Making A Drafty Room Seem Inviting
Sunday, February 21st, 2010 | House and Home
Today, it has become a trend to having living space in the basement. It used to be that basements were used for storage or as root cellars, but as families grow, and as people find they need more space, the downstairs level is a viable option for living. The problem is, even with finishing the room, it can still feel cold and uninviting. Walls are usually completely or partially underground, windows are often tiny and opaque, and concrete is underfoot. This means you may have to work extra hard to make your basement living space warm and inviting. It is possible, though, and you can have additional living space for an affordable fee. All it takes is some upgrades to the flooring, lighting, and temperature controls. All of these can be affordable if you make the right choices. modular carpet tile or carpet panels save you from the expense of wall-to-wall installation. A great way to add charm to a home without spending a bundle is home accessories.
First, it is important to understand about basement spaces is they are going to feel cold, so make sure you keep warmth in mind when designing the room. If possible, {add a heating element to the space|upgrade the space heating element. If you have an existing chimney or fireplace, you may be able to install one in the basement. You can also install wood burning stoves and pellet stoves. Even without a chimney, these options could still be possible. A source of warmth and the warm glow could be just the thing to enhance your basement living space.
Once you have determined how you will keep the space heated, consider insulation. You will want to choose flooring with a thick pile and heavy padding. Options like hardwood or bamboo may look nice, but will do nothing to add warmth to the space. Your goal is to add warmth, so leave those options for other rooms of the house.
Your color palette should be warm. Paint is best in shades of red, orange, or brown. The challenge is keeping those shades light enough because of reduced light. However, shy away from colors that are cooler like light blues or greens. If the space is large and well it, colors such as forest green may be good. Shades of yellow is great when balance warm flooring and furniture colors. Warm beige makes a great neutral and you can highlight with deeper furniture colors like burgandy or burnt sienna. You can add more warmth with curtains, pillows, and textiles. This is an inexpensive way to accent with warm colors without saturating the space in a dark color.
Basement living space can be some of the coziest in a home. Take your time planning your basement design and you will have a room that can be enjoyed for manyyears to come.
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