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Cool Basement Ideas to Inspire Your Next Design Project

Basement is often a room without a purpose. A lot of unnecessary things clutter it, spiders inhabit it. But it doesn’t have to be this dreaded area in your home filled with undefined silhouettes of storage boxes and musty odors. There are a lot of basement ideas out there that can help you imagine a better look for this neglected area.

Wine Cellar

What’s a better place for a wine cellar than a basement? Cool and spacious it can provide your wine collection with a safe and stylish home where you can taste it, entertain guests, or simply go to browse and show off your assortment.

Wine cellar doesn’t have to occupy the entire room, however, if there’s plenty of space or if you’re not a serious collector. A small glass case may be enough to show your interest and store your favorite types.

Cellar basement by Olivier Goedert
Olivier Goedert designed a small wine cellar in the midst of a basement living room
Wine cellar and bar by Robin LaMonte
Glass wine storage box by Robin LaMonte is a fitting bar feature
Wine cellar and seating room in Pineapple House Interior Design
In this basement by Pineapple House Interior Design there is plenty of space for a wine cellar and living space
Wine cellar by Beckwith Interiors
Wine cellar by Beckwith Interiors is a real masterpiece, it can also be seen from the living room above thanks to a transparent ceiling/floor

Basement Home Bar

The natural continuation of a wine cellar would be a home bar where you can entertain guests or serve your favorite drinks before dinner. Being one of the most popular basement ideas the home bar has so many examples you’ll be able to plan and design it all by yourself.

All that is needed to be done professionally is water and electricity outlets. The rest you can handle yourself if you would like to cut down the cost on professional design, expensive finishing materials, and high-end furnishings.

Luxurious basement bar design by AVID Associates
Luxurious basement bar design by AVID Associates features an extensive wine rack
Basement bar by Jeff Pelletier
Jeff Pelletier designed this stylish home bar in a corner of a basement
Basement bar by Wentworth Studio
Professional-looking basement bar by Wentworth Studio also has a pool table
Ultimate basement entertainement center by Olivier Goedert
Olivier Goedert created a basement full of entertainment and a wet bar
Basement wet bar designed by Studio Thomas
Studio Thomas designed this stylish wet bar with stone and reclaimed wood

Game Room

If your basement is spacious enough you can buy a pool table to complement your home bar. Not a big pool fan? How about a foosball or a ping pong table? As a matter of fact, you could outfit your entire basement with arcade machines and enjoy all the different games with your friends, relatives, and kids.

Sure, some games or fun activities like bowling would require lots of space, but if you can spare it, why not create your own fun place that you can use for free any time you want?

Industrial style basement design by Nicole Curtis
Industrial style basement design by Nicole Curtis with a luxury pool table
The Recreational Haven basement by Donahoe Group
The Recreational Haven basement by Donahoe Group is good enough for kids and adults alike
Basement game room by Shiloh Home Builders
Basement game room by Shiloh Home Builders filled with games and entertainment
Basement game room by Olivier Goedert
Ultimate basement game room by Olivier Goedert
Game room design by Triptych Architecture
You’ll never see a more stylish game room design than this one by Triptych Architecture
Bowling basement by Sorento Design
Bowling in the basement, idea by Sorento Design

Media Room/Cinema

A home theater or a separate media room is another one of the most popular basement ideas. And it’s fitting too. Think about it, it’s dark, it can be soundproofed to block out external noises; it’s perfect for that kind of thing.

Designing and building a real cinema may increase the remodeling costs, but if you are an avid moviegoer a home theater might save you some money in the long run.

Manotick basement by Just Basements
Media area in a Manotick basement by Just Basements
Family room in a Stittsville basement by Just Basements
Family media room in a Stittsville basement by Just Basements has a movie screen
Home cinema in the basement by Angelica Henry Design
Basement home cinema by Angelica Henry Design features a starry night sky ceiling design
Basement media room with an inner courtyard by Bill Bocken
Basement media room with an inner courtyard by Bill Bocken
Basement home theater
Contemporary basement home theater by Teragon Developments is cool and sleek
Basement TV room by Design by Grace Hill
Sophisticated basement TV room by Grace Hill Design

Living Space

Enhancing your living space utilizing basement square footage is just practical. Instead of cluttering it up with things, why not add another room in there for kids to play or guests to stay?

