How do you arrange a room that takes up an entire floor, has poor lighting, and is usually cold and dreary? Where do you even start? There are many ways to approach your basement layout, but you should focus on a layout that adds convenience, organization and function to your home.

Define the Space
First and foremost you must determine what you’ll be using the basement for. Do you want a play area for your kids? Do you need a craft area, guest room or home office? Define the areas before you decide where they should be located in the room. Also, some things in your basement can’t be changed or would be costly to change, such as a metal beam. As doityourself.com says, your basement layout will have to work around these aspects.

Some homeowners may want to build an apartment in their basement with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and full bathroom. Others may want something simpler like a game room, personal gym or laundry room. The website QandAs.com writes that by deciding on the purpose of the space, you can then determine the basement layout. For example, a bathroom may have to be located near a wet bar with a sink to keep the plumbing simple. Read the rest of this entry »