Interior Design: 3 Tips for Remodeling Basement to Live Like Upstairs

If you’re lucky enough to have a basement and are thinking about remodeling or finishing it, here are three tips for designing your basement to live large like upstairs.

1. Bring in the daylight.   When creating an interior design plan for a basement in a new home you’re building raise the ceiling height so you can bring sunshine further into your basement like this living area shown.  You can also incorporate french doors or glass windows in interior rooms that allow the sun to penetrate further into the basement.

Interior architecture and finishes by Karen Mills/Photography by 29Pixels, LLCOther ways to bring in the light could include adding a glass door and and sidelights to a walkout basement like shown in this basement or by adding a large daylight window.    The stacked stone wall we adding around the fireplace also gives importance to the basement living area while also adding a focal point to the space.

2. Give it importance.  Treat your basement space like you would a main level room.  Use drywall on the ceilings and create focal points with architecture, color and/or interior design to give the rooms a “wow” feel like this wall where the television disappears into a black accent wall.

Here’s another example of adding a focal point in the basement using a niche and different wall color

Interior design by Karen Mills

3. Beef up your artificial lighting.  By adding extensive artificial light with wall washers, accent lighting and/or directional strip lights in addition to your standard lighting, you’ll find that your basement feels more like an upstairs living space.

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Karen Mills

Interior Designer Karen Mills believes everyone should have access to beautiful design and loves to inspire people around the globe by sharing the latest design trends through different venues including her radio show "Living Large", her green show "Living Green with Karen Mills", in her nationally published work or Designer's Eye columns.

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