4 Light Colored Basement Designs

There are three main aspects to consider, the ceiling, the floor, the walls. Everything else will be secondary. Basement ideas, be they decorative or structural, will begin with these three basic areas.

1. If you have your heart set on wood, then go with light pine or the newest bamboo wood flooring that is whitish-yellow. However, even light colored woods will absorb light, so try to limit the use of wood panels to one focal wall – not all the walls. You can achieve a textured look on the walls without taking away the lightness by using a textured stucco finish, even over drywall, and painting a basic white or bone color and adding antique accents with a brush or sponge. Keep the central part of the wall light, but accent around doorways or baseboards or even ceilings with a border in a rich or brighter color.
2. One of the most innovative light colored basement designs is to use metal panels, ordinary corrugated metal. Instead of wood paneling. Accent the room with sage colored ceiling, a light bamboo floor and furnish with tubular chrome or steel and glass pieces and add mirrors where possible. Take away the industrial look with soft shag rugs in bright colors, and add matching toss cushions or accents in a darker shade but still keep with bright blues, lavenders, yellows, white and cool greens.
3. For basement ideas that incorporate light as a feature, use long narrow wall lamps over and inside cabinets and shelves, above art, along the baseboards, built into the ceiling, like round halogen spot lights and track lighting, and do not use one central overhead fixture. Use glossy flooring, the cheapest solution is to paint the cement with a special paint, but you can also use tile. Do not use stone, dark colored tile or carpet. Use light or bright colored tiles to reflect the light. For warmth add area rugs in vibrant colors.
4. Use white on white and add accents in cream, beige, eggshell and other very light neutrals. Moldings around ceilings may be a slightly different shade than the walls. Flooring is white or cream, baseboards are a shade darker; ceiling is light beige, accents are eggshell. The slight contrast between the whites and beige or creamy colors will be noticeable if some areas are pure white. Accent with chrome or black wrought iron for a touch of contrast. Keep window treatments to a minimum by using sheers or no curtains at all, just frosted windows. This white on white look is very chic and works best in home with no children.

Why? Because it’s underground and dark! People are attracted to open space and light. It’s simply human nature. Cave dwelling, for most of the world, went out of fashion long ago.

Your first priority in remodeling a basement, no matter what it will be used for, should be finding the means to open it up as much as possible and bring in light, be it natural or electric.

There is no reason why one of your basement remodeling ideas can’t be similar to loft designs. Low ceilings can be given the illusion of being higher and pillars can be focal points, as can exposed pipes and tubes and industrial equipment such as heaters and furnaces. Some of the greatest bars and restaurants in New York, and around the world, are located underground where, after remodeling a basement these savvy entrepreneurs (and their basement remodeling contractors) have not even attempted to hide basement pipes or ducts. If you are determined to hide them, then use paneling or boxes that take up as little space as possible and leave the main area open, but remember that these pipes or ducts may need to be accessed for maintenance so don’t hide them without providing a way to get at them later.

Maximize your basement finishing remodeling projects with basement remodeling plans and décor that incorporates light colors and smooth textures, track basement lighting, mirrors and open cabinets or shelves and avoiding heavy drapes, bulky outdated furniture and dark or drab colors.

… because this will make a basement seem cluttered and claustrophobic even if it’s not. And although bedrooms and bathrooms unavoidably require basement walls, there are tricks that can maintain the illusion of openness while providing privacy.

Glass for Internal Basement Doors and Windows

One trick in basement renovation is to build a wall but make of it mostly a window. A large internal wall that separates a bedroom from the living space could be designed with glass block windows to make the area appear more open.

Doors can be French doors or glass paneled doors instead of solid wood. Use glass blocks and frosted window panes so the windows will not need to be covered with drapes or heavy curtains. If anything, use sheer or light colored cotton for accentuating internal windows.

The key is to be able to give precise basement remodeling ideas to your contractor showing exactly what you want based on your personal needs. Also tell them about the dreamy ideas you may have gotten from books and magazines so the professionals can guide you and maximize the space you have.

