Welcome to another installment of Ask a Pro! Today Dream Team member and interior design pro Jennifer Adams discusses how to turn a basement room into an entertaining space that can be enjoyed by the whole family!
Q: I have a family room in the basement that measures 13ft x 22ft. I would like ideas on making it into an upgraded sports /family room.
-Richard B.
A: It’s great that you’re thinking of new ways to use the existing rooms in your house. This could potentially save you a lot of money in extensive renovations or even moving! Your goals for the room’s purpose should help you decide how much space to dedicate to each use and help you set a budget.
Is this room where your family usually watches TV together, or is it a room you’re calling a family room, but really, no one spends much time in? By “sports” do you mean a workout room with gym equipment or a game room with a poker table, pool table, and a ping-pong table?
Any of these activities would be a great use of an out-of-the-way basement room, but keep in mind the “sports” use could be noisy and might interrupt someone else’s TV viewing. But if this room is a secondary TV room, it won’t matter as much. A TV would be nice while you’re working out or playing cards, and for movie watching and family nights could be in another room in your house.
A low ceiling height, which is typical of a lot of basements, might affect your sports equipment choices. A tall weight machine, vertical space for a jump rope, or even upright yoga and stretching poses might not be possible! If you have budget, some basements could be renovated by lowering the floor. This could be an opportunity to add or improve plumbing fixtures such as a sink or even another bathroom. Talk with some licensed contractors and designers or architects to find out if this is possible at your house, and how much it might cost.
Insulation in the walls and ceiling and rubber gym flooring will help absorb the sound of machines and people jumping around. Better lighting and a sound system for music will make the atmosphere more inviting. Sturdy shelves and storage for equipment will help keep the room clutter free. You may need to have electrical outlets installed if you’re planning machines such as a treadmill, rowing machine or elliptical trainer.
A very important step no matter what you want to use your basement for is a radon test and mitigation, if necessary. Radon is a naturally occurring cancer-causing gas that you can’t see or smell, and it’s present in a lot of houses throughout the country. Most hardware stores sell initial tests you can do yourself. Ventilation systems that reduce radon levels aren’t generally hugely expensive, but are very worthwhile if you have high levels of the gas. Check out the EPA’s website for more information.
Good luck with this project, and let us know how it goes!
-Jennifer A.