Make your subterranean space fabulous Have a sizable, unused basement at home? Why not turn it into something enviably incredible? You can turn your basement into: an additional bedroom a guest room an entertainment room a home theatre room a large cosy reading room an indoor swimming pool or anything else you can think of […]
Make your subterranean space fabulous
Have a sizable, unused basement at home?
Why not turn it into something enviably incredible?
You can turn your basement into:
According to experts, your home’s living area can be doubled by including and furnishing your basement. Doing so makes a great deal of difference to the overall living space.
Now, such things are ideal for terraced properties that have less space for an extension on the ground floor. If you want permanent accommodation on such properties as a nanny annexe or utility rooms, you can indeed use the basement space.
You can even use it for having:
If you think a basement renovation project is just what you want, you’ll love these ideas.
It is oh-so important! The cost involved will depend heavily on:
With that out of the way, here are a few things that you can keep in mind before going ahead with the project.
Know that renovations for standalone homes, villas, condos and double storey-homes are different from apartment renovations.
It should also be kept in mind that there is no right amount of money or budget for home renovations. The actual cost can be lower or higher than your estimated cost. However, it is safe to say that such a project will be around 10% of the home’s cost. That means if the home costs RM 300,000, the renovation can cost RM 30,000.
According to experts, this needs to have a minimum depth of 2750 mm, ideally around 2900 mm. Basement ceilings are places where there’s a lot of drainage and pipework. Thus, you may want to have more floor-to-ceiling space to accommodate later service uses.
However, this should not be the only criteria for measuring depth. You have to take into account:
Generally, people want to have a family room and a media room. However, space and placement matter here.
For instance, basement living room projects are the largest ones.
Media rooms are typically on the street side.
Basement gyms, storage and utility areas generally are in the middle of the space.
This depends on where you live, but yes, you do need a permit in most places.
Some people think they don’t need a permit since it is not usually seen at the street level. You can get away with this for some, but it can cost you a lot down the line when authorities come for an inspection.
If you are starting from scratch, you’ll need:
Here are some interior design ideas for your home’s basement.
One of the best uses of this space is to add a guest suite. It is especially suitable when you do not have room enough upstairs to house your guests. Besides, such a project can add a nice real estate value to your home.
The key to having a bedroom in the basement is to make the room comfortable and homely. Use colour schemes that give an illusion of expanding the space.
For furniture, they shouldn’t be too large and bulky.
The room should ideally have plenty of light. Use fresh and light colours and a low bed to give the room an illusion of more height.
If you have a teenager who needs to have a living room of their own, then turning the basement into an additional living room works. Having a separate living room means no more arguing over TV shows! Besides, they can personalize the space according to their preferences.
Things to add may include:
low-height furniture
If all your games and entertainment items can’t fit into the primary living area, why not add them to the basement?
These areas are the best entertainment spaces as they are separate from the rest of the house. You can also make this area soundproof so as not to disturb the rest of the house. You can add:
If the basement is not entirely underground, you can bring in additional natural light by having high-level windows. However, remember to have an egress window as well to give yourself an emergency exit. Talk to the architect about having an egress window.
Glazed roofs allow more natural light into the room and take it to a whole new level! It is also a trendy contemporary design statement. But do consider what you’ll put under these windows. You can have living spaces and kitchens, but a bedroom is the best choice for a basement.
Next step
Now that you have read about all these ideas, speak to an interior designer to get the best idea and design strategy for your basement.
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