Decorating & Design
August 27, 2024
Get The Most Out Of Your Lower Level With These Basement Design Ideas
A basement remodel is the perfect time to consider how you want to maximize your living space. Beyond laundry rooms and recreational areas, basements can be a great place for design experts to get creative. Cantinas, moody bars, spas and home theatres are just some of our favorite ways these homeowners made the most out of their lower levels. “Let’s be honest: a basement is not the most glamorous area to renovate,” says designer Ashley Montgomery. “But if you can work within its restrictions, you can give the space a unique personality.”
Feeling inspired? Scroll down for the best basement design ideas from the pages of House & Home!
Moody Lounge & Wine Cellar
Having previously renovated the basement in homeowners Jacqui and Bruno Roldan’s house, designer Tiffany Leigh was the perfect one to tackle the renovation for their Craftsman-style house. Tiffany designed a lower-level wine cellar and lounge in dark finishes for a moody look.
Home Spa
Leave it to Brian Gluckstein to design the ultimate basement escape. The lower-level spa area in this showhome has a panelled chromotherapy tub with a waterfall feature and a steam room.
Group Fitness Room
If you’re designing a basement gym, plan a space that’s big enough to accommodate a few friends for group workouts. Take cues from this fitness room that’s complete with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, a wall-mounted TV and handy equipment storage.
Lower Level Bar
Designer Ashley Montgomery‘s lower-level reno of a 1970s ranch bungalow for restaurateurs Caitlin and Drew Alford proves that there are basements, and then there are basements. The ask was for an inviting lower level with guest rooms for visiting family, a bar for entertaining and a lounge-worthy living area.”We didn’t just want a throwaway bar in a basement, so we brought in brass bar detailing, a white vintage-inspired fridge and slate counters,” says Ashley. Mahogany-brown micro Shaker–style cabinets complement walnut-stained V-groove paneling and the open shelving holds a charming collection of vessels, baskets and art pieces.
Hotel-Inspired Guest Suite
“Guests tell us it’s like spending a night in a hotel,” says the homeowner of her lower level guest retreat. A sliding door to the pool was installed in this walk-out basement bedroom. The shiplap ceiling and simple bed linens have cozy country style.
Fashionable Home Theatre
The space that’s most personal to these homeowners is their lower-level rec room. Dramatic, chocolate brown walls and drapes recall a mid-century movie theatre — a nod to the clients’ love of film. Viewing parties often draw a large crowd; guests lounge on the 10-foot-long sectional and overflow onto the mohair-upholstered floor pillows, which were inspired by the Netflix series Halston, a show that chronicles the life of the 1970s fashion designer.
Sauna
The pièce de résistance in this lakehouse is the spa on the lower level. The sauna, moody soaker tub and walk-in double shower are all designed to relax sore muscles after a day on the slopes. The classic Scandinavian sauna is updated by a modern glass door. “We use our spa like the Swedes do,” says the homeowner. “We go in the jacuzzi, sit in the sauna, then roll in the snow and head to the sauna again!”
Resort-Inspired Nightclub
Calgary designer Louis Duncan-He had a tall order: to bring a relaxed beach vacation feeling to a builder-basic basement. “Our house has areas for family togetherness, but it was lacking a dedicated space for adults that was free of kids’ toys, work and clutter, a place where we didn’t have to go out to enjoy a night out,” says one owner. Louis started by painting the approximately 2,400-square-foot basement jet-black, then added jungle wallpaper and emerald, coral, teal and brass accents for dramatic effect. An inviting bar, lounge, games area and reading nook round out the multipurpose space.
Cantina
A cantina with ancient stone foundation walls is fitting in the basement of this Tuscany-inspired farmhouse designed by Halina Catherine. The family makes sausages, wine and tomato sauce, and also dries herbs and preserves vegetables plucked fresh from the garden.