Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

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  • How to Organize a Linen Closet

    Linen closets can be largely forgotten in the rush of fall cleaning or a Marie Kondo-inspired purge. They can easily overflow and grow mold thanks to fluxes in humidity and temperature. As a result of their isolation, they can be viewed as a last resort for discarded but pricey beauty items or threadbare sheets and towels. Take the following steps to create a linen closet that holds everything in perfect organization. 

    Empty and clean

    Closets can seem like black holes. They’re able to store and hide linens and more, but this also means out of sight, out of mind. Lay all items on a bed or sofa. Vacuum the shelves, floor and ceiling. Mix your favorite cleanser or use an all-purpose one to spray each shelf. Be mindful of using enough product in the corners. Spray and wipe with a microfiber rag. Once dry, consider adding shelf liners – acid-free ones are preferred. 

    Sort and purge

    Begin by grouping like items together. Start with blankets and pillows. Move on to towels and bed linens. Once done, evaluate which linens need their walking papers. Toss those that are torn or stained. Any item with stretched-out elastic should also go. It’s tempting to think of repairing or cleaning items, but it may be best to purge them if you cannot do so within a week. Look at how many of each sheet size you have. Aim for three sets of linens per bed and four sets of towels and face cloths per person. Keep two or three extra sets of each for guests. 

    Shelve

    Bulky items such as blankets and pillows should go on the top shelf. Seasonal items such as beach towels and festive tablecloths should go in the back or top of the closet. Place towels front and center for easy access. Fold them in thirds lengthwise and then into a rectangle. Place edges toward the back for a neater look. In a more compact space, roll towels and tie a ribbon around sheet sets. 

    Label

    Linen closets may also be a space that holds quite a few toiletries for the whole family. Bins are a great way to bring pops of color and label items. Each family member can have their own bin. For a rainy-day project, let little ones decorate their containers. Small items, such as travel-size toiletries and cleaning supplies, can be grouped or divided into shampoo, conditioner, body wash and sunscreen by type. The same applies for beauty products and wipes.  The best way to deal with clutter is to prevent it. Organize your linen closet with these tips.

  • How to Arrange Flowers Like a Pro

    Flower arrangement is an art that has had a recent resurgence of interest that includes workshops and a wealth of Instagram features. Millennials feel the draw to craft a personal treasure rather than picking something up at the supermarket. You can use flowers from the shop or your garden to create the perfect arrangement. Go from basic bouquets to masterpieces with these tips. 

    Explore various shapes and sizes

    Arranging flowers depends on the size and shape of the vase, as well as the blooms you plan to use. Keep in mind that a flared opening helps stems lean naturally. Mason jars are a staple in most DIY projects and available in a variety of sizes. They are especially suited for boho-style wildflowers. With a wide mouth and narrow neck, a vintage-style milk bottle is ideal for lush looks or simple arrangements of at least three statement blooms. Bowl and square containers can be a bit tricky at first, but the results are worth it. For a bowl vase, use Gerbera daisies or orchids. Cut stems at an angle to match the height of the vase. With a square vase, consider creating a grid using duct tape spanning the wide mouth and keeping heavier flowers in the center of the arrangement for balance. For a glam style, pedestal vessels are superb. Use floral foam to maintain hydration and placement. If you’re in a rush or prefer minimal work, a bud vase is a solid option. Use a single bloom or choose up to three, combining different shapes and sizes for an impactful arrangement. 

    Selecting flowers and leaves

    Every season has a few star blooms that dazzle any arrangement. Spring offers sweet peas, calla lilies and cherry blossoms. Fall is represented by carnations, begonias and petunias. Winters persevere with the help of primrose and sweet pea. Summer delights with dahlias, freesia and chrysanthemums. Filler flowers, such as baby’s breath and daisies, add unique visual texture to an arrangement. Leaves include Italian Ruscus, known for its narrow, tear-shaped fronds and ivy for romantic or vintage touches. Leatherleaf ferns offer a dramatic backdrop for bolder flowers and moss delights modern or whimsical arrangements. For gorgeous looks, select five types of flowers and two types of leaves. 

