Basement Ideas and Designs
What type of home is suitable for a basement conversion?
A basement conversion is particularly suitable for urban homes on small plots and can offer the perfect solution for extending a terraced or semi-detached urban home. Whilst it is typically more costly to convert a basement than to complete a loft conversion or extension, for those that have already completed these renovations or where even more space is required, extending below ground can be the best option. The best candidates are homes with an existing cellar and it is just a case of deepening or expanding the existing space. If you don't have a cellar, a retro-fit basement can be created but a project of this magnitude will require additional time and money.
What room should I turn my basement or cellar into?
The proximity of the basement conversion to the living areas and internal infrastructure of the house make it ideal for additional living, recreational and utility rooms. It can also lend itself well to creating an entirely separate, self-contained annexe or apartment. If you’re just extending your house for some extra space to play with, the basement ideas you could have are the stuff of dreams: home gyms, snooker rooms, wine cellars, home bars and indoor swimming pools are among the most exciting uses.
How should I tackle a cellar or basement conversion?
The best thing to do is contact a professional to assess how feasible it will be to have a basement conversion or excavation in your home. There’s no point looking at lots of basement ideas if it would actually be structurally impossible to install a basement room. You should also check what permissions and consents you will need before beginning a project like this – a basement conversion can be very disruptive for you and neighbours so you need to make sure you are legally allowed to go ahead with the conversion first. Your chosen contractors will then need to underpin foundations for support, completely waterproof the basement and build in the internal walls. Then, all the finishing touches, staircases, flooring and electrics will need to be completed. Remember to consider internal balconies or mezzanines, as well as light wells and perhaps sunken terraces outside of the basement to introduce as much light as possible.
Start browsing through the photos on Houzz to get some basement ideas and inspiration. You can start saving your favourite photos to ideabooks and then contact professionals that have worked on projects you like.
Petr Krejci
Design ideas for a contemporary basement in London with white walls and multi-coloured floors.
Pictures like this are nice but fewer - webuser_843957149
Traditional walk-out basement in Surrey with light hardwood flooring.
ideas for us.. layout is similar to ours. - awanish_kumar
Juliet Murphy Photography
Inspiration for a medium sized contemporary fully buried basement in London with white walls, light hardwood flooring and beige floors.
open look down and room separator for living eoom air conditioning - maraj71
Viscon White Granite bespoke bar-top.
Materials supplied by Natural Angle including Marble, Limestone, Granite, Sandstone, Wood Flooring and Block Paving.
Lyndon Douglas
Inspiration for a contemporary basement in London.
Replace out window with space or something. Could be cool because can't be bothered to model trees. - 007ironman
Kitchen Architecture - bulthaup b3 furniture in cashmere soft-touch lacquer and sand-beige aluminium wall panels.
Design ideas for a contemporary basement in London with white walls.
Texture and scale of sofa. Table is stones. One in driftwood would be great. - robertdent30
Popular Filters to Try:
Ryan Wicks Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary basement in Kent.
False outside area light well - hsmyth
Gavin Cantley
Design ideas for a medium sized modern fully buried basement in London.
Lit ceiling. Doesn't look as good as I had hoped - giles_talbott
An under garden basement. This photo shows the main party space - integrated bunk beds and club-style banquette seating. Designed for kids and adults to enjoy!
Everything about the colors and arrangement and furniture - cuddlesandco_interior
Hand painted white and yellow stairs to add effect to a space often not considered to be of importance. But as you can see it draws the eye in and makes this a special feature.
Muz- Real Focus Photography 07507 745 655
St - webuser_782423
Michael Foster
Photo of a modern basement in Cheshire.
Design ideas for a medium sized classic walk-out basement in Minneapolis with grey walls and carpet.
starwars - benjamin_welsh
Fay Martel
Contemporary basement in Montreal.
panel with picture door for basement - caffepi
Design ideas for a large classic basement in Salt Lake City with light hardwood flooring, no fireplace and brown floors.
basement - noel_kasembe
Photo of a traditional fully buried basement in Calgary with grey walls, carpet, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.
Not with full height cabinets but shows a contrast between the fireplace surround and the tv surround - maureenhare
Design ideas for a large classic fully buried basement in New York with beige walls, laminate floors, no fireplace and grey floors.
Column and bar idea - candytrigg
Inspiration for a large contemporary fully buried basement in New York with dark hardwood flooring, grey walls and brown floors.
Hand rail and colour of the walls - paulgibbons