Five Key Elements for the Perfect Basement Entertainment Space

Gone are the days where basements are simply play areas for the kids. They are now becoming the family room -- a place to entertain. I’m currently working on several basement remodels right now and I’ve seen lots of fun ideas for transforming the basement into a fantastic entertainment space. Here are some key elements:

1. Layout. Make sure you have enough room to seat people for a football game (Superbowl Sunday is just around the corner!) or to crowd around the TV for a good movie. For cocktail parties you’ll need open space for people to congregate, and if you’re lucky enough to have a pool table, make sure there’s ample room around it for spectators. The furniture figuration will set the tone for the entire basement. Here are a couple great layout examples:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1395759/Modern-Marvel-traditional-basement-new-york

http://www.houzz.com/photos/502520/Basement-Finish-traditional-basement-cincinnati 

2. Wet Bar. Nowadays, what’s a basement without a wet bar? This concept has become extremely popular! If you’re entertaining in the basement you won’t have to run upstairs to refresh drinks or snacks. If you’ve got a wet bar, everything you need to host will be right at your fingertips.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/984606/Great-Neighborhood-Homes-traditional-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1496585/Industrial-Chic-Basement-contemporary-basement-portland

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184909/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-basement-calgary    

3. Lighting. If you plan to entertain it’s essential to have good lighting. Nobody wants to feel like they are in a basement, and you can avoid that by making sure the lighting is great for whatever occasion. Whether it’s bright lights for an intense game of darts or ambient lighting for a movie, make sure you’ve got the lighting squared away.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/997922/Basement-Remodel-modern-basement-minneapolis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1458014/Modern-Basement-modern-basement-st-louis

http://www.houzz.com/photos/327012/M-J--Whelan-Construction-contemporary-basement-detroit

4. Textures. If you follow my blog you know I’m all about textures. By providing the right textures in your fabrics, colors, seating and flooring, you’re ensuring your guests will have a comfortable experience in your space. The ultimate goal is to provide a relaxing, cozy place for any occasion. Let your guests forget they’re in a basement!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2369753/stately-manor-contemporary-basement-philadelphia

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1821064/177-white-pine---new-build-contemporary-basement-salt-lake-city

5. Wine Cellar. Where’s a better place for a wine cellar than in a basement? If you’ve got all of the other key elements down, the basement can be a great place to experience a bottle of wine. If you incorporate a wine cellar into your basement redesign it can become a beautiful, integral part of its décor. And the cherry on top

is that wine cellars can store large amounts for big soirees!

http://www.houzz.com/photos/162302/Wine-Room-contemporary-wine-cellar-phoenix

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1816972/162-white-pine---new-build-traditional-family-room-salt-lake-city

http://www.houzz.com/photos/2184889/May-Basement-Renovation-contemporary-wine-cellar-calgary    

So there you have it – the five key elements to making your basement a great place for entertainment!