It can be anything from an additional bedroom to a peaceful and quiet home office. Of course, there may not be as much (or any) sunlight as you’d like, but there are also ways to fix that.

Small basement playroom by Judith Balis
Small basement play/media room by Judith Balis
Basement suite with a freestanding tub by O+L Building Projects LLC
Basement suite with a freestanding tub by O+L Building Projects LLC
Musical basement by Sarah Barnard
Musical basement by Sarah Barnard
Wentworth Studio basement remodeling
Wentworth Studio‘s lively remodeled basement

Dining Room

Dining room may not be the most widespread of basement ideas, but there is a case to be made for it. Combined with a home bar or a game room a basement dining room suddenly doesn’t sound like the worst idea.

It may not be convenient to serve food in the basement dining room but if it’s the only way you can have one at all, why not take it?

Basement living space by S&K Interiors
Cool basement dining area by S&K Interiors
Home diner in the basement by Nancy Leffler Mikulich
Basement home diner in retro style by Nancy Leffler Mikulich
Basement dining area Molly Kann-Carey
Restaurant-like basement dining area Molly Kann-Carey

Play Area

Basement sounds like kids’ least favorite place, but if there is plenty of light and toys it might just become one. It might also be quite convenient if you don’t have a garden or backyard where kids can safely play.

With additional floor space not occupied by beds, desks and clothes storage the basement can become an ultimate playground or even an entire separate magical world for your kids.

Play room by Claire Paquin
Bright play room by Claire Paquin
Nebraska basement by Gander Builders
Magical Nebraska basement by Gander Builders

Specialty Room

Basement gym is a third popular of basement ideas. It’s convenient and practical to have if you exercise regularly because it cuts out commute and simply affords you more time spent actually working out instead of getting there, showering, changing.

It doesn’t have to be big, though. Even if you just have a few square meters to spare a weight rack and a bench can offer a lot of workout opportunities. If you can also fit a single cardio machine in there, consider yourself lucky. Other specialty room basement ideas include a laundry unit, library, workshop, art studio, wine tasting or music practice room.

Basement home gym and bar by Vonn Studio
Bright basement gym with an adjacent bar by Vonn Studio
Library workshop basement by Studio1200
Basement library/media room by Studio1200
Basement laundry room by Justine Sterling
Basement laundry room by Justine Sterling
Wine tasting area by Melanie Millner
Wine tasting area by Melanie Millner

Basement Lighting

Basements aren’t known for being light and bright, but some professionals think it shouldn’t always be the case. Lower levels can get their fair share of natural light through various skylights, glass transoms, and inner courtyards.

The latter ones can be dug out at basement level to not only fill the place with light but also create an indoor/outdoor aesthetic so popular in contemporary design.

Private House basement design by Tamir Addadi Architecture
Private House basement design by Tamir Addadi Architecture
Basement converted into a small apartment in Tel Aviv
Basement converted into a small apartment in Tel Aviv by Tamir Addadi Architecture
Airy basement by Landmass London
Airy basement design by Landmass London
Glass basement wall
Glass walk out basement via Snook Photograph
Basement illumination idea by Rajiv Saini & Associates
Basement illumination idea by Rajiv Saini & Associates

Basement Pool

A swimming pool may not be the best idea for a conventional house basement but in contemporary construction it may fit in just fine. Want to have a place to work out and swim away the muscle ache afterwards? Here is a lap pool. Want to relax in a refreshing spa whirl tub after a long day? No problem.

Contemporary construction allows to create spacious, well-ventilated basement spaces where anything is possible.

Basement at The Vivienda 19 by A-cero
Basement pool and gym at The Vivienda 19 by A-cero
Basement indoor pool Design by Guncast
Basement indoor pool by Design by Guncast
Basement spa by Design by Guncast
Basement spa by Design by Guncast

Basement ideas don’t stop at these few layouts. You can do much more if budget and building codes allow it. You can turn a basement into a study or a highly organized storage room. You can even turn it into a separate living unit for leasing. Be sure to know what you want or need in order to make the best of your basement space.

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