    Placing blooms and fronds

    Gather scissors, a vase, water and plant food. Remove extra leaves for clean stems. Hold the flowers up to your vase and trim to between one and one-and-a-half times the height of the vase. Cut the stems diagonally. Fill half the vase with water and add a scoop of plant food. Some people also use chicken wire as a base. Place statement flowers in the center and work secondary blooms around them. Adjust as needed. 

    From centerpieces and accents to mantel décor, a flower arrangement brightens up any space and invites compliments.

  • Chic and Classy Ways to Keep Your Dining Room a Comfortable Yet Beautiful Gathering Place

    The dining room as a family gathering place has been challenged in recent years as we lead busier lives. Sunday dinners featuring a roast shared with extended family are mostly long gone/nostalgic. Projects like Harvard’s The Family Dinner Project emphasize the need for families and communities to schedule regular times to share meals.

    If your dining room is the most underutilized space in your home, you may need some dining room inspiration to help you reclaim it. Whether you have dinner together as a family seven nights a week or can only manage a regular Sunday brunch, scheduling time to break bread with family and friends is important. Discover five decorating ideas to ensure your communal meals are held in a place that’s not only comfortable but beautiful.

    Dining room with mismatched chairs
    Dining room with mismatched chairs

    1. Mismatched dining chairs

    One of the biggest trends in home decor is dining chairs that don’t match. Introducing an eclectic component to your decorating scheme can have many benefits, including heightening the sense of individuality and belonging in what is often the most formal room in a home.

    Additionally, if different chairs really don’t appeal to you, modify the concept by painting identical wooden chairs different colors (just like color-coding family toothbrushes). Or, you can choose a series of complementary fabrics in colors that match your decorating scheme to reupholster the seats. It’s the same idea as throw pillows: not too focused on matching, but with a unifying color theme.

    Dining room with modern LED Lighting fixture
    Dining room with modern LED Lighting fixture

    2. New lighting

    There are so many beautiful and energy-efficient lighting fixtures available today that there’s no excuse to settle for something you don’t love. Changing an overhead light and installing a dimmer switch is one of the easiest and cheapest home renovations you can make. Good, adjustable lighting will dramatically increase your comfort.

    Lighting trends for 2019 include wicker and other natural fibers to add texture, asymmetry and even avant-garde shapes. If you’ve got a long, narrow dining room and rectangular furniture, add some curves with a few pendant lights that spotlight the head and foot of the table.

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  • Create More Space and Freshen Up Dated Bathrooms with Remodels

    Since bathrooms are usually among the smallest rooms in the house, unless you’re doing a complete tear out and replace, a simple bath restoration can usually be accomplished in a weekend. That’s great news for folks looking to create more space and freshen up dated bathrooms with a remodel.

    Here are some suggestions for bath restorations that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

    Frame Your Mirror

    Wall-mounted, flat mirrors are great for reflecting light and making a small room look bigger. However, by framing the mirror, either with tiles or traditional wooden framing materials, you can make the ordinary look extraordinary. Since mirrors are a large feature of most bathrooms, this is probably the biggest bang you’ll get for your buck.

    Create a Bathroom Gallery

    Whether it’s a series of three whimsical prints identically framed or a larger collection of small art carefully arranged on a single wall, art in the bathroom is something you and your guests will both appreciate. There’s never been a rule that bathroom art has to be tacky, or that bathrooms have to be solely functional.

    Toilet bowl in modern bathroom interior

    Paint

    Try painting a wall or two in wide neutral stripes (two shades of the same color, for instance, on two walls that meet at a corner). Neutrals, soothing blues, greens, and grays work well, but the color you choose will have to work with your existing (or new) linens. Better to let your linens provide a pop of color than your walls. Also, try to avoid dark and shouty colors. Bubble gum pink is rarely a good idea in a bathroom.

    If you like your wall color, perhaps you could paint your vanity. With all the humidity in bathrooms (even if the fan is used religiously before, during, and after every shower), many wood vanities start to look shabby while they’re still perfectly functional. Pick an accent color that works with your linens and any other furniture you may have in the room. That includes shelving, ottomans, or small linen closets.

