Are you in the midst of a do-it-yourself renovation? Or have you just hired an interior designer to help you put into reality all the wonderful ideas that you have about making your home look more interesting and relaxing? Remember that every element plays a vital part in making your house your "dream house." Most people tend to pay attention to the living area, the dining and the kitchen areas and home offices. And the basement hardly gets any artistic attention. This is probably because most families view the basement as storage space.
Even movies have created a mindset that is far from nice. If you notice, most horror or suspense flicks depict the basement as something mysterious or scary. But nobody has ever entirely realized that adding aesthetically inclined choices in design can bring color and vibrant life to the basement. You could start with the basement floor. In basement construction, you should know what you want to use the area for and choose a type of basement flooring that would suit your needs as well as match your design sense. In particular, start with what type of environment you want to have in this lower level.
If you have a moist or wet basement, choose a floor material that can withstand this setup. Some of the best architectural plans and designs include basements that are dry and have good insulation. To make your space appealing to your senses, you have a choice among these types of flooring materials:
- Linoleum. This material can be easily put in place and can be removed easily as well. There are countless choices you can make regarding design and color. You can even choose one that matches the basement paint that you have. If your cement floor has lines, cracks, etc., a linoleum covering can easily mask this.
- Ceramic or Porcelain. Ceramic or porcelain flooring is beautiful and not very high on the price level. But its downsides are that they are prone to cracks and breakage, and you need to tone their "coolness" down with warm colored tones in your furniture, coverings or upholstery.
- Concrete Floor. This is the most basic and common choice. A concrete floor is very functional and low maintenance, but it lacks a little notch on the appeal side.
- Laminates. This choice is for those who are on a tight budget but want the same aesthetic effects as the more expensive flooring materials. The plus sides of using laminates are that it is easy to install and does not need extreme maintenance measures.
- Hardwood Floor. This type of flooring is very appealing and can give certain warmth to an otherwise cold basement. And basic wood colors can be easily matched to the paint you choose for your walls. This is also low maintenance, but the initial cost may be quite high.
- Carpet. Carpet provides good basement insulation. And the main attraction of carpets is that they provide a cushioned floor. They also come in countless varieties. But you have to deal with dusting and vacuuming to maintain your carpet and to keep it free from allergens.
You might also want to consider subsequent basement repair when selecting the type of basement floor you want to have. All these things should be considered and weighed for you to get just the right balance of aesthetics and functionality.
