Basements 41 Ideabooks

After three years of living in their new house, this Georgia family needed an update: The toddlers had grown into playful kiddos, and they all wished for more room for family fun and entertaining. They contacted builder John Willis Homes to... more »

Family Guy writer and producer Kirker Butler wanted a space in his Los Angeles home where he could write scripts, chill and feel inspired — a hybrid space that's part man cave, part home office. Butler sought the expertise of interior designer... more »

You may not have the space, budget or zoning to create a dreamy guest cottage, but believe it or not, you can create the same feeling in the basement. When a single woman in Bethesda, Maryland, wanted some private space for visiting family and friends,... more »

A creative couple wanted to finish their walk-out basement with their own personal stamp and use it every day. They wanted an industrial vibe and plenty of room to enjoy the space with their three college-age sons and their friends. The finished... more »

A classic 1960s knotty pine basement with a gargantuan wet bar caught this homeowner's eye years ago and had stuck in his head as his ideal basement ever since. When it came time to renovate his own basement, his developing tastes and collaboration with... more »

A basement apartment typically makes you think of a dark and cramped space with low ceilings and little light. And that's what designers Timothy Mitanidis and Claudia Bader of Creative... more »

After years of this single father being on his own, his basement had become a dumping ground for unloved furniture and old toys. But when he and his children began making plans for his fiancée to move in, it was time to revamp the space to accommodate... more »

Neighborhood charm and views of Puget Sound sold this family on their Washington house, despite their knowing they would soon need extra living and play space for their 6-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. The basement was in a way-too-scary condition... more »

“Every mother needs a cockpit," says architect Elizabeth Emerson of E/L Studio. In this case the cockpit includes her client's long and linear office, extensive craft and wrapping paper storage, and a... more »

Seeking some extra space where he could both work and unwind after a long day, this business executive and his family had a long list of desires for their unfinished basement. The full order for the space included a billiards area, a walk-up wet bar,... more »

“This project was the biggest challenge of my career," says interior designer Sheila Rich. This show-house basement had very little natural light, low acoustical tile ceilings, pipes and ducts that hung even lower, electrical wires that had to hang... more »

"Fun, bright and happy" was the phrase this mother of two young boys used to describe her dream basement makeover. She gave a piece of fabric she loved to interior designer Cathy... more »

You know a basement is very important to a family when it takes a major feat of engineering to make it happen. Excavating this basement on the beach involved pumping out and purifying ocean water and pouring very thick foundation walls, to name a few... more »

This homeowner wanted the walk down into her condominium's basement to take her far away — all the way to Europe. "The owner wanted to create a cozy Mediterranean wine cellar look," says Lisa Whelan of M.J.... more »