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  • Creative Ways to Make the Most of Small Areas in Your Home

    As house prices and overall costs of living increase, space is at a premium. This may be for a variety of reasons, including because our families are growing or we’ve downsized. We all need to find creative ways to make the most of small areas in our homes so we can stay organized. Here are some great storage ideas for keeping things neat and tidy in tight quarters.

    Install Incremental Shelving

    Make use of odd spaces in various rooms to install floating shelves. This works particularly well in kitchens and bathrooms, where there tend to be many nooks and crannies. Small, floating shelves in a kitchen can hold cookbooks, decorative serving platters, cookware or baskets of linens.

    In a bathroom, floating shelves can hold cotton balls and Q-tips so they’re within easy reach but not cluttering up premium counter space. One shelf can hold guest towels. With all the racks and helpful storage devices available, look for ways to create a place for everything.

    Use purpose-made hooks on the inside of bathroom cupboard doors to hang curling irons, hair dryers and ceramic straighteners. Buy some decorative baskets and use them to store towels or toilet paper under a pedestal sink, if you’ve got one.

    Glass shelving is always a good option if you’re concerned shelving will make a room appear smaller.

    Take Advantage of Wasted Space

    Space under stairwells is almost always wasted space, and it’s infinitely customizable. Installing either open shelving or closing it off by adding cupboard doors means you can choose the size and shape of the shelves to hide the things you don’t want to get rid of but don’t need to access very often.

    If your kitchen’s small and there’s no way to install a pantry, you could create one under the basement stairs, or even under the stairs to the second floor.

    The area above the sink in most kitchens is almost always wasted space. If you hang a pot rack above the sink, there’ll be no time lag in getting clean pots put away. This way, they’ll always be accessible, and you’ll open up a lot more cupboard space.

    Other small areas in your home that aren’t being used, including hallways, are perfect spots to station a small storage ottoman or a bench with storage under the seat. If you have a coat rack in your hallway, consider buying a second one and mount it a foot and a half above floor level to use as a shoe rack.

    There’s also usually lots of potential storage space on the back of closet and cupboard doors. Shoe racks and spice holders can be easily mounted there.

    Installing drawers under beds is another great way to keep your closets from exploding and use otherwise wasted space. You may not be able to fit all your out-of-season clothes under the bed, but if you can store even half of them, you’re ahead of the game.

    If you want to take your storage and space solutions to the next level, a loft bed is the answer, especially in a child’s room. The area under the bed becomes a whole new play area. Just don’t forget to buy toy boxes and install some shelving underneath so you can maximize the space gain.

    Hide it in Plain Sight

    Consider mounting storage devices in plain sight. A holder for aluminum foil, waxed paper and cling wrap can easily be installed on the outside edge of your cupboards, and it will make them easier to find when you’re storing leftovers or making lunches.

    Small crates or shelving units don’t have to take up floor space—they can be mounted on walls. If you don’t want to display the things you need to store, invest in some baskets so task-related items stay together.

    If your entryway is big enough for a small table, it’s also big enough for a small dresser, which will provide all kinds of storage for messy but necessary items like hats, scarves, mittens and gloves, while still providing the flat surface you need for items you need to grab as you go out the door, whether that’s your keys,  library books that need to be returned, or dry cleaning that needs to be taken in.

    Since coffee tables tend to be magnets for clutter, think about replacing yours with one that has a little built-in storage for things you don’t want on display when guests are over, but that you still want to be able to find with ease (like the remote controls). A single drawer in a coffee table can help with that. Or you can use a blanket box as a coffee table and provide a home for all your family’s board games. The good news is that while your personal space may be shrinking, there are always great new storage ideas for small spaces.  If you invest in some of them, you’ll be able to get to “a place for everything and everything in its place” in next to no time.

  • Space-Sharing Ideas for Multi-Use Rooms

    In March 2019 the median U.S. home price hit the $300,000 mark for the first time, an increase of seven percent. That means making better use of the space you can afford, because buying a bigger home may not be an option. Here are a few space-sharing ideas for multi-use rooms that may save your family’s sanity.

