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Not every homeowner is blessed with a large basement — but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As it turns out, when small spaces meet good design and creative minds, anything is possible. From luxurious bathrooms to studio apartments, even the smallest floor space can be converted into a fully functional room — and it doesn’t have to break the bank either.
Looking for some inspiration to give your tiny basement an upgrade? In this guide, we’ll let you in on some design secrets that help you maximize space. We’ll also share some small basement ideas that are guaranteed to improve the value of your home.
General Tips for Maximizing Space
Before we get into our small basement remodel ideas, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with certain tactics designers use to make the most of limited space. Here are some tips you can incorporate, no matter what your renovation plans are.
- Focus on lighting: Bright lighting makes small basements feel larger and more open. Natural light, LEDs, and recessed light fixtures are known to have a transformational effect on tiny basements.
- Think scale: A massive armchair in a small room sticks out like a sore thumb. But when all furnishings are proportional, it makes the room feel larger and brighter. Condo sized furniture is readily available, stylish and space efficient.
- Fresh paint: Even the tiniest basement appears immediately larger with a fresh coat of light paint.
- Light tones: Upholstery and fittings with neutral tones reflect light and make your space seem less like a dungeon and more like a bright room.
- Sliding doors: A great alternative to traditional set-ups, sliding doors don’t take up any additional space, and allow for more creativity when considering small basement room ideas.
- Vertical lines: A common trick used by designers to open up a space is incorporating vertical lines into the decor. A tall bookshelf or a standing lamp can do wonders in helping a dark basement appear more like a room.
- Use mirrors: Strategically placed mirrors reflect light to give the illusion of more space. This makes them particularly effective at amplifying natural sunlight.
- Smart fittings: When dealing with limited space, smart storage is essential. Look for furniture that doubles as storage — think ottomans with compartments or shelves under stairs. These space-saving measures go a long way in improving your basement renovation.
- Keep furniture and fittings low: A basement with a low ceiling can be improved by investing in low furniture, such as a floor bed, or a low couch. Consider shorter lamps, and small photos that leave space around the artwork to create a sense of openness. Opening up the roof for a more industrial-style painted, and exposed beam look can also be transformative.
Trendy Small Basement Design Ideas
With these design elements in mind, you should be able to convert even the smallest basement into a fully functional room. What kind of room works well? Consider some of our top basement ideas for small spaces:
Studio Apartment
Who doesn’t want an additional studio apartment in the basement? It may not seem like it at first, but even a tiny amount of floor space can be used to create a self-contained space with a living room, bathroom, and a compact bed. Taking cues from tiny home designs, you could invest in multi-functional furniture, like pull-out beds or sofa-beds. Neutral tones and tall fixtures ensure the space feels open and bright.
Walkout Basement
If your basement has access to the outside, you could consider creating a walkout basement. A walkout basement offers more natural light, makes a room look more spacious, and allows for more interior design options. Walkout basements are also a trendy option that significantly boosts the value of your property.
Modular Kitchen
If your space is too small for a living room, despite using tactics to maximize space, you could consider turning your basement into a kitchen instead. Compact appliances, like mini-fridges, microwaves, or hot plates, allow you to prepare and store a wide range of meals. Moreover, with custom-designed cabinets, or a small dining table, your basement will look larger and well thought through.
Luxury Bathroom
Including a bathroom to your small basement renovations is a smart idea — not just for the extra shower space it offers, but also because of the value it adds to a home. In fact, small-scale fixtures like corner sinks, wall-mounted shower heads, or modular tubs take up little space, making bathrooms one of the most popular narrow basement ideas.
One thing to remember is that it may be more affordable and practical to install a bathroom as part of a complete basement renovation. Adding a bathroom to a finished basement is mechanically harder and more expensive.
Home Theatre
With some clever design choices, film buffs can consider converting their basements into cozy home theatre. A modular couch or a couple of recliners don’t take up much space, while a projector can be set up to hang from the ceiling. Beyond that, all you really need is blackout curtains, a sound system and a bowl of popcorn. It’s so easy in fact that home theatres are considered one of the top small basement ideas on a budget.
Game Room
Similarly, a small basement could easily be converted into a game room, even if space is tight. These days, you have a range of compact options — such as foldable pool tables, or a gaming console and TV setup. For storage, we recommend opting for a vertical shelf or built-in cabinets. Keeping the space tidy also adds to the illusion of space.
