You don’t always need a fully finished basement to turn unused space into an entertaining destination, but it sure does help. Hiring a construction and home remodeling team to build out your basement is a great way to add value to your house, and may homeowners turn the ‘home away from home’ into a place for movies, drinks and games. Here are some basement build out and design ideas that will help you transform your basement from a place for storage into a place for fun.

• Whether you have a pool table, ping pong setup, pinball machine or air hockey game, you want to ensure that your guests have ample space to enjoy them. Removing non-load bearing walls will open up your basement space to give you more options for placement. Also, be sure that the lighting you choose doesn’t hang too low over the tables.
• Ceilings are a great place to add an element of design to your finished basement. You can choose to leave the ductwork exposed for an industrial look, select a reflective ceiling to make the basement look bigger or install hanging shelves for storage.
• A custom built bar is an excellent entertainment addition to a basement and can serve many purposes. Have it flow into the media room for seamless design, install floor to ceiling cabinetry and shelves for additional storage and keep it stocked with snacks and drinks that you would otherwise have to travel upstairs to retrieve.
• Hire a contractor if you’ve ever had water damage or have never had plumbing in your basement. You’ll wan to ensure that your finished basement doesn’t get wet when it rains and you’ll wish you had a close by and convenient bathroom once you’re watching the game or playing a round of darts.
• Media rooms are another common addition in finished basement. Include the TV and media equipment in a custom built – in to save space and make room for storage. Select furniture – end tables, benches and ottomans – that have hinged lids for hiding away blankets, pillows and headphones. Use the walls and ceilings to install speakers and save floor space.
• Lighting in a basement can be tricky. If you have the option of installing windows and doors, go with a lot of them. The more natural light you have, the more your finished basement will feel like an extension of your home, as opposed to an addition to it. If your basement doesn’t open outside, use track lighting, wall lamps and under shelving lighting to save space.

For kids home from college, younger family members, movie lovers and party throwers, basement rec rooms provide a place to congregate and entertain. Hiring a contractor with experience in basement transformations will help ensure that your finished basement is built around your needs and that you’ll enjoy using the space for years to come.