There are many possibilities for use of the basement space in your home, and we’re not talking about storage for those unopened boxes from two moves ago or the patio furniture. If you currently have an unfinished basement, expand your home’s square footage by creating livable, usable space. For instance, a media room, home gym, office, playroom, man-cave, laundry, and guest room are all popular choices. When deciding what to do with your basement, think about how you want the space to function. Here are some tips:

– If you are creating a living room, man-cave, playroom etc., put the main socializing area in a spot that gets the best natural light, to draw people in.

– Bedrooms need a window for egress, so they will need to be located at the perimeter.

– The TV viewing zone can be in a darker spot to reduce glare and create a home theatre feel.

Two important questions that you should also consider in turning your basement into a favorite hangout are lighting and paint color.

Lighting plays a major role in any room. Your finished basement needs to be comfortable and bright with the ideal light fixtures installed in the ideal locations. Think about what time of day you will be using the basement and what kind of activities will be taking place. Certain activities need certain lighting styles, such as pool tables or a home theatre. Track lighting is an option that works well in basement kitchens and office areas. Lamps work well for task lighting in the seating areas, and recessed pot lights are always a good choice for drywall and drop ceilings (they are sleek and maximize ceiling height). Of course natural light is a plus for any basement, so keep windows free from obstruction as much as possible. No heavy drapes or dark window treatments is a good rule of thumb.

When it comes to choosing a paint color for your basement, the inclination to paint every room a light color is natural, but not always necessary. Evaluate the amount of lighting your basement has. If it receives little sunlight and has a generally dim electric light setup, it will actually be very difficult to get light paint colors to look appealing. Light colors need an abundance of light to realize their potential; otherwise they tend to look drab and dull. Instead, consider rich, deeply saturated paint colors (key work is saturated, not necessarily meaning dark) to counter the low light levels in most basements. If your basement has spectacular lighting, the sky’s the limit for paint colors!

Whether your space is a full, half, or walkout, you can transform your basement to become the most popular spot in your home, and not the dark creepy space everyone avoids. The financial benefits are awesome as well, if you should decide to place your home on the market!