Finished Basement Ideas: 3 Amazing Basement Floor Plans for Casual Entertaining
In this post: Are you looking for finished basement ideas for casual entertaining? Here are 3 basement floor plans and tips on how to design your own.⇒
Have you got a friend’s house you always go to for big events?
You know, Super Bowl, the Oscars, the finale of a great show, or any other event that draws large groups of people together for a casual gathering.
I’ve always wanted to be ‘that house’.
I’ve decorated my house with the purpose of enjoying life in it, from holiday dinners in my dining room to hosting visitors in my guest room. I’ve created a master suite for relaxed private time and developed our family room for cozy family evenings.
But I’ve yet to master that larger casual entertainment space that would be perfect for group get-togethers.
It’s not that I don’t have the space. I’m lucky to have a spacious ‘technically-finished’ basement with windows on one side. But currently, it’s a landing zone for stray furniture, not ready to toss, but not belonging elsewhere in the house. A left-over barstool from when my daughter only needed two. An extra dining chair for when the table is extended. (The other is being used as a desk chair.) A dining table and chairs from my son’s first apartment that now doesn’t fit in his new one. Some upholstered pieces waiting to be recovered. You get the idea.
I’d been thinking about decorating this room and really making it into the space that I want it to be. But interestingly, the cavernous footprint has proven intimidating. I decorate rooms for a living and yet I really welcomed input on this space. And then I found an amazing service that was exactly what I needed.
Ironically, I’ve had several readers reach out to me lately asking for design help. And while I love sharing my expertise and giving styling tips on the blog, I advocate the idea of pointing people to this service as a starting point for their projects.
Because frankly, it’s awesome!
So let me first share that this company, Modsy, is my sponsor and I was compensated for this post, but the opinions are all my own and are quite genuine. Here’s how the service works and how they helped me refine my finished basement ideas into a real workable plan.
They’re also offering a 20% discount to my readers using the coupon code: DESIGNTHUSIASM20
The process begins by taking photos of your space, and sending them to Modsy, along with measurements and/or a floor plan. You then fill out a questionnaire to clarify how you’d like to use the space and what your aesthetic vision is. Maybe you have certain colors in mind, maybe you have a few pieces you’d like to work around, or maybe you simply can communicate your taste by selecting favorites from images that they provide.
Modsy uses this information to develop 2 design options for your own personalized space. They use 3D visualization technology so you can see exactly how their furniture picks would look in your space. If you like what you see, you can even buy products directly from their links and they work with hundreds of partners!
The images you’re looking at here are from the first design option I was sent for my basement project. I was blown away by how accurate their depiction of my space was.
For my project, we talked about how I wanted to create three different zones, dividing my space up by they way it would be used. The design accommodated my preference for a large conversation area at one end of the room oriented toward one existing TV. In the center alcove, there’d be a bar or a dining table and at the other end of the room a more intimate conversation space, loosely pointed toward a second TV.
I also requested to include an existing bookcase, currently placed at the far end of the room.
The first design incorporates the piece in it’s current location, with a small nearby conversation area facing the TV. In the alcove they placed a compact bar unit against the wall next to a dining table, and at the other end of the room they presented a sofa and chairs.
They also provided an overview floor plan, as well as a 360 degree view, along with a shoppable studio comprised of direct links to the products they recommended.
The second design from among their finished basement ideas offers similar zones, but utilized quite differently. I love that the options Modsy presented are significantly different from each other, offering many choices for how I could arrange my space.
In Design 2, the alcove area has a free standing bar, something I had indicated I’d really like.
The large conversation area has a sectional in this plan, another feature I definitely favor.
The seating area below is one I first envisioned, and I’m glad to see how it works well in the space.
In this second plan Modsy experimented with moving my TV to the side wall. I love the way this looks but I’m not sure it’s worth all the re-wiring. The pieces can just as easily be swapped and serve the same purpose.
So while I love many aspects of the first plan, I think more of my selections will come from the second plan.
However, the real beauty of working with Modsy on my basement floor plans is their willingness to make changes. I had given some direction on my design aesthetic and felt the first two plans were a little too modern. I wanted a more casual look than my upstairs rooms, but I still wanted to include a French Country feel.
Modsy provided a third plan, making some furniture tweaks to the layout I liked. They swapped out the modern coffee table and added in one that more closely suits my taste.
The bookcase here is much more my style, as well as the console table below the TV.
The process is one that’s a back and forth and once you have your plans, you can purchase what you like or sub in your own choices.
If shopping for furniture is not your bailiwick, you can find everything you need from your Modsy plan.
Or if like me you have a very specific design sense, you can supplement their suggestions with some of your own.
Most of all, if you have a designer you already like to work with, Modsy is a great choice for seeing their ideas in a 3D simulation of your own space. This is definitely a service I would use with my clients for fleshing out my design ideas.
I encourage you to visit Modsy’s website and consider this service for your next project. You can visit the link to their shoppable studio for the 3 finished basement ideas they designed for me.
And then maybe you, too, can be ‘that house’!
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I was SO excited to read the post this morning! We are nearing the completion of our new home and I have been really stumped by what to do in our great room. This looks like an ideal solution. Look forward to trying them out. I especially like how they will work with existing pieces as I have several that made the ‘cut’ when deciding what to keep and what to sell/give away/temporarily store, just in case…. Great start to the day!
I am so glad to hear that! I love when things I find, resonate with readers and I very much agree about the usefulness if this service… 🙂 I actually cannot wait to do my basement now!! Good luck with your great room!
The three best basements I’ve ever seen:
(1) a retired car-mechanic neighbor who collects antique cars. The entire basement was a huge garage for his babies. He pulled out most of them but left a couple of real gems, and he and his wife set up tables. The floor was tiled–not a drop of oil (and of course Mr. Mechanic’s cars didn’t leak oil anyway). They had lots of posters on the walls–antique posters of cars, posters from places they had visited on rallies. Great atmosphere. Once a space is full of guests, all that matters are a few big “wow” factors and having enough seating. Added points for the space being used (for his cars) when not serving as mega-dining room.
(2) an architect’s house with an enormous picture window–in a window well. The window well held huge plants, and there was a grid on top so that people could walk over it safely and yet the light came through to the basement. It was like being in a terrarium. Very cool. Also, the basement was so bright and welcoming thanks to the window.
(3) another neighbor’s wine cave. This was an accident–after the house flooded, they dug out and discovered the basement walls were made of bricks (I think the house dates to the early 1800s). They left the bricks, put in racks for their wine collection and installed a long, tall table with stools, and we have apéritifs there before dinner. Again–very simple, but what grabs attention are the ancient brick walls.
Nice options. I think the key is to treat the basement like it’s a regular part of the house. Then the sky is the limit on how creative you can be… 🙂 We actually have a tiny room next to our great room that I wanted to make into a wine cellar when we first moved in. But right now it’s storing all of my son’s guitars and amps. Still, maybe some day when he moves his stuff out, it could be a good spot to store wines since it’s near the entertainment room. I’d love to do wine tastings down there. No ancient walls, but there’s plenty you can do with stone and wood.
Love this post! They don’t even look like basements. I don’t know which one I like best!
Thank you!! And I agree they don’t look like basements… 🙂 But that’s exactly what I’m going for. We’re lucky to have some windows, so why not decorate it like a regular living space?
Wow! What a great idea to get another pair of eyes on your project! I know you’ll find the perfect pieces to fill in beautifully with plan 2. Love the sectional too!
Thanks, Ginger! I’m really excited about this project… 🙂