Creating a living space in your basement can open up a world of possibilities for your home.
A room that might have once been relegated to haphazard storage—outgrown toys, old furniture, and mystery boxes that haven’t been looked in since the move—can be transformed into a lovely and functional office, a cool game room with all the technological bells and whistles, or even a vibrant and inviting space for entertaining family and friends.
Whatever use you make of your finished basement, one very important piece of the design must not be overlooked: the lighting. If the lighting in the basement is inadequate or ill-suited to its new purpose, the room will never live up to its full potential. Poorly lit rooms won’t attract or keep visitors for very long.
Natural Lighting
Most home improvement experts agree that natural lighting is the best base illumination for rooms. However, unless your home is built on a slope, it can be difficult to get natural light into a basement space.
In new construction, window wells can be installed to allow for more natural light in a basement that is mostly underground, but make sure to use waterproof windows and create a reliable drainage system to prevent the possibility of water damage.
visit our blog post to read more about the different styles of windows available for basements as well as different factors to consider before installing windows.
Artificial Lighting
For spaces where natural lighting is minimal or impossible, there are numerous types of artificial lighting that can set just the right tone, whether you need an energetic beam for accent lighting or a soft glow for an intimate get-together.
Ambient Lighting
Task Lighting
While both track and recessed lighting can be used for general task lighting, office and hobby areas benefit from brighter and more focused illumination provided by task lighting. Task lighting should be bright enough to prevent eye strain and should be positioned to eliminate shadows.
Accent Lighting
Giving careful consideration to your lighting plan in the early stages of your basement remodeling can lead the way toward a bright, productive future for your finished basement project.
