Basement Finishing Ideas Pittsburgh PA

Many homes are sold with the basements in various states of finish. Some may have all electrical units installed and drywall hung; others may have bare frames and cement floors. Depending on the available floor space and the homeowner’s preferences, the basement can be finished and used for a wide variety of purposes, from a living room to an entertainment center to a bar. Aside from increasing the monetary value of the home, it can serve as a whole new family area or a room to entertain guests.

The finished basement can be used for purposes that might be impractical for anywhere else in the home. You may not have any extra space for a personal library or office, and a home gym might not be practical or aesthetic anywhere else but in the basement. If you use it as a bar or wine cellar, the basement can offer a naturally cooler ambient temperature compared to the rest of the house, perfect for storing alcoholic beverages. You can even use the finished basement as a children’s play area, keeping the clutter to a minimum in the rest of the house and providing a clean and safe area for the kids to play.

Like most remodeling or finishing projects, you will need to properly plan for the task. Usually, this means taking measurements and drawing out plans on paper. You may need to account for any existing furnishings and fixtures, making plans to modify or work around existing piping and wiring to the rest of the building. Also consider how you will work with any heating system, and whether any existing furnace will take up too much room for the intended purpose of the finished basement.

Basement finishing need not be a difficult task, but you can save yourself unnecessary problems and work if you plan out your task before you start purchasing materials and begin work. Once you have the correct measurements and have identified any potential problems, you can begin work smoothly. Professional carpenters recommend drawing out scale plans of any project to simplify the whole task. You will be able to purchase the correct amount of material without having to guess.
You will also want to try to maintain color and style unity with the rest of the home. This is not as restricting as it may sound; there are many options to choose between that do not clash with the theme of the house, so chances are there are acceptable alternatives if you determine your first choice would not work. The basement is generally more flexible in your design options than the other rooms of the home, so feel free to consider a variety of designs.

Before you decide how to finish your basement, you will want to consider how you want to use it. Will it be a bar and game room to entertain party guests? Will it be a home entertainment system with a TV and stereo? Or will it be a children’s room, with play areas? If it is large enough, you may want to partition the basement and use it for several purposes. Finished basements can also be used for an office or den, or an area to keep a personal library. You may want to add another bedroom to the house—the basement can be a great place for a guest room and bathroom. You can even use the area as a personal exercise center, with weights and aerobic exercise machines.

How you intend to use the finished basement will determine how you will finish it. If you plan on having a game table as the centerpiece, you will want to ensure there is enough room on every side for guests to easily maneuver around it. If you plan to place couches and a TV cabinet in the area, you will likely want to arrange them so guests entering the basement from the stairs can approach from behind. If you have natural lighting via windows, you may want curtains to provide privacy and to cut down on light glare if you have a TV in the basement.

Using the basement for a library or personal den can provide you with quiet and solitude in a relaxing environment. When given the right touches, such as atmospheric lighting, a coffee table, and bookshelves, the basement can be a great place to relax with a good book at the end of the day. If you have enough space, the library can connect to an office area to provide an aesthetic touch.

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