage containers for those holiday decorations or seasonal clothes you need.
Take Advantage of Labels
Photo via @systemsbysusie
Have a lot of containers in your basement storage room? Use a labeling system to group like items together and find everything faster. Try these free printable labels from Better Homes & Gardens!
Get Creative with Vertical Space
Photo via @annajoyinteriors
One important aspect of basement organization is keeping items off the floor. Utilizing vertical storage not only provides more space, but it also keeps items safe should your basement experience flooding. Set up storage cabinets, hang baskets, install floating shelves, and more throughout your space.
Use the Ceiling for Storage
Photo via @storage_plus
If you have the space, add wire fencing or shelving to store items on an unfinished ceiling. You can even create a DIY overhead storage organizer for plastic totes. Heavy-duty hooks are also ideal for hanging bicycles, folding chairs, and seasonal items from the ceiling to keep them off the basement floor.
Utilize the Space Under the Stairs
Photo via @organizerjanet
Under the stairs storage can be incredibly helpful when organizing your basement. Stack everything under the stairs and add a curtain to keep storage hidden, or build an under stairs closet to create a basement storage room that’s out of the way.
Line Walls with Adjustable Shelving
Photo via @riorganize
Rust-proof, adjustable metal units are ideal for storing totes, boxes, and other items in basements. Plastic and wire shelving units are also great basement shelving ideas that can be placed along walls.
Add Lockers for Hidden Storage
Photo via @provincialfarmtouch
If you don’t have a storage room, there are ways you can disguise basement storage in plain sight! Try repurposing vintage lockers to hide seasonal clothing, sporting equipment, and gardening tools.
Repurpose Kitchen Cabinets
Photo via @cjperiwinkle
Have you recently finished a kitchen remodeling project? Save your old cabinets and put them in the basement! Recycled cabinets are a handy, affordable storage hack for finished and unfinished basements.
Hang a Pegboard
Photo via @thejenniferburnham
Whether you need to store tools, art supplies, or kids toys in your basement, a pegboard keeps everything visible and in a convenient spot. Pegboards with hooks can even be used to store coats, jackets, and other clothing if you don’t want to keep them in bins or totes.
No matter the size of your basement, these basement design ideas and organization hacks will turn any chaotic downstairs into a clean living or storage space. Looking for more home improvement projects? Increase the livable square footage in your house with these home addition ideas!
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