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When it comes to creating luxurious finished basements, the recent trend for many homeowners has been to turn the space into a man cave.
Don’t get us wrong; this is a great way to transform a dusty, musty storage area into what most men would agree is a very beautiful thing. A large-screen television, a pool table, and a sports or bar theme gives guys a place to gather with their buddies and watch sports in an area that’s completely free of kids’ cartoons and female influence. “Not so fast!” says the rest of the family. “What about the rest of us?”Why opt for a man cave when luxurious finished basements can be used for so much more?
A Cool Kids’ Space
Rather than devoting the space entirely to dad, you could also opt to turn it into a fun and safe place for your kids and their friends to hang out.
Wait! Stay with me, men who are protesting the loss of their cave. With the kids watching their favorite movie for the 492nd time in their basement playroom, this frees you up to enjoy the Superbowl in peace in the living room. It confines the kids’ noise and mess down below, rather than putting them running around above your head like a herd of tiny elephants. Plus, as the kids grow into teenagers, the basement space can transform with them. Toys and cartoons can give way to the latest video game system and great speakers for them to blast their music on.
Installing a just-for-kids refrigerator gives them a great place to stash their favorite drinks and snacks, giving them a degree of independence. This way, you’ll ensure that your house is the place your teens want to hang out, rather than, well — wherever teens wander off to in order to make you worry for half the night. With a cool basement lair, your home will be the place your teens want to be.
Make Your Mother-in-Law Happy
Having the kids at home, safe and happy, can bring you huge peace of mind. Another way people can create luxurious finished basements that bring happiness to the whole family is to turn theirs into a comfortable guest suite for the in-laws.
This is an especially nice gesture if your house lacks a proper guest room. Many families are familiar with the tale: Grandma comes to visit and after much pouting and push-back, the oldest kid has to give up their bedroom over Thanksgiving. As an alternative, Grandma and Grandpa get set up on the fold-out couch in the upstairs office. They’re not comfortable and you must knock on the door and awkwardly apologize if you need to scurry in and use your printer.
Remodeling your basement space into a dedicated guest suite resolves multiple issues. Your in-laws have their own place to settle in and relax when they come to visit. No one in the household gets displaced. You still have use of your home office. If possible, add a guest bathroom into the new suite so that no one is forced to wait for the shower when visitors come to stay. The holidays can be hectic and stressful enough; a guest suite can truly lighten the load.
Tips for Designing Luxurious Finished Basements
Remodeling your basement is similar to construction projects in other parts of your home in that certain tips will help you avoid problems. Planning ahead, budgeting for each item (plus a bit extra for unexpected expenses), and religiously sticking to your budget will keep you from breaking the bank.
Unlike other parts of a home, however, an unfinished basement comes with one major concern: dampness. You may need to waterproof the floors and walls or address external drainage through installing new downspouts or grading the ground to flow rainwater away from your home. No matter how you plan to remodel your basement, working with an experienced professional contractor will make the project run much more smoothly.
Whether you choose to create a man cave, a kids’ space, or a mother-in-law suite, you’ll find that transforming your basement will truly transform your life.A basement remodel will allow you to create that space you’ve always envisioned, and take your home to the next level. Contact Smartland today and our basement design-build experts will transform that space into something spectacular.
