Beautiful-Bedroom-Flooring

Top Trends in Basement Design

Pressure of space on properties, particularly in London, mean that people are looking for innovative ways of maximising their living space. Many people have already used their attics as an extra room – now people are looking downstairs and using their basements.

Here we look at how people are choosing to decorate this additional space.

Think Open-Plan

With basements, the amount of space is often limited so adding internal walls will make it seem even more claustrophobic. A multi-purpose space can be created by using different colours and styles of furnishings. Adding glass partitions is another way of leaving the space relatively free and uncluttered.

Light Rather Than Bright

It can be tempting to go for a bold colour scheme, particularly if the basement is for personal use rather than a guest room. However, most householders are resisting this because vivid shades can make the space seem smaller.

Painting the walls in a light or neutral colour will help avoid this problem. Whites, greys, and pale shades of blue and green are all popular basement colours. To give the room some life, many people are painting a single feature wall in a different colour.

Make Light Work for You

Natural light can also be a problem with basements, as many will not have any windows at all. Building window wells at ground level that reach the top of the interior wall is one way of solving this issue.

This, however, may not be feasible, so imaginative use of internal lighting is essential. The trend is to avoid standard fluorescent fittings, as these result in an unflattering glare and can even give homeowners headaches. Floor lamps and spot lights in the ceiling are a far more effective way of brightening up the room.

Versatility is the Key

Many basements still end up as the archetypal ‘spare room’, whatever the owner’s original intentions. This means it can end up as a dumping ground for whatever people don’t have room for upstairs.

So most basements have plenty of built-in shelves and cabinets installed. To make sure they make maximum use of the available space, these should run from the floor right up to the ceiling. Double-duty furniture is another popular option – such as divan beds with built-in storage, and side tables with drawers.

Flooring for Basements

Vinyl flooring is a better option for basements than carpets if there is a need for something hardwearing – such as when the basement is being used as a gym, or as a room which will get a lot of footfall.

Vinyl is moisture-resistant, very low maintenance and will stand up well to bench presses and other exercises. The fact that it will stand up well to moisture is important because the damp, moist air naturally tends to sink to the lower levels of the house.

Xylo’s Dynamic Click range of vinyl flooring is available in a range of shades and effects, including stone, and light or dark grey or walnut. It is suitable for all areas of the house and is covered by a lifetime warranty for domestic use. Follow the link to find your nearest stockist.

Share this Post