Finishing A Basement (Part 2)

Of all the factors we talked about in the last post the most important is how you design the space. After all, you won't be thinking about the mechanicals or the amount of natural light when you spend time there. It will all be about what you can do and how you feel when you're actually in the space.

For example, if you want to create a bedroom the most important factor is having a window which is large enough to be used as an escape route in the event of fire. Although it's nice to have natural light in a bedroom the safety issue far outweighs anything else. By the same token, make sure you don't "waste" your windows in storage or mechanical areas.

In many newer homes the basements incorporate angled walls to support whatever exterior appearance the architect intended. Don't be tempted to square off these walls to create simple boxy rooms. Take advantage of the visual appeal angled walls can create to create some interesting nooks and crannies which can be used for individual pieces of furniture, storage, etc.

Ductwork is the biggest roadblock to effective living space design. If you're buying a new house it's a wise idea to pay a premium to have the builder dig a deeper foundation to allow at least a full 8 feet below the ductwork. This will allow you to have flat ceilings throughout and avoid the bulky boxes in your ceiling to hide the ducts.

If you're already dealing with the ductwork and you're not lucky enough to have the largest ducts confined to the service room then it's time to use your imagination and try to make them into interesting "features" since they'll be staring everyone in the face. You won't be able to hide them so make the most of them!

In Part 3 we'll discuss lighting and flooring.

Mike.
www.m2renterprises.ca