A basement excavation can provide great living space, but a well-designed basement will complement the rest of the house. Complementary living spaces are rooms designed to flow naturally from one floor to another so that the basement feels like it’s an integral part of the house and not just a bolt-on.

Color scheme

When choosing colors for a basement conversion, choose colors that will complement the house and the other rooms. Make sure the colors you choose don’t make the room feel smaller and darker.

Attention to detail

When designing your basement, don’t forget the details. Think about opening up doorways, and use decorative elements to divide rooms, such as French doors that open out of a basement home office. These provide little touches that are quite unexpected in underground areas.

Furnishings

If you wouldn’t have it above ground, don’t use it below ground. So, as tempting as it is to put your aunt’s old sofa or tatty rug in the basement, don’t! Choose furniture and furnishings you love and that mirror your style in the rest of the home.

Stairwells

Downstairs spaces in houses can be dingy and cramped, but they don’t have to be. Open staircases and expose their banisters so you have a continuous flow from the upper areas of the house.

Windows

If you have a window in your basement, make the most of it by maximizing the light and not hiding it away behind heavy curtains or blinds. If you don’t have a window, look at ways to bring natural light into your basement such as lightwells and light tubes.