A well executed basement remodeling job can facilitate entertaining, accommodate out of town guests, give privacy to a home based entrepreneur, make watching a movie a theater experience or even give you a spa instead of just another bathroom.

The key factor that will determine if your basement remodeling ideas were successful is how much you use the space once the basement finishing is finished.

Here are some tips that will help ensure the success of remodeling your basement.

• Basements should be heavily lit, much more so than above-grade rooms.
• Maximize the little natural light you have and accentuate with lots of artificial lighting.
• Chose your ideal space from open and airy basement remodeling plans.
• Use interior windows and French doors instead of solid wood doors or solid basement walls.
• When selecting what you will use for basement decorating incorporate light colors and mirrors.
• Select basement flooring that will add warmth because basements are naturally cold.
• Discuss with a basement remodeling company how to best add a secondary heating source.
• Consider a wood burning stove, a fireplace and most of all a built-in floor warming system.
• Eliminate as many pillars and walls as you possibly can without the house collapsing.
• When repositioning air ducts and pipes or existing plumbing try to keep them at the edge of walls or near pillars to leave as much open space and headroom as possible.
• If your basement is narrow incorporate horizontal lines in basement decorating.
• Due to moisture issues, contact a basement waterproofing specialist to seal the floor, ceiling and basement walls.
• Consider alternatives to carpet for basement flooring such as tiles or stone or hardwood.
• Do it yourself basement remodeling can be more effective if you consult an architect or interior designer to help you get the most benefit out of your space. You need not contract a basement remodeling company to do the final work but get advice.
• Use bright colors as much as possible when basement decorating, even if its just accent toss cushions.

Basement remodeling and basement finishing is not something that must be stressful. You can do it slowly with a few home improvement tips from this site or watch as basement remodeling contractors (or the do it yourself basement remodeling team) transform what was junky, grungy and dark into what is neat, organized and bright!

I understand the problems that are unique to basement remodeling, such as low ceilings, poor lighting, waterproofing, the quest for contractors and basement finishing and flooring ideas that are practical. I will help you overcome the problems you may encounter before they happen.

The biggest problems, unique to basement remodeling, are extremely low ceilings, visible pipes and structural columns in odd places that can’t be removed. They also tend to be moist or hold the humidity more than other parts of the house and therefore require more attention to weatherproofing and basement waterproofing that is more difficult because you’re dealing with a structure that is already built and you must work with what’s available. Another thing is that plumbing problems are a real headache because the water or sewage ends up down there in strange places that might not be ideal.

• How can you not just work around, but work WITH these odd basement quirks?

Basement finishing without forethought, frequently ends up being a storage area or a place to hide ugly water tanks, a central heating system or furnace and a general household junkyard that often remains that way for years. If walls have been left unfinished, basement renovation becomes almost as much work as starting from zero, especially if it’s not much more than a cement box. Some basements, like mine, didn’t even have that. The walls were stone and the floor was dirt. Where to begin?

• How can you turn your unfinished basement into a fun or useful part of the house?
• How can you decide what is best use for the space you have to remodel?
• Are you torn between a home theater/game room/pool table/bar and creating a large open area for the kids to play in?
• Do you work at home and want a bigger office or work room that isn’t a depressing cave?
• Do you want a place to workout instead of going to the gym?
• Do you need an additional bedroom for when guests or in-laws come to visit?
• Are you remodeling your basement because you’re expecting a baby?
• What about a spa or hot tub as part of your basement renovation?
• Do you need a bigger laundry room or more storage space that’s organized and bright?
• Do you want to dive into basement remodeling but don’t have a clue where to start?
• Are you contemplating do it yourself basement remodeling?
• Do you need advice on basement remodeling contractors?

• Have you been searching for a basement remodeling company without success?

• Do you need some basement remodeling plans?
• Would some basement remodeling pictures help to inspire you?

If you really want to use your basement space effectively you can’t just slap some paint on the walls, hang a few bright curtains and toss down a rug and think it will be used. Since basements are naturally dark and damp, you will have to put some thought into what you want to achieve by remodeling your basement and how to get there step by step. If you are going to do the job properly you’re going to need some home maintenance tips to get just right.

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