    Create a Kitchen/Dining Room Combination

    We just don’t live as formally as we used to, and we tend to meet friends for dinner at restaurants. That means dining rooms are often completely wasted spaces, dusted and polished once or twice a year. Why not reclaim this room for another purpose—home office, game or media room, library—and revamp your kitchen so it works as a dining room, too.

    Installing an island with a sink on one side and a bar table on the other means you can entertain your guests while you’re washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables. They can watch you cook, and you won’t have to constantly run back and forth from the living room to the kitchen to make sure nothing’s burning. The bar table works well for on-the-run family breakfasts, too. You can also have a regular height, more formal sit-down table at the other end of the kitchen for when you do entertain; simply direct your guests from the living room to your kitchen/dining room when you’re ready to serve.

    Guest Room/Home Office

    Unless you have guests often, the guest room is another under-utilized area in most homes. If you have overnight guests less than once a month, or for very short stays, it doesn’t make sense to devote so much floor space to a bed that’s rarely used. There are so many sleek, elegant, comfortable and affordable hide-a-beds available these days that it makes a lot more sense to use the guest bedroom as a home office and relocate if, and when, you have overnight guests. Chances are good you won’t be trying to work from home when you’ve got house guests anyway. Fold down Murphy beds are another option, and there are many new models and designs available.

    If, however, you want to keep the guest room as a guest room, you can still create a home office in your guest room closet, if it’s large enough (cloffice is the not-quite-official name for this use of space). Now that printers and routers are wireless, they don’t even have to be in the same room as your laptop. It’s easy to add extra shelving to closet walls. In fact, you might find you focus better when the only visual distraction is your computer screen.

    Laundry Room/Pantry

    Even if you do laundry every single day, you probably spend no more than 10 minutes in your laundry room. That’s why it makes sense to make it a dual-purpose room and install pantry shelving or even an old set of kitchen cupboards that have been repainted or refaced.

    Almost every new washer and dryer is stackable, so take advantage of that and get your appliances installed vertically. You can also buy drawers for under the washer and dryer to safely store detergent, bleach, stain remover, and fabric softener right under the machines (and out of sight).

    If you’ve got a laundry room that also serves as a mudroom and back or side entrance to your home, buy a storage bench for near the door and install as many hooks as you can for coats and jackets. Coats are bulky, and only the ones you wear on a daily basis should be taking up front hall closet space.

    Rather than store out-of-season clothes in every family member’s room, create a winter storage area in the laundry room. You can fit a lot of clothes in a blanket box and an armoire, and neither take up a lot of floor space.

    Make sure all your furniture is space-sensitive and create a design strategy that favors dual- or multi-purpose rooms. Take advantage of corners and try to find corner desks or shelving units. Dining tables that expand with leaves and ones that fold down when not in use are always huge space savers. Ottomans and coffee tables are great opportunities for storing occasional-use items like board games and magazines. Instead of just a small table in your front hallway, use a small dresser instead. Be creative and invest in a variety of storage pieces. It’ll be a lot easier to keep everything in its place once you’ve created a place for everything.

  • How to Bring Florals in throughout Your Home, from Live Plants to Decor

    When you are seeking a fresh new decor option for your home, it’s always wise to consider florals. Whether you’re thinking of a beautiful vase of roses, a live plant or new curtains with a flower motif, garden elements and nature-inspired pieces help you to feel alive and happy while at home. If you’re staging your home, these additions won’t hurt, either. Here are some original and easy ways to beautify your home and freshen it with florals.

    1. Choose a floral tablecloth

    One of the quickest ways to bring a slice of nature into your home is to dress up your dining room table with a floral tablecloth. Bright, fresh colors are great for spring, and orange, yellow or hibiscus shades make an impact in the summertime. Autumnal hues and leaf patterns fit the bill once chillier weather hits, and holly berries, poinsettias and other elegant red florals are perfect for the wintertime. Top it off with coordinating chargers or candlesticks when you entertain for a polished look.

