What Can I Do With a Finished Basement?



While you’ve done quite a bit to the rest of the house, the basement hasn’t been touched since the property was bought. Now you’re thinking that it’s time to do something with it. To get things started, it pays to have professionals like the team from Penguin Basements serving Toronto, GTA and Ontario evaluate the space and decide what it would take to finish it. While they handle the basics, think of how that space could be converted to serve a specific purpose.

Here are some examples of what other homeowners have done with their finished basements. One of them may be ideal for your purposes.

The Perfect Workshop

Have you always wanted a space where you could work on different types of projects? There’s always the garage, but it doesn’t offer a lot of room. That’s especially true since you like the idea of being able to store the care in there when the vehicle’s not in use.

If you convert the basement into a workshop, it’s easy enough to include a work bench, storage for your tools and supplies, and anything else that you want. The result is that even when the weather is not all that appealing, you can go to your workshop without having to deal with the cold, the rain, or whatever else is happening outside.

Another Bedroom for a Growing Family

You do plan on having more children, but there isn’t a lot of room left. Since you don’t like the idea of moving to a larger home, that means finding a way to make better use of the space that’s already present. This is especially true if adding another wing to the home is out of the question.

A basement can be converted into a nice bedroom for one of the older kids. In a sense, if gives the eldest more of a sense of being independent, something that will help when the child leaves for college. It’s also a great arrangement if your child plans on going to a local college and remaining at home. The privacy will make it easier to study while everyone on the main floor goes about their usual routines.

Or a Suite for Overnight Guests

There are no plans to expand the family, but it would be nice to have a space set aside for occasional guests. Instead of family members giving up their beds or having guests sleep in the den, why not convert the basement into a guest suite?

Include a private bath in the space along with ample lighting, comfortable bedding, and maybe a sitting area. The result will be a space that offers your guests some privacy while also allowing everyone to keep their usual sleeping spots. You can bet that everyone will find the visit more comfortable, even if it lasts for several days.

Living Space for a Relative

You may be expecting to have a parent or other relative come to live with you in the future. If that’s the case, converting the basement into living space makes a lot of sense. You wouldn’t necessarily have to furnish it now, since the loved one may want to bring some of their things to the space. In a sense, allowing for that will help the loved one to feel more welcome.

For now, concentrate on making sure the wiring and plumbing for the renovated basement will meet the loved one’s needs. That means space for a private bath as well as a number of outlets on each of the walls. Do include a reasonable amount of overhead lighting to the space won’t seem dark and unwelcoming. If there are small windows along the top of one or more walls, make sure they let in as much natural light as possible. You can bet that an expert in Markham basement renovation will have some ideas on how to prepare the space.

Your Own Home Office

A home office can be a real asset. You have space set aside to store important documents as well as an area where you can enjoy peace and quiet while you take care of the family’s finances. It’s also a good spot to get away when you need a break from whatever is going on upstairs.

Outfit the office with some shelving as well as storage for documents. Make sure the lighting I ideal for working on a laptop or desktop computer, and that the desk fits nicely without overpowering the room. Once the office is done, you’ll find plenty of reasons to spend time there.

A Place for Your Craft Projects

An alternative to installing a workshop in the basement is to converting the space into a craft room. A large table will provide the workspace that you need. Augment that with shelving and cabinetry that makes it easy to keep all of your supplies organized. Depending on how many projects you may have going at the same time, having a secondary workspace set up in another part of the basement may be a good idea.

As with the other applications, pay close attention to the lighting. You’ll want ample light that ensures you can see the tiniest detail of the project without any trouble. There should also be plenty of outlets for plugging in a sewing machine, a hot glue gun, or anything else that you may use. Remember to include some comfortable chairs when you need to sit down and do any type of intricate work.

The possibilities for your finished basement are only limited by your imagination and creativity. As the finishing is underway, talk with the contractor about features to add that will make the space more functional. The result will allow you to do whatever you like with the basement now, and possibly ensure that you can always use it for a different purpose in the years ahead.


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