Those bases would cause me to stub my toes or trip and break a hip every time I walked by. Why can't the floor be scribed around the post and caulked? It would surely be less noticeable and safer, too.

Good idea, Debbi. They're called column wraps.

As Debbi indicated, the lolly columns always get pre-made or onsite built columns.

Those are certaily a better choice than waht you have but IMO when you go to finish a basement that ceiling is just a really nice spot for spiders and will always look unfinished

I agree with Patty, that ceiling should be finished. It's a beautiful basement and that ceiling is one big eye sore, not to mention besides cobwebs, dust, etc any activity upstairs will echo through out entire basement.

I have a finished ceiling and I have lots of spiders.... I get used to them...LOL