    2. Dress up a corner with a live plant

    When you select a plant for your home, don’t feel the need to limit yourself to traditional choices. How about a grass plant in a bell jar or terrarium? Orchids and air plants are also beautiful ways to bring a touch of nature indoors. The more colorful the plant you choose, the more noticeable it will be, and the better it will brighten your mood each day when you see it.

    3. Choose vibrant wallpaper

    Bold, dramatic floral wallpaper is in vogue right now, and for good reason. Muted tones have had their day, and bright colors and vibrant patterns are the new normal. Choose an accent wall in your bedroom, living room or office and apply a beautiful floral wallpaper. Keep the other walls and knick-knacks simple to really bring your accent wall to life.

    4. Tiled floors

    Believe it or not, flowers can live at your feet indoors just as they do outside in your garden. Floral tiles are a great way to make a subtle impact in your kitchen or bath. Choose a neutral background with pops of color to easily integrate your tiles with other decor and style changes over time.

    5. Display a floral centerpiece on the mantel

    Floral centerpieces are a classic way to brighten up your home. There’s no reason, though, that you need to display them solely on your dining room table. Instead, dress up your mantel or a charming bookshelf with a plant or dried flowers in a basket, glass dish or wooden bowl. Centering your room around nature in this way is sure to bring a sense of calm whenever you gather near your fireplace.

    6. Choose floral curtains

    When you look out each day, why not surround yourself with flowers? Floral curtains can be understated or bold and vibrant, and they’re a beautiful way to remind yourself to get outside and enjoy nature. Consider switching out your fabric patterns throughout the year to either mirror or contrast what is occurring outdoors. This is an excellent and instant mood-lifter, particularly in the dull of winter.

    7. Display floral art

    The best quality of wall art is its versatility. Your artistic preferences may be completely different from your spouse’s or your mother’s, or even than what you liked last month. Fortunately, you can remove and replace wall art at any time, which makes it one of the best ways to keep your home décor fresh. Rotate floral prints from room to room as your tastes change, considering seasonal shifts in your choices. These days, modern, bold pinks and fuchsias are excellent options for wall hangings. Consider also prints of classic works of art, like Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers,” for instant appeal. Florals bring another dimension of joy and beauty to your home, whether printed on fabric, painted on canvas or displayed fresh in all their glory. No matter the season or the room, finding a way to work a flower motif or two into your decor is sure to be an instant mood-lifter. In addition, if you’re staging your home, subtle floral touches can make your home seem brighter and more welcoming.

  • Best Outdoor Patio ideas

    Whether you plan to spend the rest of the summer working from your outdoor home office or just want to have a few moments of peace with your morning coffee before beginning your commute, here are some of the best outdoor patio ideas.

    Outdoor living space on a brick patio overlooking a tranquil lake

    Summer Kitchen

    You may want to use your deck or patio as an outdoor summer kitchen. If so, think about things like being set back from the house when planning where to put the grill and how much space to assign to your patio’s food prep area. Don’t forget, everyone wants to hang out in the kitchen at parties. Being able to observe and talk to the chef is a bonus.

    If you don’t barbeque much and prefer drinks and nibbles or potlucks for your outdoor entertaining, think about building a small bar with its back against the exterior wall, facing out. This works well on a small patio or deck where you don’t want your guests milling about.

    If you’d rather focus on eating outdoors while continuing to do your meal prep in your indoor kitchen, create a casual dining area where people feel comfortable lounging both before and after meals. You can serve them more formally after doing all the food prep indoors. Think bench seating and well-cushioned rattan or metal outdoor chairs, rather than traditional wrought iron, which can be very unforgiving. Those wrought iron sets are best saved for tiny bistro tables where you have a quick coffee but don’t plan to linger.

    water coming out from a vase in a garden

    Add a Calming Element

    When you retreat to your patio, you’re looking for a change of scenery and perhaps even a new perspective. Creating an outdoor patio that nourishes you is just as important as using your outdoor space as an entertainment extension to your home. If you want your patio or deck to be a retreat, consider adding a calming element like a Zen or herb garden or a simple but elegant waterfall.

