Top 5 Ideas for a Basement Remodel in 2023

Remember when you first moved into your home and you had all those grand dreams of how you were going to renovate it to make it just right. If you're anything like the rest of us, you probably had too many good ideas for what you were going to do and couldn't settle on just one!

You told yourself you would think about it over the winter and get to work next summer. But that was years (decades?) ago and you're still putting up with the same dark and kinda smelly space that the previous owner's kids used to air out their hockey gear... in the 80's.

But enough is enough. This is the year you're going to make that space one you can actually enjoy! There's just one problem...  

You never actually made a decision on just what to do down there, Well, if you're looking for some inspiration you’ve come to the right place. We love basements! So, we decided to channel that love into helping you find the inspiration that you’ve been searching for. Here is our list of the top 5 ideas for a basement remodel in 2023.

 

1          Home Office

If you’re like the rest of us, the pandemic (remember that) really threw some changes your way. One change that might actually be sticking around is the ability to work from home. If you’re still making do with that wobbly old coffee table you turned into an impromptu desk shoved in the corner of your bedroom, maybe its time to start thinking about an upgrade.

A basement home office could be the perfect way for you to bring some semblance of normalcy back into your daily work routine. Basements provide the added benefit of being on a whole separate floor. This can help create some mental separation from your work and home lives, even if it really is just a flight of stairs.

If you are considering a home office in your basement you will want to make sure you have some good windows to draw in as much natural light as possible – no one wants to feel like a prisoner in a dungeon of their own making for 8 hours a day! We recommend using an egress window. They are designed to bring in extra light but can also be used as a second exit in the event of an emergency or if you’re just trying to find a way to get outside without alerting your kids!

 

 

 

2          Sports Utopia

Maybe instead of a place to work during the day, you’re more looking for a place to wind down after a long day on the job. Or better yet, a place to inject some real excitement back into your evenings.

By creating the ultimate sports utopia in your basement you might be able to do just that. Multiple TVs, a big comfy sectional (with cup holders, of course), and walls plastered full of all the memorabilia you’ve collected over the past decade (or two … or three) you may never want to leave. All you need now is some cold craft beer, several pounds of wings, and a few pizza’s and you are ready for game day.

Just a slight note of caution for anyone considering this option. We’ve had multiple reports from people with similar setups in their basements that they have considerable difficulties getting their friends to leave at the end of the night.

 

3          Games room

Finding something to do on a rainy Sunday has always proven to be a bit of a challenge. By turning your basement into the coolest games room you’ve ever seen always gives you somewhere to go and something to do – all without ever having to leave your home.

Some great additions to your games room could be ping-pong, pool, darts, foosball, air hockey, tabletop hockey, a pinball machine or some classic arcade games. Be careful though, you might have to explain to your kids why Pacman is fun… apparently their video games are “sooooo much cooler”. They’re just jealous because they can’t get anywhere close to my high score.   

 

 

 

4          Music Studio

Is music more your speed? Let the world know by using your basement to build the best jam space on this side of Nashville. A full stage, built in amps, strobe lights, a smoke machine! – If you can dream it up you can put it in. Some people may say this is a little much, but you say its time to get the old band back together! I’d even consider adding a comfy seating area so you can have a real audience for a show or two.

Don’t underestimate the scope of this project though. You’ll want some top-notch soundproofing all around and will have to account for some extra electricity requirements.

You are definitely going to want to install an egress window and smoke detector down there. Trust me, you’ll need them when you start dropping fire mixtapes out of your new studio! (*mic drop*) 

 

 

 

5          Home Gym

Sometimes in my free time I like to go to a cramped and smelly room full of hundreds of sweaty strangers who are always in my way have a tendency to drip on everything and then proceed to not wipe it off. As an added bonus, while I’m there I like to force my body through a seemingly unending barrage of borderline torturous movements, often appending to my limbs a small collection of metal slabs that serve no purpose other than making it more difficult for me to move. And I love it.

But if there was a way for me to get the pump without the smelly strangers, I would take it in a heartbeat. That’s where a home gym comes in. No more commute. No more waiting for 35 minutes just to get a squat rack. No more unidentified liquids on the only free bench in the place. Just pure, home gym bliss.

Now you can control the music and you don’t have to feel any pressure to put the weights back “where they belong”. Your personal gym is always there for you, just the way you like it. Does it get any better than this?

 

 

 

So there you have it. Our top 5 basement remodel ideas for 2023. Hopefully this short list gave you some extra inspiration. And don’t think you have to stick to any one option in this list – combining two or three (or in my case 4) of these ideas can help turn your basement into a space that you and your family will actually use and enjoy.

 

 

It is important to keep safety in mind as a top priority when you are designing any below ground space. If people will be spending any time down there you need to make sure that they have a second way out in the event of a fire or other emergency. We are firm believers that any basement space needs an egress window. Plus, in most instances it’s the law.