Over the past two years, almost all of us have spent more time at home than ever before. For better or for worse, we have realized the impact our space can have on our lives, productivity, and happiness. Your house has gone beyond being a place you come home to at the end of the day. Now, your home must serve a greater purpose. From being your gym, office, and movie theatre — your home has had to adapt throughout COVID-19.
This has resulted in every inch of space in your home being important. Gone are the days where your basement can just be an unfinished, storage room for all of the clutter you don’t want to deal with. If you are looking at your basement, and feel ready for a change, no need to worry. Many people are in the same situation. In fact, basement renovations are one of the most popular renovation projects for homeowners these days.
Here’s to reclaiming your basement. When your home is the place for both work and play, there is no room for wasted space. Whether it is digging down or renovating the basement you have, the time to focus on your home’s lower level is now. Below are four ideas to making your basement a functional yet fun space:
Laundry Room
Let’s face it – we spend a lot of time doing laundry and we all know how this can feel like a never-ending cycle. Might as well make the laundry room a place where you’ll enjoy spending time.
There are many benefits to having your laundry room in the basement. Often, your basement has a more open layout which gives you more flexibility in designing your dream laundry room. For many people their upstairs already has a clear layout, and so trying to find the space for a laundry room upstairs can be more of a challenge.
Additionally, having your laundry room in the basement makes it much easier to tap into your home’s plumbing and electrical sources. Since your basement floor is likely concrete, this is a better material for holding the weight of heavy appliances. Also, if there is ever a flood from your washing machine, then having your laundry room in the basement could result in less damage.
Home Gym
Throughout the pandemic, many people have said goodbye to their gym memberships and started working out at home. It makes sense, after all, there are many benefits to working out from home. From being more comfortable in your own space to reducing your commuting time driving back and forth to a gym; your home has the potential to become the hottest new workout space.
Due to your basement’s open floor plan, working out in the lower level of your home can be feasible. Simply purchase some rubber mats to protect your flooring, install a few full-length mirrors and get ready to move your body. Despite popular belief, home gyms don’t have to be expensive. If you are interested in learning more, we discuss everything you need to know before creating a home gym in one of our most recent blog posts.
Movie Theatre
If you are a movie fan, then COVID-19 has probably been a challenge for you. Dealing with the constant shutdowns and restrictions of movie theatres, many are probably longing for the good old days. There is nothing better than getting a babysitter, and sneaking away for a few hours with your partner to see the newest Blockbuster movie while devouring a huge bag of movie theatre popcorn.
You can bring these nostalgic feelings home by creating a home theatre in your basement. This is a very popular addition to any home and can provide your family with countless hours of enjoyment. If you are interested in going all out, Amsted can help by constructing a specialised seating arrangement, and installing the appropriate movie theatre lighting. However, there are many options for home theatres, even simply installing a projector and screen is good enough.
Home Office
No matter if you may return to the office at some point, or if you will be working from home permanently, a home office is a great investment. While not many people think of the basement as a good place for an office, it can actually be a serene place to work.
Since the main level of your home is probably quite busy at times, working in the basement can help minimize distractions. Plus, with the added benefit of more space and a flexible layout, you could even install a small kitchen space downstairs. With a mini-fridge and coffee machine, you don’t have to leave your office for food if you don’t want to.
In fact, there has been a rise in people renting out their basement as office spaces. If you have enough room, you could install a few desks, and make some additional income while working from home.
Amsted can help create your dream basement
At Amsted, we specialize in design-build services to create a basement that fits your needs. Our professional design and construction experts will work together to make your basement a space that you and your family will love and enjoy for years to come. Book an in-home consultation.