    Zen gardens come in all sizes and shapes, from smaller than a placemat to large outdoor constructions. All you need is a rectangular wooden box or tray, a small wooden rake, some sand, some shells, rocks, or twigs, and, if you want to get fancy, a succulent or two. Bonus points if you can use some of that sand you brought home from your last Caribbean vacation. As you trace patterns in the sand you can pretend that you’re back there, even though you haven’t left the patio.

    Waterfalls can be as simple as two bowls cunningly arranged so one overflows into the other. The sound of trickling water is one of the most soothing there is, right up there with a soothing breeze that rustles the tree leaves. Don’t invest in anything too complicated or anything that’s likely to require a lot of maintenance. Keep it simple and clean, and make sure your water feature has an off switch for guests who may not appreciate it.

    Fragrant lavender, rosemary, and mint are three of the best herbs to grow on a patio or deck in containers. Lavender and rosemary provide a tall, spikey visual element, while mint just cascades lushly as it spreads. Make sure you’ve got the right exposure for the herbs you choose—not all, like mint, want full sun.

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  • Coordinating Your Garden to Your Home

    While architects have often noted that landscape architecture has lagged the modernist building movement since the late 1930s, these days, there’s consensus that your garden should, if not match, at least coordinate with your home.

    An English country garden may work just as well with a Cape Cod style home as it does with a thatched Tudor cottage. However, it really doesn’t suit a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired angular home with clean lines and lots of glass.

    Try to match your garden’s style to your home when it comes to size, color, and style for a clean, comforting appearance.

    Big custom made luxury house with nicely trimmed and landscaped front yard

    Size

    If you’ve got a tiny little porch, don’t flank your home’s entryway with massive flower pot sentinels. That will only emphasize how small your porch is. Similarly, if your front yard is the size of a pocket handkerchief, perhaps bursts of color from small petaled trailing plants like lobelia are a better idea than a hibiscus bush. Save the big, showy flowers for those you can train to grow on a trellis against the house, like a clematis.

    If, on the other hand, you’ve got a huge front yard, you may want to create interest by designing winding pathways that delineate different kinds of gardens: flower from herb, annual from perennial, rose garden from mixed flowers, Zen garden from rock garden. Also, you’ll want to scale up the size of your plants as well. If you’re working with a big space, you can invest in plants like hostas and hydrangeas, which will grow and grow and grow until you cut them back.

    Try to scale the size of your plantings to the size of your home. If tiny and perfect works for your house, it’ll work for your garden too. Make sure, if you have a small home on a small lot, that you keep both evergreen and deciduous trees trimmed. Letting them get too tall isn’t just an aesthetic faux pas, it can be dangerous, given the severity of many storm events.

    home with nicely trimmed and landscaped front yard

    Color

    Repeating your home’s paint colors in your garden’s foliage or flowers is one way to link interior and exterior. Think of the house color as the flower painting’s backdrop. You can echo your home’s color scheme, or you can choose contrasting colors to make your garden pop.

    The easiest house colors to integrate with foliage are, of course, greens and browns. But you can use your garden flowers to both amplify and contrast with your home’s exterior wall color.

    White has a commanding presence in a garden, and some landscape gardeners think it should be used with care, to create a focal point or unite a space. Trim and roof colors should be repeated throughout a garden, with white or off-white plantings as accents or unifying elements with any house that has white or cream in its paint scheme.

    modern house with matching style garden

    Style

    The warm texture of a red brick house with gingerbread trim and deep overhangs calls for one kind of garden and a specific range of plants, while the neutral concrete and glass angles of a modern, custom-built home would look silly adorned with petunias.

    If you’ve bought a heritage home, honor its stature with traditional and vintage garden designs. Make use of arbors and hanging baskets on the porch. Flank a colonial style home’s front door with large planters bursting with trailing flowers. Create a rose or hydrangea or French herb garden. Build a latticework gazebo.

    Landscape architects suggest using foliage as building blocks with modern design, and some of the best examples of this are of rectangular planters filled with wild and spikey decorative grasses. The abundance, movement, and deep true colors of the grasses provide contrast to the neutral color scheme. They also supply texture, movement, and a wildness that works well with a very precise and sometimes coldly confrontational architectural style.

