The Basement You Wished You Owned

It’s almost football season and you know what that means: entire Sunday afternoons spent curled up in a blanket watching countless hours of sports. This, of course, includes intervals of basking in between naps and checking the chili cooking in the crockpot. Beyond relaxing, autumn is a wonderful time to host afternoon potlucks with friends or watch the big game. Let’s not forget hosting the kids when they come home for college or having close family over for a staycation.

With that being said, where is the best spot in the house to do all of the above? The basement of course! And the basement doesn’t have to be boring; it can be a sanctuary, a cozy sanctuary at that! Basements build on functionality and bring value to your home, after all. Take it from this beautiful Minnetonka space. In fact, we’d like to use this room as home remodeling inspiration to transform your own functional basement space into a special, special place.

To get started, kick off your dreaming with these ideas:

Since basements add value to your home, they should also add value to your life. The Minnetonka basement pictured below is full of gorgeous woodwork and shelving. Basements can also coexist as mudrooms if you have a lot of people going in and out. You can add fancy baskets on the benches to put accessories like gloves and hats. The space also provides a beautiful, functional kitchen by the pool table, so you can host and make drinks while your guests enjoy! Quick tip: Although the basement should be functional, the aesthetic should still be taken into consideration. The room should look nice and feel warm and welcoming, but be sure it’s livable and functional for your needs.

To create a relaxing lounge area for guests, keeping the color palette natural will help put off a low-key, modern vibe. The Minnetonka home basement does just that, giving the space a cabin-comfy and easy on the eyes look. Quick tip: if you keep the furniture colors neutral, you can play around with different pops of color throughout the space. Consider the unique grey entertainment space featured below.

They take up less space. They’re innovative and fresh. They add a rustic and outdoorsy element to home design. Barn doors are a must to add to any renovated basement. Quick tip: to really enhance the accents, choose an open concept for your basement. Avoid adding extra walls and separate spaces instead by using large area rugs, different color blocks on the wall, or lighting certain areas (like the TV space) with dimmer switches. We’ve all heard about mood lighting.

Since basements aren’t your entire home, you want to keep storage space practical. The charming built-ins in the Minnetonka home example are beautiful (and one of them even moves out like a speakeasy to even more storage!) These shelves often anchor the space and provide museum-esque displays for knick knacks and things you love. The home design upgrade also makes the room feel a little more airy (believe it or not). Quick tip: focus on what your family needs, all and all. If you have kids and they’re running in and out, mudroom storage is crucial. If you’re an empty nesting couple that has a lot of get togethers with friends, a wine cellar and relaxing lounging space might be what you need.

Store your wine collection in a beautiful refrigerator, like the one pictured below, or build your own wine cellar. If you do have your own cellar, try to model the home design a little James Bond or prohibition esque, it will add definite personality and make your guests really immerse themselves in the whole experience.

Since basements are typically pretty dark, add light to make the space look even larger. Floor lamps, wall sconces and table lamps work great! Recessed lighting also works if you have the ceiling space, much like the one above the pool table below. Quick tip: place mirrors strategically around the room to reflect light when needed.

Are you inspired to get started remodeling your dream basement? Don’t fret with the word “remodel!” You can keep it simple and add a few new light fixtures to start. It’s all part of the process. All in all, home renovations are fun. They add value to your home and the next time there’s a football game on – the new basement is all yours to enjoy!

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