    Modern architecture lends itself very well to xeriscaping, and once a xeriscape lawn has been designed and planted, it matches the spirit of modern architecture: clean lines, low maintenance, and a lack of ornamentation. Vertical gardens and green walls work very well with modern architecture too, providing a shot of color and free form design, adding a bit of warmth and interest to hard edges. Planning, planting, nurturing, and appreciating your garden should be a voyage of exploration and discovery, something you perfect over the course of years. Don’t be afraid to try new colors, plants, and accessories to see what works and what doesn’t. Most importantly, don’t forget that gardening can be a year-long passion. After all, the important work gets done in winter: planning, poring over seed catalogues, and researching patio stones, water treatments, wind chimes, and lawn furniture.

  • Innovative Ways to Use Your Basement Space

    Finished or unfinished, basements are too often overlooked. They are frequently forgotten when it comes to considering available space, due to clutter, dampness and darkness. These issues can be addressed with a few tried and true techniques and basement renovation ideas. Here are five suggestions.

    1. Home gym

    Save yourself the gym membership fees and commute time by installing a home gym. For a modest investment, create a dedicated workout space that changes with your needs. Start with a yoga mat, an elastic exercise band and some free weights. You can find a used weight bench with a bar and some weights for about $150.00, or find working stationary bikes and treadmills for even less. Heavy bags provide a wonderful way to relieve stress and condition your body in the privacy of your own home.

    Make your home gym even more serviceable and comfortable by including rubber flooring and a full-length mirror to monitor your form. Shelves are handy for exercise books, cleaning supplies and bottled water. A bar fridge or plug-in water cooler will help you stay hydrated. Finally, a smart TV that supports YouTube lets you sample a variety of exercise techniques or catch up on the news during cardio.

    2. Home Theater or Music Room

    A home theater delights the whole family and is relatively cheap to install. A large screen smart TV and a family computer with lots of memory are a great way to begin. Good speakers enhance the entertainment experience. Sectional couches (or old movie theater seats) provide ample, comfortable seating. A microwave and a bar fridge allow you to prepare snacks and refreshments for game or movie nights. Carpeting is a good idea to warm up the space and reduce noise.  If you’re willing to make the investment, cork flooring provides a beautiful and forgiving surface that doesn’t need vacuuming.

    3. All-Ages Playroom

    The large footprint basements offer means little ones can scatter their toys and enjoy hours of fun. Shelves for books and board games make the space useful. Install a large table for crafting and painting, as well as for puzzles and games.

    The good news is your basement can provide a playroom no matter your age. Invest in an air hockey or ping pong table, foosball, miniature pool table or a pinball machine to create a grown-up relaxation space.

    4. Bedroom, Bathroom, and Laundry Room Combo

    An extra shower in the family home is a great idea and it gives guests a little more privacy. Installing one in your laundry room can be an efficient strategy. Adding bedrooms and bathrooms will also improve the resale value of your property and provide a convenient place to host family and friends. Be sure you comply with regulations, including mandatory exits and closets.

    5. Bachelor Suite

    If you’ve already got a bathroom and bedroom downstairs, think a little bigger. A children’s room adds convenience for sleepovers, while a full guest suite provides extra income through homestay students or long-term tenants. A kitchen space that includes a sink, stove, refrigerator and table is essential for a self-contained rental unit.  Additionally, a private entrance is the single most important feature tenants looks for.

    Before you embark on a basement renovation, make a list of goals. Use shelving and storage boxes to pack and re-organize everything you’ve stashed under the house. Unify what’s stored into a single room furthest away from the social or living areas of your repurposed basement.

    Invest in a dehumidifier. As the damp disappears, so will the impression of coldness. Cozy is good, but hygge is better.

    Eliminate dark basement corners with appropriate lighting or add a large carpet to unify the space and provide bright splashes of color. Paint walls white or an engaging hue, like butter yellow, to improve your mood. Add to this airy brightness by choosing shiny flooring materials and a variety of small lamps. Use mirrors and clear glass windows to brighten the space or use frosted glass lit from behind to give the impression of windows. Overall, it’s most important to be creative. It’s your basement, after all.